“Persepolis” talks about what Marjane Satrapi had to go through while in Persia now called Iran. During this time, she underwent the effects of the Islamic Revolution as a 10-year-old child.
The Islamic revolution became about because of the overthrow of Pahlavi dynasty who was supported by the United States. During the few days before this, many younger youth members took to the streets after reading slanderous remarks in a local newspaper. They had started to protest. Many of the protesters were killed by government forces.
The violence continued as more protests started, many workers went on strike. As a result, Shah and his family left Iran without telling anyone. Shortly after, Iran declared their neutrality for everything that was happening. (115)
Not many of us can imagine being a 10-year-old and having to process what is going on around us daily let alone process all the deaths due to the protests, the stopping of oil production due to the workers going on strike as well as a ruler fleeing the county.
However, in the text, Marjane expresses what it was like during this time. Her parents protesting the government every day but telling them that she lokes Shah because God chose him as the leader. Her dad goes on to explain why Saha does not deserve to be a leader.
As time goes on and events continue to play out, Marjane talks about what it was like to live through everything. However, through out everything, it seems like she seems to remain hopeful for a positive outcome. Her mother must remind her of other young women that seem to think the same way as her and the outcome of their actions.
Near the end, Marjane’s grandmother mentioned something that really stuck out to me. She says not to dwell on the stupidity of others and to always be true to herself. I think many people can see that in the world today. What is one way we can be true to ourselves in all the bad in the world today?
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution
https://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution/Aftermath
Hello.
Something interesting I learned from this post is that the United States was involved in the Islamic Revolution. Another peculiar thing is that children and teenagers protested during the revolution. Usually, youth members don’t protest in other revolutions.
One way to be true to ourselves in all the bad in the world is to not follow trends especially bad trends. Even if most people go the wrong direction, that doesn’t mean you have to follow them. Instead, you can go the right direction even if it takes a lot of effort. For instance, if someone sees a group of students making fun of one student in school, that person could follow the trend and join the group. Conversely, he could stand up for the student being picked on even if it results in the person getting picked on as well. If someone doesn’t follow a wrong trend, that person is staying true to him/herself since he/she doesn’t want to be involved in bad parts of the world.
I could not imagine the fear and confusion that Marjane must have felt being so young but having to face something much bigger than her and out of her control. A war was practically going on in front of her but there was nothing she could do. She felt so helpless and couldn’t do anything to help her family and those around her. The Islamic Revolution involved everyone and even kids were apart of defending their country.
This is great presentation and is full of information. The most I was concerned when I was 10 was probably when I was going to get go to the farm and ride my four wheeler. I cannot imagine the amount of trauma it would cause to be going through something of that scale. There is still much conflict regarding how the US handles these situations and situations like it. I would imagine being that young that it would be scary to imagine that the whole country is in shambles and the only thing you can do is sit there and hope that your family would be okay. The sad part is how this is the reality for so many children then and still that is going on today.
Living in fear, hopelessness, and anxiety due to your country’s corruptness is exactly the kind of life I would not want to live, especially when it is an attack on personal freedoms. The biggest issue, however, was the amount of violence that Marjane faced as a kid. Growing up like that would scar you for life. I like that you included the grandmother’s quote at the end. And to answer your question, one way we can be true to ourselves with evil/bad in the world today is to stick to what we believe in and set our morals and values and stand by them, always being the bigger person.
Hi!
I liked reading your post, and i enjoyed how you covered the numerous topics that this book revolves around, from Marjane’s experiences with freedom, the repressive state of Iran, and such others. I think a big part of this book was seeing how important Marjane’s family was to how she conducted herself in life. You mentioned how Marjane was able to keep a positive outlook on life, could we attribute this to something she gained from her father? What other instances in this story were we able to see traits of a family member reflected in Marjane? Anyways, I enjoyed reading your post, it gave a synopsis of the text we read while allowing for me to input my own thoughts.
Hello!! I really enjoyed your post and found it to be very thought provoking. I agree with you: it is baffling that children and young adults were exposed to such a powerful revolution at such a young age, and even participated. Marjane was able to continuously learn from her parents about the system of Iran and the revolution, and always maintained a positive outlook on things, even when her country was fighting. This demonstrates how children and young adults are the future of our countries. It reminded me that as a young adult, I must learn and remain open to knowledge. I must not listen to the “single-stories”, and find information for myself that will create the truth.
Great job looking into the Islamic Revolution, I did not know the U.S had any impact on the revolution. I loved the insight that you brought about different topics, especially how hard it might be for a 10 year old to be experiencing all of this at a young age.
