Imagine if everyone had a pre-determined negative image about you? This is what life was like for Marji, the protagonist of the novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. The book is set in the year 1980, in Iran where Islam was a major religion at the time. This is also the time for the Islamic Revolution which kicked the Shau out of office and made Iran a theocracy. In Persepolis, Satrapi challenges negative stereotypes about Iranians through important characters who oppose the Islamic Regime. One way Satrapi challenges negative stereotypes about Iranians is through important characters who oppose the Islamic Regime because she shows individualism. In the chapter The Veil Marjane in the year 1980 shows she doesn’t believe in being forced to wear …show more content…
In this chapter Marjane’s parent had just gotten back from their trip with all their smuggled goodies for Marjane. The fourth panel on page 132 depicts Marjane walking down the street in her denim jacket singing about kids in America. Not only does her jacket and neck scarf oppose the Islamic regime but her singing cheerfully about kids in America does as well. In the background you can see angry adults yelling and pointing at her most likely because of the casual clothes she is wearing. This demonstrates opposition to the regime because it shows her going against laws in her own free will to show what she loves. It also illustrates a belief in personal freedom because she is wearing clothes that are frowned upon. In this panel, Satrapi is challenging the negative stereotypes about Iranians by showing that people do still want to be free and not part of the Islamic regime. In the book Persepolis the author shows many reason as to how everyone in Iran didn’t want the Islamic regime. Satrapi challenges stereotypes about Iranians by showing people still want a better life and also by showing Individualism in Marjane. One thing that I have learned in Persepolis is to not have pre-determined images of people because they may not be