Persepolis: The Story Of How Marjane Satrapi Remains An Individual
Persepolis: The Story of How Marjane Satrapi Remains an Individual
In the early 1950s when Britain discovered Iran’s amazing oil, the shah, a western controlled puppet was put into power to control and nationalize this resource. During the late 1970s the citizens of Iran started to revolt. Marjane Satrapi, a young girl growing up in the daunting oppression of the Shah’s rule and then the perilious danger of the Iranian revolution remains an individual by learning from her parents, keeping a very strong relationship with her uncle and rebelling against the harsh standards of fundamentalist Iran.
The home is one of the most influential places for an adolescent, and with a household like Marji’s it is almost impossible not to become an outspoken individual who is not afraid to stand up to anyone. Her parents openly demonstrate against the senselessness of the Shah’s rule and the ridiculous restrictions and laws forced upon them by the Shah’s secret police. “At one of the demonstrations, a German journalist took a photo of my mother. I was really proud of her. Her photo was published in all the European newspapers. And even in one magazine in Iran,” (5). Her parents even encourage Marji to do the same. As a young child Marji is permitted to protest with her friends in the gardens, under the close watch of her parents, and at the age of 14 she is finally allowed to join her mother at a meeting against fundamentalism. “In spite of everything, the revolution was still in the air. There were some opposiion demonstrations. ‘Tomorrow there’s going to be a meeting against fundamentalism.’ ‘I’m coming too!’ ‘No! Its too dangerous.’ ‘She’s coming too! She should start learning to defend her rights as a woman right now!’” (76). In addition to allowing her to protest, Marji’s parents allow her to express herself freely even when she is shunned by the strict fundamentalist society for being different. Unlike most of the children, when Marji is asked at school what she...
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