History of Iran in 1970: The Revolution
Persepolis takes place during the Iranian Revolution. I myself do not know much about Iran, especially the revolution. I researched Iran’s history and the political and cultural events that were taking place during this time, in the 1970’s to better understand the novel. Learning about the history and gaining context of Iran during the time this book took place increased my comprehension of the novel, allowing myself to further appreciate the story and history.
Marji is a young girl who is shielded from the politics of her country by all the adults in her life, yet she continues to search for answers and ultimately someone to take her curiosities seriously. She mentions that her parents would go to demonstrations, most likely the one against Mohammad Reza Shah and her uncle was in prison for 9 years. Her family was actively involved with the revolution but chose to share very little with her. Marji turns to literature to understand what is occurring and this becomes very important to her as her grandfather is involved and who and what to believe.
In 1970, 52 american diplomats were held hostage for over a year. When the hostage occurred President Carter allowed Iran’s deposed Shah to come to the US for cancer treatment. The students used this action to “descale a break with Iran’s past and to end American interference in its affairs” (History.com).
The revolution began in 1979 and resulted in the toppling of the monarchy which was created by Mohammad Reza Shah in 1921. Mohammad Reza Shah began the White revolution in attempts to carry out a national development program. This new structure he evoked was economically successful, but did not bring equal success among the people. By the 1970s citizens were fed up with the Shah’s government. In January of 1978 thousands of students took to the streets and began to protest the Shah regime. Then in September Shah’s regime inflicted Marshall law and troops began to fight the demonstrators killing hundreds, causing the government workers to go on strike which then led to oil workers going on strike greatly impacting the oil industry. The people then turned to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a radical cleric who forced Shah to demobilize his government and flee to Egypt.
After learning about Iran’s history the way the book was written began to make more sense. Marji is a young girl and the book is written from her perspective which explains the pictures. She also has so much emotion built up from the lack of recognition she received from her parents and she revealed that emotion mainly through her pictures rather than writing about it.
Afary, Janet. “Iranian Revolution.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 Jan. 2021, www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution.
History.com Editors. “Iran Hostage Crisis.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 1 June 2010, www.history.com/topics/middle-east/iran-hostage-crisis.
Your post also helped me gain a new perspective on Persepolis and the middle east in the time of the novel. I always had the understanding than many disputes between the U.S. and the middle east were fighting over oil but it makes much more sense for the U.S. to intervene when oil was on the line. It helps create the motive for the U.S. to help overthrow the Iranian government.
I really enjoyed reading your context presentation and I think that you did a great job of looking into what was going on at the time. Knowing about the economic and political happenings of the time really gives you a much better insight into the reading and what the author was really going through when writing.
Hi. I think that you capture the important parts of what was happening in your post. So many people were effect in negative ways because how Shah ran things. It blows my mind that some schools ban this book. I think that everyone should read it so they understand what happened to so many people no matter how graphic the book it. We get to see how it effect a person from her point of view. Great work
This background of what was happening historically really helps to understand the mindset people may have going into the novel. Your overview about the Iranian revolution is something new to me but I think you did a great job explaining it. It’s interesting to find out things about history that you never really knew.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your historical context presentation, and I agree you did an outstanding job of studying what was going on at the moment. Knowing of the economic and political events of the moment helps you to have a greater comprehension of the reading and what the speaker was going through when he or she wrote it.
Your context presentation of Persepolis is very interesting. I am not familiar with the background information about Iran at that time and you give us a fully supplement with background knowledge, which let me know deeply about this book and why women in Iran should wear the veil and the life of Iran.
Hi! I enjoyed reading your perspective on the book and the extra step you took to better understand the history and the book. I did not indulge in the history of Iran at the time of the book, but you snip it of information has given me a better understanding of her perspective and how she perceived the world around her.
I found your context presentation to be extremely helpful in my understanding of Marji as a character. She is a young girl living in a violent and chaotic environment. Your context surrounding the Iranian revolution, and the inclusion of the American connection, provided me with a much clearer image of the setting of the story. The country was undergoing huge diplomatic conflict AND a social revolution, leading to militant violence…something that people tend to shield from the eyes of children. That is why I think Marji’s story is so compelling, because of the age she experienced these historic events, she has a perspective unlike any other. A perspective that I think is universally protected, making the storyline relatable to a certain extent. I, as a 22 year old woman from Ohio, cannot fathom the conditions that Marji experienced, but I can fathom her naïveté, the young mind is something I think we all remember introspectively and cherish deeply.
Your context post did a great job helping me understand the history and what was happening at the time the novel was written. You did a great job describing the political and economical climate which led things to become the way they are. This really helps us get a better grasp at what the author was getting at writing this. I also learned a lot of historical things like the part about American Diplomats. You really helped tie together the history of Iran and why things were the way they were.
I really enjoyed this context presentation. I enjoyed it so much because the explanation of the history of Iran and its revolution during the 70s and gave me a better understanding of Marj’s character and her development throughout Persepolis. Furthermore, learning of the social and political turmoil that was going on during this time gave me a perspective that I had not previously had on the Marj’s positions and opinions and the story as a whole.