Premium Essay

Persepolis

In: Novels

Submitted By jwinkler
Words 696
Pages 3
Two years pass and the war continues. Every day there are reports on the national news that Iran is winning the war, but Marjane knows this is a lie. She tells her older friends that not even the Americans have an army as large as the Iraqi one that has supposedly already been destroyed by Iran.
Her mother tells her that she must “know everything better than anyone else if you’re going to survive!!”
In the basement, Marjane takes out a cigarette that she had stolen from her uncle. Just as the people of Iran participate in small acts of rebellion against their government, Marjane declares that smoking the cigarette is a rebellion against her mother. She lights it and coughs but decides not to give in and to continue smoking. In that moment, she says that she moves from childhood to adulthood.
Passport and cigarette
Her rebellion takes the form of an increased awareness of and engagement with Western culture -- its food, dress, music, and style. Her rebellion, however, carries the threat of severe consequences.
In the basement, Marjane makes her boldest statement of rebellion by smoking a cigarette that she had stolen from her uncle. She equates the smoking of the cigarette as a small act of rebellion against her mother. It is rebellion in the same way that the people of Iran are able to hold small acts of rebellion against their leaders, such as playing cards or not fully shaving their beards or showing their hair. These rebellious acts underlie a tacit understanding that neither Marjane nor the Iranian people are truly free, yet these acts are also an expression of agency. It is in the darkest hour that both Marjane and her country find means to declare a small bit of independence.
Class conflict is an underlying tension throughout the novel. At the beginning, Marjane cannot quite grasp how her father can drive a Cadillac and her family can have a maid while

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Persepolis

...Ensayo persépolis ¿Como la revolución iraní causo grandes cambios negativos en las vidas de los ciudadanos? Basándose en la película Persépolis de Mariane Satrapi. Es difícil entender y obedecer una ley que obliga a las personas a cambiar su forma de vida. En la película Persépolis escrita por Marjane Satrapi, se vieron muchos cambios en la forma de vida de las personas durante la revolución. Persépolis fue escrito basado en recuerdos de la infancia de Satrapi visto desde de los ojos de un niño. La escritora y por ende protagonista, explica las dificultades que vivió por tener que cambiar su forma de ser y se muestra claramente que se metía en problemas con el fin de expresar las cosas q no le gustaban. No fue sólo Satrapi la que tuvo que enfrentar cambios, también otras familias es incluso toda la sociedad estaban sufriendo esta imposición de poder. Además de que hubieron muchos cambios, se vio como esta revolución logro crear un impacto en los militares, en la educación, en las mujeres y en los niños. Para empezar, los militares comenzaron a reclutar adolescentes de tan solo catorce años que Vivian en la pobreza, lo cual crea un cambio en el aspecto militar de esta sociedad. Esto puede ser considerado un gran cambio en el sistema militar ya que un niño de catorce años aun es considerado inmaduro y con poco desarrollo mental y físico. Su destino seguro en el ejercito era la muerte. Muchos de estos niños fueron engañados para unirse al ejercito, pues les daban una llave...

Words: 1377 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Bible Dictionary

...Bible Dictionary Project Template Name: Kaili Brown Student ID: L23500986 Course: BIBL 104 Survey Of Biblical Literature Date:February 22, 2016 Old Testament Bible Dictionary Project: Song Of Solomon Written in poem format, The Song Of Solomon in the Old Testament remains the sole, out of thousands penned by the author, preserved throughout history. The royal son of David, Solomon wrote the song when he was a young romantic, before participating in many matrimonies and concubines that were detrimental to his spirituality and Godly leadership. Possessing two birth names, Solomon or Jedidiah is applied throughout the Song. Written between 970 to 930 BC, the poem deals with the romantic relationship between Solomon and a Shulamite woman. Grasping the text in our time, The Song presents the truth about God’s desire for human love and the union of a husband and wife. Love, as an earthly illustration in comparison to the beautiful relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians) is the nurturing relationship between a man and a woman encompassing holiness and safety of the marriage covenant. Setting the foundation for the relationship between God and His love for his people, The Song depicts how God designed sexual union to be a mutually fulfilling, unselfish and nonsecular. Mighty within Gods plan of marriage, it is spiritual; emotionally and physically constructive. Exercised outside of His will proves to be destructive and sinful creating countless problems...