I respect your for delving deeper into the Iranian revolution and reading about its history. I would say almost no one born in the US can or ever will experience what Marji did at such a young age. those experiences greatly shaped the lifestyle and the choices she made throughout her life.
The best way we can be true to ourselves in today’s day and age is to not fall victim to the trends on social media. you do not need to stay on top of the latest trend in clothing ortechnology. you merely need to be happy with what you have and what you want to achieve.
Hello! I enjoyed your context presentation.
Undoubtedly, Marjane had a horrible childhood as she lived through the Islamic Revolution. Marjane witnessed violence from the government, workers going on strike, and pure chaos at such a young age. I personally cannot relate to what Marjane experienced during her childhood. However, my grandpa had a horrible childhood as he lived through the Holocaust. At just 5-years-old, my grandpa was separated from his family and lived under Nazi control because he was Jewish. He was severely malnourished and fought for his life each day. Marjane’s childhood shaped who she became as a woman, just like my grandfather. Lastly, I think it’s very important to stay true to yourself. You don’t want to get caught up in the wrong crowd and let others influence your decisions. Social media can also be a toxic environment as humanity strives to look like the people on Instagram/have their lifestyles. I stay true to myself by being proud of my identity and making smart choices that will help me lead a successful life. Self-love is vital, and I’ve really discovered who I am at college.
Hi! I really liked the way you wrote your post and engaged the crowd. I tend to think the same way and try to put myself if the character’s shoes to further understand the story. When I think about what I would do if that was me, I really could not imagine it. I was very fortunate to grow up in a stable home. I also feel that I was fortunate because of the lack of violence that surrounded me during my young years. I feel that in this day and age, we are so much more exposed to the scary world that our parents always hid us from. I now understand why they didn’t want me out too late and why they never wanted me to go anywhere alone. I feel that I try to make this world a better place by spreading positivity and love to those around me regardless of the relationship I have with someone. Small acts of kindness can go a long way.
It is crazy and horrifying to learn how much Marjane went though. No child should have to go through that but it is sad to learn that they do. Though it is very empowering to learn that although Marjane went through all of that, she still wanted to fix social inequalities and make Iran a better place for people to live in
Hi! I enjoyed reading your presentation!
I enjoyed how you focused on the harsh aspects as well as the emotional impact in relation to Marjane. I can connect this to the class as she felt as an “other,” in the society as she had to experience the Islamic Revolution with thousands of others, seeing it from perspective without being able to do anything. This has created a “single story” of what her land is like as this exposure parallels what life is like to her, as she does not know what is normal but rather what law and order presents. Unlike those in the United States like us who have not experienced this, especially at such a young age. Being so young at this time introduces a lifetime of representation and expectations. One way we can be true to ourselves in all of the bad today, is stick to what we know and can trust. Having yourself is enough, but having a base of people around you to count on and work together can present hope and trust. Sticking to what you believe in and what you are familiar with allows you to be true to yourself, despite the possibility of others limiting you and tempting you.
great job on your post! I think you summarized it very well as well as bringing your own thoughts in to the story. I can not even begin to imagine how it was growing up, being 10 years old, and facing a war. You get your whole childhood taken away from you, and there’s just no way to get it back after all that trauma you go through. coming from Norway, not knowing a lot about the U.S history, I was surprised to read that the United States had a role in this war.
I think being true to yourself is more important now than ever because of all the influence we get from social media and other sources. thoughts, opinions, and beliefs are being thrown at us and it’s easy to lose yourself in all of that. I think a way to stay true to yourself is to reflect on your values, principals, beliefs, and know what your core is. If you know all this, you won’t accept bullshit and you’re more capable of standing up for yourself and others, and most importantly, not lose yourself in the process.
To be caught in such a war at such a young age must have been reality bending for Marjane. While most of us have grown up in safe and reputable areas, Marjane had to face and witness such atrocities that we as Americans could not even imagine. As for how we can truly be true to ourselves today, I believe that being a yes-man in today’s world can lead to self-doubt. I used to struggle with having this quality and it lead to me not being able to be confident in my own opinions and thoughts. Every time I would make a point, any counter argument I believed to be true, leading me to lower self confidence. You should always stick to your values if you believe them to be true, great post!
I can’t even imagine being such a young child her age and going through all of the things she went through. Not only within the governmental changes/rulings, but also being a young girl emerging into womanhood and seeing/experiencing how poorly women were treated and oppressed. When I was her age, my biggest worry was when I was going to get to hang out with my best friend and just enjoyed being a clueless kid. Marji definitely was a child who was extremely mature for her age and has such a bright mind to say the least!
To answer your question- I feel the best way to stay true to ourselves through the craziness in our world today is to always stand up for what we believe in, have an open mind to knowledge, and stay kind!