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Nationalism In Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis

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Persepolis is a beautifully crafted graphic novel with talent spread equally in the photos and writing. Although the writing is very well constructed, the imagery is very important as well. It helps convey the emotions that the words cannot. However, there are many smaller themes that the book does not cover with its imagery. They can all be summed up with how Marjane's negative outlook in Islam affects her presentation of nationalism and social classes. Marjane Satrapi’s negative representation of Islam and Iranian culture affects her presentation of nationalism, social classes, and religion.This photo shows a group of people following their leader off a cliff. This photo perfectly displays nationalism because it shows that this group of people …show more content…

Nationalism clearly affected by Marjane’s negative representation of Islamic and Iranian culture.The photo provided is an excellent example of religion, as it depicts someone praying to their god. This is shown by the way they are kneeling and have their hands folded. This picture can be associated with how religion is represented in Persepolis. The people of Iran, in Marjane’s opinion, can be embodied by this picture because they are supposed to be praying all the time. Some Iranians believed in lies that they thought would help them get into heaven. For example, young boys that went to war would wear keys that they thought would unlock the door to heaven when they died (Satrapi 102). This was not true and the keys were just plastic cut and painted gold, explained Marjane’s maid (Satrapi 99). This instance shows Marjane describing how the religion became so corrupt in their country that people would attempt to buy their way into heaven. The negative situation Marjane describes supports the thesis because she chose to describe negative moments in order to affect the religious aspects of the book and to evoke a stronger sense of feeling in the reader.This image is a perfect representation of the social divide that is apparent in all civilizations. It shows a top level (assuming the rich) bathing in gold, drinking champagne

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Tim LaRocca Persepolis KPA In the book “Persepolis”, the author Marjane Satrapi, uses excellent diction to help the reader obtain knowledge and gain understanding of her main purpose in a specific passage or chapter of the book. Despite her specific word choice, it is challenging for readers to truly understand her main purpose only through literary terms and devices used throughout the book. Therefore, to help increase the readers ability to understand the main purpose of a certain specific passage, Satrapi uses an extensive amount of precise graphic elements. For example, in the passage “Kim Wilde”, Satrapi is able to express her main purpose that when governments tend to restrict the people too much, and become oppressive, the people tend to resist their law and rebel against the law by using the graphic elements of shading and facial expressions to express her purposes in and easier and clearer visual way.

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While this is happening, none of the people in Iran are fully aware of how to react because the country didn’t have a leader at the time. Marjane had to experience this imperialism during her teenage years and it played a large role in her perspective. To demonstrate this in the book, it says, “‘God did not choose the king. ’[said Marjane’s father] ‘He did so!

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Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic memoir that reveals the life of a woman growing up in pre-revolution and post-revolution Iran, as well as her experiences in Western countries. In this book, Marjane recalls and highlights historical events that affect her life during her upbringing in Iran. These include the oppression of the Shah, along with the rise and effects of the regime. These events are integrated into Persepolis in order to showcase their effects on Marjane and the other citizens of her country. These events’ inclusion are important due to the context and understanding that they grant readers unfamiliar with the text.

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Marjane Satrapi uses a variety of graphic techniques, specifically on pages 61 and 137, to describe the way that Iran’s oppressive environment has forced Marji’s young, optimistic mind to think in a way that is painfully realistic. Throughout the book, Satrapi’s style of drawing is signature and

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People are like cameras and their personal experiences can be their lenses that change and modify the actual picture. This evident in Marjane Satrapi’s book Persepolis because the whole book is about a girl growing up, and forming her own opinions. Furthermore, Marjane has to mature in the turmoil of an Iranian-Iraqi war, she also has to survive the brutal Islamic regime governing her. This creates a very particular point of view considering that the parents raising Marjane are against the new form of government, and actively protest, risking their lives. As a result, this rubs off on her creating a very rebellious and dauntless little girl, who isn’t afraid of the new oppressors.

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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.

