Persepolis Identity Essay

In the novel Persepolis, many themes are highlighted by Satrapi, such as the importance of her identity throughout the whole novel. Marjane frequently explores her national, religious, gender, and political identity as she navigates through many conflicts. This ultimately requires Marjane to look deeper into her country, religion, and political ideology to encounter her own identity truly.

For Instance, Marjane, in panel 1, highlights her dependence on religion to deal with overwhelming situations yet being confused about her religious identity. Marjanes inner conversion with herself is integral to her confusion between the world around her and her struggling faith. Marjanes open, scared eyes convey her feelings about her faith; she

Marjanes religious identity is supported by the religious and Islamic portrayals of her right, yet to her left, rulers, gears, and hammers appear, representing the contrary, a more modern and western way of thinking and living. Marjane, by this, conveys her inner conflict of which path to take to find her true identity. She also emphasizes this idea with her fearful and conflicted smile on both sides, showing her connection to both sides of her. In addition, Satrapi uses small yet concrete sentences to paint a picture of Marjane and her uncertainty about her identity as a whole. The phrase "didn't know what to think" indicates a sense of confusion or uncertainty, which is further emphasized by using the word "but" to contrast her religious and modern backgrounds. In panel 2 from Persepolis, the protagonist describes herself as "very" religious, indicating that her faith is necessary but not the only factor in her opinions about the veil. She also mentions that her family is modern and avant-garde, implying they may be more receptive to progressive or unconventional ideas that challenge traditional religious practices, such as wearing the veil. Marjane can reflect the theme of identity as Marjanes struggle to reconcile her religious and modern identities depicted through a contrasting depiction of her beliefs with her conflicted

Throughout the novel, Marjane expresses her desire to overthrow and rebel against the former leader of Iran. As a result, she greatly idolizes figures known for rebelling and overthrowing absolutist and self-interested leaders. For example, she imitates Che Guevara with a toy gun and a revolutionist hat. Che Guevara was an active leader in the Cuban revolution, which helped Cuba move on from its oppressive leader, Batista. The quote “So I put my prophetic destiny aside” implies how Marjane puts her religious identity aside for her more political side. This reinforces how her priorities change throughout the revolution, becoming more involved in supporting political ideals and the revolution. The use of guns by the kids in panel 3 says a lot about Marjane's ideas and targets with the revolution. With the help of arms, Marjane explains how violence is necessary to change the current regime and her views on violence, justice, and