Words: 647 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Persepolis

...In the reading Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi depicts the harsh laws and violence used through the fundamentals of terrorism during the Iranian Revolution. By Marji being very young at this time, she was unable to understand what was happening in society, but her parents soon helped her make sense of how corrupt their government was becoming. Violence was a daily occurrence as protests filled the streets. Living in world of violence influences different actions taken by characters in various literatures. Children of the Revolution, by David Patrikarakos, Veiled Threat, by Francesco Bongiorni, and, British-Iranian Woman Jailed For a Year For Trying To Watch Volleyball Game, are distinctive works that relate how the influence of background and society change the perception of people living in Iran. Before 1980, growing up, Marji lived a carefree life and could wear or express herself anyway she wanted. But, soon later, a changing revolution would take place that would affect everyone in Iran. Before the Islamic Revolution, she was able to attend a French Non-Religious school where girls and boys were allowed to study and play together. Unfortunately, her relaxed world soon ended once the Islamic government decided to change their ways and forced others to conform to their religious beliefs of what they thought was right. When the Islamic Revolution began, it targeted women specifically by forcing them to wear veils over their heads. Many young girls such as Marji and her classmates...

Words: 984 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Persepolis

...Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s autobiography. It covers her childhood and teenage years in her hometown, Tehran; her experiences abroad while she studies at the French Lyceum in Austria; and her return to a country devastated by war and mistreated by the Regime. Therefore it is hardly surprising that the protagonist’s identity is formed at the crossroads of two cultures, the Western and the Eastern ones, without really belonging to either of them. Satrapi herself has stated that  “[she is] a foreigner in Iran. . . Nowhere is [her] home any more” (Tully, 2004) and this feeling of alienation is materialised throughout the work. Thus, Persepolisrevels in the middle-grounds between opposite stances, with images which are able to show the complexity both of the situation in her country and of the author’s personal life. One of the richest and most representative images may be this one:   Satrapi, Marjane (2006) Persepolis (London: Jonathan Cape, 283, 3) This image shows the picture that she had to draw to pass the exam for university, where she would study fine arts. She knew that, in the wake of Iran-Iraq war, when propaganda was overwhelming and 40 % of places were reserved for martyrs’and handicapped people’s children, one of the exam topics would be the martyrs’ representation. This image constitutes an interesting re-interpretation of both Christian and Muslim religious symbology. Thus, we can read, in the text box above, that: I practiced by copying a photo of Michelangelo’s...

Words: 832 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Persepolis

...Persepolis Essay Pesepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel depicting the life of Marjane Satrapi during the Iranian Revolution. In the early pages, Marjane illustrates that she saw herself as a prophet. She wanted to change the world, and with the help of God, she thought that she could. During Satrapi’s early childhood, the traditions and history of Iran had been going through drastic changes. The Iranian Revolution was when Iran’s monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown and replaced with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who led the revolution. ii Persepolis is framed during 1979 and after the Iranian Revolution. The Shah of Persia was overthrown and eventually replaced by an Islamist government during this time. Satrapi narrates her experience of the Revolution, which includes bombings, violent deaths of family and friends, and inequality. Women of Iran had many restrictions, and the leaders of Iran had disrespected them in many ways and belittled them as citizens. I The Islam religion forces women to wear veils for many reasons. Satrapi shows us how men saw themselves superior to woman and how most women did not enjoy the attitudes of men and also following certain obligations like wearing the veil. Following the Revolution, intense social changes took place in what had previously been a liberal country, became a religious republic. Her family lived through many events. She discusses how her mother told her that the regime burned...

Words: 641 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Persepolis

...In the reading Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi depicts the harsh laws and violence used through the fundamentals of terrorism during the Iranian Revolution. By Marji being very young at this time, she was unable to understand what was happening in society, but her parents soon helped her make sense of how corrupt their government was becoming. Violence was a daily occurrence as protests filled the streets. Living in world of violence influences different actions taken by characters in various literatures. Children of the Revolution, by David Patrikarakos, Veiled Threat, by Francesco Bongiorni, and, British-Iranian Woman Jailed For a Year For Trying To Watch Volleyball Game, are distinctive works that relate how the influence of background and society change the perception of people living in Iran. Before 1980, growing up, Marji lived a carefree life and could wear or express herself anyway she wanted. But, soon later, a changing revolution would take place that would affect everyone in Iran. Before the Islamic Revolution, she was able to attend a French Non-Religious school where girls and boys were allowed to study and play together. Unfortunately, her relaxed world soon ended once the Islamic government decided to change their ways and forced others to conform to their religious beliefs of what they thought was right. When the Islamic Revolution began, it targeted women specifically by forcing them to wear veils over their heads. Many young girls such as Marji and her classmates...

