Persepolis (draft #1)

The comic book style story Persepolis written by Marjane Satrapi really gives the reader a sense of what Iran was like in the revolutionary times Marjane expresses the things she experienced as a young, rebellious, and witty girl. Marjane had a keen awareness for the world around her at a very young age. She was in the midst of the revolution, but by reading a lot of books and understanding the country’s problems she was still able to form her own opinions.  

                 Marjane was only 6 years old when the story begins. She grew up very religious and was convinced she was going to be a prophet. God came to visit her every night, but when she expressed that she wanted to be a profit when she grew up it only made her teachers and her parents worried. She was side tracked of this dream in 1980 at the age of ten when the revolution had begun. When she went against her parents beliefs and told them that she liked the king because god had chosen him, they felt entitled to tell her about their own family history. They told her that her great grandfather was the emperor before he was overthrown by the Shahs father. This man was an uneducated low ranking soldier but when the British caught wind of his ideas to build a republic they took their opportunity to make him into the leader of Iran in exchange for oil. Although her grandfather was made a prime minister because of all the education he had under his belt. The power struggle weighed heavily on Marjane’s grandfather, and in turn he became a communist and was thrown in jail. Their family had nothing. After all the information on the history of her family she could not stand the king just like her parents. Her parents went out demonstrating every night. This was not the kind of protesting Americans are custom to. Police would shoot at the demonstrators and they threw stones back. Violence was unavoidable and people were killed because of it every day.

                She was a very independent and smart girl, and she did not take on all the beliefs that her parents had. She realized that the division of social classes made her feel ashamed. They had a maid named Mehri who had been working for them since she was eight years old. Mehri was left alone to take care of her at the early age of 10. They pretty much grew up together and when Mehri fell in love with the neighbor next door she had Marjane write letters for her. Mahri was a servant so she was not able to read or write because she did not go to school. When the girl’s father found out about what was going on between her and the neighbor he went over to his house and informed him that Mehri was the maid and not his daughter. The boy next door never spoke to her again. Marjane said with frustration “But is it her fault that she was born where she was born???” (pg.37). She believed that it shouldn’t matter where Mehri came from, she should be able to eat with the family not in the other room, and she should marry who she wants.

 Marjane decided she wanted to go out demonstrating with her parents. When they forced her to stay home because it was too dangerous, she decides she is going to go out anyways and she takes Mehri with her. Of course when they get back her parents are furious at the girls. Later, that day was known as Black Friday, the worst day they could participate in the demonstrating because there was a huge massacre in one of the neighborhoods. After Black Friday massacres happened one after the next, and the Shah’s reign was reaching the end. The events that occur in the last part of the forty pages foreshadow of what is to come in the rest of the story. The theme of rebellion was a dominant feature in Marjane’s personality and it can only increase as the novel continues.