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 down a movie theater with people in it. Marjane wanted to participate in the protest that was being organized against the police but her parents wouldn’t allow it. Her parent’s view of the revolution was initially bad. Her parents protested every day, and her grandmother described her life of poverty due to her husband’s rebel against the government. Her uncle Anoosh also rebelled, and she saw him as a hero. He was loyal to his uncle Fereydoon, who proclaimed the independence of Azerbaijan, therefore, the Shah was displeased. iii He fled, but when he returned to Iran, he was captured, imprisoned for nine years and later is assassinated. In the novel they discuss many events that occurred during the revolution. The government shut down the U.S. embassy and the universities, all women were forced to wear the veil and Iraqi fighter jets bombed Tehran.iii When her parents travel to Turkey they break the law by smuggling posters in her father’s jacket. If the government knew what her family did, her parents would have been arrested. Marji's family also drinks and throws parties, which is illegal and continues with their dangerous conduct because they enjoy it. Just because the Shah has made it illegal does not stop her parent’s actions. Eventually, Marji’s mother’s pessimism won out over her father’s optimism. The Iraqis had missiles and the Tehran became the target. Marji's role in life changes drastically throughout the novel. In the beginning, as a young child, Marji believes that she is a prophet. As the story progresses and they the revolution continues, Marji begins to feel dismay towards the revolution and towards God. Later in the novel, Marji’s mother also feels sadness. Her former revolutionary spirit is gone and replaced with fear. When Marji’s principal calls the house to complain that Marji disrespected of the teachers, her mother in the past would have been proud, but this time around she fears for her daughter and goes on to explain the things that happen to girls in Iranian prison. Her mother had given up optimism and established that war in her country is never-ending.
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i. Concessions, Repression, and Political Protest in the Iranian Revolution. Vol. 61. American
Sociological Review, 1996. 132-152. ii. Kurzman, Charles. "Structural Opportunity of Iranian Revolution." JSTOR. Accessed May 2, 2015. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2096411?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents iii. Persepolis. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 2003.