Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi’s memoir, Persepolis, tells the tale of her childhood in Iran. Through this period Marji experiences different leaders, revolutions, and wars through her family and the news. Persepolis illustrates a child’s confusion during periods of strife and their desire to be loyal to what they believe in. What the children in Persepolis believe in is strongly influenced by their parents, friends, and relations. From comparing how many times they pray a day, to how heroic their ancestors are, Marji and her companions depict a common childhood experience. Persepolis clearly illustrates a child’s attempt to understand war. One example is when Marji’s parents told her the story of her grandma’s imprisonment and water torture. They were unaware of how this affected Marji who then took a very long bath in order to experience what her grandfather had experienced. Other ways in which Marji tries to understand her parent’s and friend’s opinions are by reading books about Marx and past revolutions. Marji’s bewilderment about politics and religion can also be seen through her early belief that she was a prophet. This conflicts with her loyalties to her country, because as new leaders are elected, God’s will seems to be changed, which bewilders Marji.
Persepolis is a detailed story of a young girl growing up in a time of conflict. It does not only relate to Marjane Satrapi, but instead is a story that can be understood in any country. Marji repeats what she sees, like when she and her friends put nails between their fingers like brass knuckles, and attempt to attack a boy whose father killed millions. This incident is similar to when young children anywhere emulate their parents and tease their friends for differences in class. In Persepolis, young children are not only influenced by their parents, but also dragged to war to be killed for their country. Marji sees the government’s deception towards the poor young men of her country through her maid’s son. Other ideas brought up in Persepolis are the effect war has on a family. Marji’s extended family loses all their money and moves into her house. She experiences new ideas including the desire to flee to America or another safe place. Finally, Marji experiences the challenges of living in Iran. This is seen through her mother’s rage when she finds out Marji skipped school. Her mother says, “You have your whole life to have fun!…In this country you have to know everything better than anyone else if your going to survive” (Satrapi 115). These images are all present in Marjane’s Satrapi’s superb graphic novel, Persepolis.
Tags: Marjane Satrapi, Multimedia Project, Persepolis, Satrapi, Spring Break
