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Gender Roles In Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis

1063 Words5 Pages

As a kid they’re are different things that affect how you begin to see the actuality of the world. There is a point in your life that you have to start understanding life, everybody will comprehend differently. Marjane Satrapi 's process of acceptance and awareness affects her beliefs and perspective on religion, gender roles, and loss of innocence in her book Persepolis.

For instance, a theme that affects the touching true story, Persepolis is gender roles. The picture shows the side of a girl that represents what society believes is the proper lifestyle of a girl in their society. As the other side shows her honest side, not who everyone demands the said girl to be. This idea is carried into Marjane’s story for instance, all the leaders …show more content…

Later on the family watches on the television, the corrupt idea behind the women 's strict dress codes. The words, “Women’s hair emanates rays that excite men. That’s why women should cover their hair” (Satrapi 74). This statement shows how in Iran women are treated different and quietly wrong. This is also an epidemic around the world today that is highlighted in the book. This all is important because Marjane grows up in the horrible problem of gender roles, as she grows it takes time to be aware of what is really happening not alone to accept this is the world she lives in. Finally, the role of gender roles affects the process in which Marjane becomes aware and accepts the many problems that face her.

Another theme in Marjane Satrapi’s book, Persepolis that is displayed is the change of beliefs in her own loss of innocence. This photograph shows a teddy bear that has been …show more content…

This image represents a corruption of religion by displaying a certificate with indulgence written across the top. This shows a corruption of religion because during the Reformation, indulgences were sold so that citizens could pray to their god to forgive their sins. Because of indulgences and other corrupt events in the Catholic Church, Martin Luther wrote the 95 theses which started a revolution in the church which is why we chose this image to relate to the corrupt religious events in Marjane’s book. While Marjane is in school, she battles with her beliefs and her teacher’s lessons when they start teaching the students different things. In the passage, teachers force the students to rip pictures of the shah out of all of their textbooks. This made Marjane very confused about what to believe. In the text it says, “But she is the one who told us that the shah was chosen by God!” The teacher continues to say, “ Satrapi! You shouldn’t say things like that. Stand in the corner!” (pg 44) This shows corruption of religious figure in Iran during the time period which is why this book relates to the image we chose. In addition, at the beginning of the book, Marjane believed she was the last prophet; however, as more of her family and friends start to move away or die, she turns away from her religion. The passage says, “ Shut up, you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again!”

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