Words: 984 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Persepolis

...Xavier Borbor May 3, 2012 CORC 3101 The Harsh Realities of Life In Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi explores the realities of her native land. She begins the story as a intelligent young pre-teen with a promising future. As she grows older she sees how cold the world is outside of her homeland as she lives through a near self-destructing phase of her life. She is capable of catching herself in this free fall with the help and guidance of her family a little while after returning home. In the story, her country continuously is fighting from freedom all the while she’s searching for her own identity. Throughout the book there are various things going on that can alter an individual’s point of view in search of their identity. To understand clearly, I break down my research on topics concerning the government, religion, social classes, the history concerning the country and the educational requirements that need to be met in the Iranian society. My research consist of material from Marjane Satrapi’s book, Persepolis. “2500 years of tyranny and submission” as my father said. First our own emperors. Then the Arab invasion from the west. Followed by the Mongolian invasion from the east. And finally modern imperialism (Satrapi 11). In the views of her father, their country has always been fighting for freedom. Trying to escape oppression there is always a revolution on the rise as the position of power changes hands. Never the less written in a passage titled The Bicycle, Marjane Satrapi...

Words: 2281 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Persepolis Review

...Persepolis is a movie about girl, Marjane and her struggle to identify her true identity within the confines of eastern and western views. Marjane and her family’s lifestyle in this film are seen to be challenging the dynamics of orientalism. Their progressive, educated and liberal outlook builds the foundation of breaking down Western’s pre conceived notions about the people of Iran. It is evidently proven by the perception, style and actions of Marjane and her family’s that the orientalist view of Iran being backwards, restricted and dogmatic is not entirely true. This film presents a convincing challenge to the concept of orientalism and it showed how the stereotypical images set by the western of the orient are not entirely correct. This is evident through the scene when Marjane is about to marry, her mother is found crying the bathroom because she is upset over the fact that her daughter is giving her life away when she wanted her to be liberated, literate and independent. This shows that even though Marjane was in an Iranian society and was forced to veil herself and follow the set of Islamic rules, the film challenges the orientalist impression of Marjane being completely suppressed or controlled in the society, which would be expected by the western audience. In fact, Marjane is seen to have a liberal and supportive family, her mother and grandmother at several instances are seen to encourage her to stand up for herself and make a future for herself by being...

Words: 1030 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Persepolis

...Section 1 (The Soup): Marji has just arrived in Vienna. She starts at a boarding house run by nuns and wondering what her roommate, Lucia, will be like. She then says why she was at the boarding house and not with her mother's friend, Zozo. She then tells what happened at Zozo's house. She didn't seem to like Marji much and there was a lot of fighting between Zozo and her husband. Plus, her daughter, Shirin, isn't like Marji remembers her and Marji doesn't like the new Shirin. When she arrives at the boarding house, a nun shows her around. She then experiences the freedom she now has by going shopping for her own food. When she returns, she meets her roommate. Lucia speaks German so Marji doesn't understand her until they were eating some soup and they found a way to communicate by writing out what they meant as pictures. The section ended by both girls watching a movie in the TV room and Marji leaves. Section 2 (Tyrol): Marji starts the section with complaining about Lucia waking her up every morning at 6:30 with her hair dryer. A little after that, Marji starts to make friends at school when she gets the highest grade on a math test. She also becomes very popular for her unflattering portraits of teachers. Later, she is introduced to people who become her friends. They talk about what they are going to do during their Christmas break, which makes Marji feel left out because she doesn't celebrate Christmas and the Iranian New Year isn't until March. She goes back to her room...

Words: 576 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Maus and Persepolis

...Persepolis and Maus: Two Survivors and Their Stories. Of the many items that help enhance the horror of the Nazi Holocaust, one of the most notable is what it had of systematic and bureaucratic. Not only killing people, which would have had already been enough, but precisely being made in a quiet and civilized way. It is not strange the image of the Nazi leader quoting his favorite poet while sending to death hundreds of people, belying the myth that culture and education make people better. The Holocaust was primarily an act performed with such rationality that could only become insane. It almost seems that it could have been avoided by appealing to the same reason as well served to run it. As indicated by the subtitle, Maus is the story of a survivor, as told to his son, who in turn transcribed into images and led to comic books. The father and son Vladek Spiegelman is Art Spiegelman. The story, like all of its kind, is bitter and full of cruelties. The work is structured in two levels. In one, the son tells the complex relationship with his father, a survivor of the Nazi camps, while collecting notes for the completion of a comic book that will have the experiences of the war. In the other, we see the story itself, that of a young newlywed couple immersed in the Nazi tumult. In contrast, contemporary events show an apparent visual poverty that hides repressed emotions in really classic and neat little vignettes, in which the author struggles with quiet desperation to...