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Importance of religion in Iran and its society is a crucial point in this graphic novel, Persepolis: A Story of a Childhood. It was mentioned in the novel how the society was corrupted when the Shah took charge. When the Shah took over, this lead to the many rebellions and demonstrations Iran had in order to keep the peoples freedom. The significance of women and how they were treated was also affected when everything changed during the 1980’s. Women are treated not only like trophy wives but they also did not have any sort of freedom for themselves.

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During the Islamic Revolution, religion was very important to the fundamentalist Islamic regime that took power over the secular state. In her graphic memoir, Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi, a spiritual young girl, suffers a deep loss of faith due to the oppressive fundamentalist religion in Iran. This loss of faith causes Marji to experience disillusionment and a loss of identity, which greatly shapes her character. Through her experiences with God, Satrapi comments on the difference between spirituality and fundamentalist religion and displays the negative repercussions of an oppressive religious state.

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There is an established thought that every person must be an active participant in their life, and this is done by making choices; however, it is accepting responsibility that controls our lives and the people around us. Marjane Satrapi is an outspoken female, who is not afraid to stand up for something she believes in. As she grew up, Islamic Fundamentalists created strict moral and dress codes for the people of Iran. As a woman, she was forced to wear a hijab in a certain manner. At the time, Marjane was studying at an art school.

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The theme of repression is an ever-present issue in Persepolis. The picture on the right shows a bearded Islamist explaining to children why the veil needs to be imposed to counter Westernization. However, Satrapi’s home was a place of liberal values and free expression. This is shown in the scene where Marji is split between

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Clothing and fashion as a marker of cultural identity in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, presents the central tension of Marjane struggling with the relationship of her nationality and herself by seeing the transition of clothing, makeup and accessories that female characters wear in the book. During her teenage years, she had been to a lot of countries and she always felt like she couldn 't find her real identity, either as a westerner or an Iranian. The book presents a lot of struggles with her trying to figure out her relationship, nationality, and her identity.

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The graphic novel, Persepolis that is written by Satrapi depicts the coming of age story of Marjane and her experiences during and after the Iranian war. Through Marjane’s experiences, the character frequently encounters the hardship and conflict of growing up. However, these hardships are major factors that shape Marjane as a character and establish the context of the novel. Within this novel, Satrapi uses graphic novel conventions and literary devices to convey the conflict of Marjane; with herself, with man (in the form of her teachers), and with the society that is revealed in Persepolis.

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This demonstrates revolution, as it shows the courage and the rebellion that serves as a pretext for change. These feelings of unrest are translated into protests, demonstrations, and, overall, revolution. In Persepolis, Marjane is born into a politically turbulent nation, and because of this, the idea of revolution is particularly relevant in her life. While the protests rage on Iran, her parents encourage her to get interested in the revolution and political activism. They did little to stifle her enthusiasm, Satrapi herself stating that she and her school friends would “demonstrate” in her garden (10).

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Everything can be viewed from two perspectives; A fist fight, a murder, bullying, just to name a few situations. This is still the case with Iran and it’s people. Iran and its neighboring countries are often portrayed negatively as terrorist, or failed nations. This is not always the truth, however, and one can learn that through Marjane’s coming of age story, Persepolis. The personal nature of the story is told through Marjane’s loss of innocence, her opinions on religion, and her observation of the prominent gender roles.

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After the Iranian Revolution, it became compulsory for women to wear the veil as the Islamic dress code and all women were removed from government positions, leading to increasing oppression and inequality in Iran. The use of black and white on the first page of the book creates a very clear image that a lot of people are unhappy with the new rules that are introduced by the government. The use of images shows us the oppression of freedom in a way that it would be hard to imagine with words. The first panel shows Marjane in a somber mood, crossing her arms to show her defensive thinking against the veil and the world. In the following panel, the girl’s expressions range from neutral to dislike or discomfort, which shows the general thoughts from people on how they think of the veil.

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