Persepolis
Amazing, intriguing, and unimaginable are just a few words to describe how I felt about Persepolis while I read this true life story of Marjane Satrapi. This book has helped me to see all the life struggles, good times, and adversities that Marji faced between the ages of nine to thirteen. The Islamic Revolution had such a daunting effect in the Middle East, especially in the county of Iran where Marji and her family resided. In the year of 1979 all that Marjane knew what it was like to not have to be forced into wearing a veil. Before the Islamic Revolution she was able to attend a a French Non-Religious school where girls and boys were allowed to study and play together. Unfortunately her world of carefree ness ended
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She did this hiding for two years just in case the magazine ever showed up in Iran which would have devastating consequences if her identify was ever found out. These events led Marjane to understand that all the things that were taking place in Iran was very serious business and if the rules were not followed then you were in serious danger. I really admired how Marjane's parents went out of their way and literally risked their lives so that Marjane could have a somewhat normal life. The Satrapi family were really good people who always did what they supposed to do if they knew that it was the right thing to do. They believed that you should have the liberty to make your own decisions, which is why Marjane was so independent, brave, rebellious, generous, understanding. Marjane believed that you should always do what is right because every one is considered equal. Well even though Marji was taught that by her parents she soon learned that not everyone is considered equal according to what socio-economic class that they were a part of. When Marjane's family maid fell in love with the teenage boy next door, she did not see anything wrong with them both wanting to be together and get married. It's only when Marjane's parents found out about the maid's relationship that it was soon ended because her father told the young man that she was their
At the same time, Marjane feels tension between her parents' political actions. Their belief in equality for the working class
The historical background of Iran is the most important idea that influences Marjane 's novel. Mohammad Reza Shah was the leader of Iran from 1941 to 1979. During his reign, Iran was living a westernized life. He initiated a revolution called the White Revolution, which included permitting women to vote, the abolition of illiteracy, land rehabilitation and distribution of oil. Basically, everyone in Iran, including Marjane’s family, was living a westernized live during Shah’s regime. As Satrapi’s mentioned, she used to go to a non-religious French school, in which boys and girls were mixed. On the other side, there was a
When Marji was about nine, she was sitting at home with her parents watching television. A man came on and explained that the Ministry of Education had decreed that all universities would close because the materials taught in schools were "decadent" and would "educate future imperialists"(Satrapi, 73). When she heard the man on TV she thought, "Misery! At the age that Marie Curie first went to France to study, I'll probably have ten children..." (Satrapi, 73) meaning that she believed her culture was taking steps backwards and forcing her to follow outdated customs and
The first months of Marjane’s introduction are shown when she is living in Vienna. She is not forced to wear the veil there, unlike Iran. She is living a very Western lifestyle; she can drink alcohol, dress provocatively
Marjane was told to “Don't forget who you are and where you come from … [but now she] wanted to forget everything, to make my past disappear” (Satrapi 152,149 panel 8,4). She has forgotten what her father had told her and lost her sense of self. She wanted to forget everything that related her and Iran, that includes the war, the
Iran. Since the younger Marjane first understood very little about what was currently happening, her mind told a completely different story than a more knowledgeable adult view would have. This ignorant point of view drastically affected the way certain events, such as revolutions, imperialism, nationalism,
Over the following four years, Marji learned of how her grandparents were left poor because of the Shah, the leader of the Iranian government. Shah was well known for robing men and women of everything they had worked for and leaving them with nothing. Nevertheless, Marji was schooled on the different levels of society in Iran, which left her to consider her family as rich because her Dad drove a Cadillac. Despite being a child, Marji accused her dad of being anti-social towards a class that could not read and write. To clarify Marji helped out a friend with the writing of some love letters. Mehi was the family maid that could not read or write. Mehi fell in love with the boy
Throughout the novel, the reader can examine Marji’s overpowering personality. She is shown as being curious and wanting to be involved in what is happening. Her parents allowed and taught her to be open minded, and sent her away so that her thoughts did not get her in trouble. Marjane Satrapi says, “I have been brought up
Stephanie Camberos Professor Zaghmouri English 125 19 April 2015 Mar In Persepolis, MarJane Satrapi displays a series of events throughout the story with the exposure of several major and minor characters that play an important part in her life story. MarJane reveals how her life along with many other families was altered in a variety of ways because in that period of time there was a war in her home country of Iran. The war occurring during that time changed the lifestyle and personalities of many Iranian people along with their life outcomes.
The country of Iran was corrupted by the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and iranians including Marjane and her parents wanted to overthrow the monarchy along with people that wants to get rid of him for the future of Iran. Satrapi tells about her childhood and how she developed as a solid character in the graphic novel along with the overthrow of the shah. Her parent’s political perspective of their religion, her vision of the legacy in Iran, and the importance of what she believe what can impact her country productively, shaped her to become a rebel or a revolutionist during the Islamic Revolution. In the early stage of Marjane’s life, she is ten years old and her school have been restricted to wear the veil which they had to wear during the time of the revolution. We see that Marjane doesn’t care much or understand about wearing the veil and she states, “We didn’t really like to wear the veil, especially since we didn’t understand why we had to” (Satrapi 1).
Persepolis is a book about the girl’s childhood and growth to adulthood during a bad time in history where she lived. It showed how dealt with different difficult in her life. This is an autobiography about the author, Marjane Statrapi. This book is special because it is a graphic novel and that the author choose to make the graphic novel black and white which is not really common among graphic novels because using color can display/ show and create different emotions for the readers.
In 1979, it was being enforced that women have to wear veils, Marjane was ten and in school when this happened, she didn’t understand it nor did she like it, “Then came 1980: the year it became obligatory to wear the veil at school. We didn’t like to wear the veil, especially since we didn’t understand why we had to.” (p.3). Boys and girls were separated and bilingual schools were shut down because “They are symbols of capitalism” (p.4). Later on her family friends Mohsen and Siamek, political prisoners,
In the beginning of the book, we see her as a child, where around the age of eight she has to begin wearing the veil (as required by the Islamic regime that took over Iran in the Islamic Revolution). This transitions into her experiences with school in Iran, where events unfold leading her to leave the country, and move to Austria, where she is to grow up. We also see her return back home eventually, however, she is not well adjusted to Iran, and it becomes very difficult for Marjane. I won’t spoil any more of the plot, but I can say that it was very interesting and well composed, which real stories often
Marjane Satrapi’s perspective in her book Persepolis influences her opinions of social/political awareness, nationalism, and eventually causes her to lose her childlike innocence.
different to Iran in almost every way– from the language to the food to the social interactions. The Catholic boarding school was disorienting because the other girls didn’t accept her and the nuns held her in open contempt, even calling her ill mannered for eating pasta out of a pot. Her holy days were unrecognized publically and it’s unclear whether she felt able to practice them at all. While she does end up making some friends at school their own family lives (and the fact that they can visit them) make her feel homesick. Marjane goes to great lengths to study the culture surrounding her, but eventually realizes that “there are some things I’ll never understand.” Arnett et al. speak about this constant interruption of routine and how it