Words: 1111 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Rebellion in Persepolis

...Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi is an autobiography graphic novel. The book is about a young girl named Marjane Satrapi growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In the book, many stories and struggles are presented, such as the Islamic revolution, issues with school, the war between Iran and Iraq, and Satrapi’s struggle with growing up. The strongest theme from all of these situations in the novel is rebellion. Rebellion is constantly seen, in many different shapes and forms, all throughout this book. In the beginning of the book (page 3) it became obligatory to wear the veil at school. The panel at the bottom of the page shows the children rebelling against the veil by using not wearing the veil properly. They make a mockery of the situation because they didn’t understand why they had to wear the veil. This rebellion against the rules and the veil repeats several times throughout the novel when it mentions and illustrates the women wearing veils with some of their hair showing, which is not how it is supposed to be worn. Marjane’s mother later gets insulted by fundamentalists because she wasn’t wearing the veil. However Marjane’s mother would continue wearing the veil in public like all the other woman but wouldn’t wear at home. The people in Iran obey and don’t rebel for example (on page 75) Marjane’s neighbors change by wearing a chador and mouth washing every time they utter the word “alcohol.” Another example of rebellion comes later in...

Words: 617 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Persepolis Essay

...Persepolis Essay There were many similarities and differences that are correlated with the movie Persepolis and the book Quicksand. There were many factors that the book made more clear and evident about the issues in Iran compared to the movie. The movie brought some topics to a more simpler and relatable view rather than just stating facts. Even with these many differences there were also many similarities like when it described the countries reactions to the situations, the book generally went along with the movie in that sense. With the issue of the modernization of Iran by the Shah, the movie gave a more clear understanding on how the people were during this time and how they acted. For example, when they showed Marji after learning about the Shah view on communism, go with her group of her friends and they tried to attack the young boy because his dad was with SAVAK and killed communists. Whereas in the book it gives you a more clear background and understanding of what exactly SAVAK and why the Shah supported it. In the book it really emphasized America’s involvement unlike the movie which didn’t really mention them. Another major difference that the movie portrayed in a better way than the book was the Islamic revolution. As I was reading the book I understood why the Islamic revolution was happening but I didn’t realize how strict and severe it was until in the movie I saw the many things that the Iranians were supposed to do like when Marji and her family were forced...

Words: 738 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Women In Persepolis

...For years, literature has tried to prove the seemingly natural and inevitable separation between man and women. In her graphic novel, Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi tells the story of her childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution in which various social groups, particularly women, are oppressed by the leaders of the regime. Satrapi depicts the marginalization of women in Iran to emphasize the effects an oppressive government can have on a repressed social group. Satrapi is able to use a variety of female characters’ developments to portray how Iranian women are marginalized throughout the revolution. Despite what Marji’s teacher personally believes, she only ever teaches content that is provided by the government. When Marji’s parents...

Words: 1003 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Satrapi's Persepolis

...The comic book novel Persepolis is a story of a childhood. A young girl named Marjane Satrapi grows up around the Iranian revolution. Marji realizes the anger and frustration of the people in Iran. One of the images in this book has to deal with the rebels burning down the Rex Cinema. The picture depicts a theater with locked doors we are told that people are locked in there. We see figures running away from the building on the outside looking for help and afraid for those inside. The fire trucks are there but the caption tells us it took forty minutes for them to arrive. There are several more pictures of the horrible things that go on in Marji’s life during the Revolution. The picture on the top of page 15 of the book is the police burning...

Words: 352 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The Land of Persepolis

...jnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi eudbwioednimierdnwrnsfiejnrfinskfncuisd cji fioe4rflemfio efibeior fujke fio fen feuifjk eu fjefe fj eifjnrgdijdfovndiofnguifdjiiiiiiijsdijfciosjdiojsdlnuinfdwi...

Words: 672 - Pages: 3