Persepolis Iranian Cultural Revolution

Jerry Li

Mr. Holmes

Honors 10th LA

02/06/2017

Comparing The Iranian Cultural Revolution to the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

From 1950 to about 1990, the Iranian Cultural Revolution began to take place. Two thousand miles away, another revolution, the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution of China, was also beginning. These two revolutions were extremely similar in certain aspects, but even though these revolutions were only a few thousand miles away, they also had many differences. In the graphic novel, “Persepolis”, the cultural revolution Marjane Satrapi experiences in Iran is similar and different to the China’s Mao Zedong’s cultural revolution in many ways. Iran’s cultural revolution was similar to the China’s Revolution in that

In Persepolis, countless rebellions occurred in an attempt to overthrow the Shah and the king from his throne. Hundreds of people were killed and all those dead were considered martyrs, for they had died “for a great cause.” The population of Iran thought of the Shah as a tyrant and indeed he was, He controlled all of Iran’s actions and prevented them from doing many simple activities like drinking alcohol and playing chess. However, in China, many people viewed Mao Zedong as great and successful leader. His picture was hung up on the front of the Forbidden City. Not all, but may people supported his communist ideas and they publically helped promote his regime. Another reason both revolutions differed was the difference is the ideas and objects they attempted to purge. In Iran, the regime focused on the banning of American objects and exports. American games and pastimes were all banned and Tinoosh, one of their neighbors, had been reported. After Guardians of the Revolution had raided his home, they found records and video cassettes, a deck of cards, and a chess set, all

The Iranian Cultural Revolution and the Chinese Cultural Revolution may have had many similarities in that they both tried to remove certain western aspects from society and they changed education systems, but they also differed from the in that most of Iran disliked the Shah, whereas the most of China liked Mao Zedong, and the Iranian revolution focused more on the banning of goods, compared to the Chinese revolution which focused more on the banning of ideologies. All revolutions have differences and these two certainly