Public Life In Persepolis

In Persepolis, the author paints a vivid picture with the details and pictures of daily home life and public life in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. The novel is visually seen as black and white, simple images, which is the opposite life that Marjane lives. Marj lives in a time period during the Islamic revolution, a complex world dealing with divisions of religion. In 1979 the Islamic Revolution took place, which led to many changes in Marj’s public life. At school she now had to wear a veil and all bilingual schools were shut down. “Everyone on the streets there were demonstrations for and against the veil” (5). Marj experienced the demonstrations in the public view and the home life view also, because her mother was against the wearing of the veil.

“At the age of six I was already sure I was the last prophet; this was a few years before the revolution… I wanted to be a prophet because our maid did not eat with us, my father had a Cadillac, and above all, my grandmother’s knees always ached” (6). Regardless of the Islamic Revolution, Marj still wanted to be a prophet in order to help those around her from their suffering. “I wanted to be justice, love and wrath of God all in one” (9). Marj wanted to be a prophet, but nobody must know of this desire because of the changes and deaths taking place in her everyday life. The controversy taking place during the Islamic revolution is actually the latest evolution of a political controversy happening during Marj’s childhood. Before Islam took control; the revolution was directed at the Shah government. Marj’s friends and family members had also been imprisoned under the Shah’s rule. Marji’s parents also protested against the Shah’s policies. Everyone Marj was surrounded by had either been imprisoned, killed, or protested the Shah’s policies. “My parents demonstrated everyday”