Warfare In Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis

Persepolis runs deeper than the historic background or Iranian culture Marjane Satrapi experienced throughout her childhood. Satrapi’s story exploits the idea of feminism and empowerment of women, while also touching on the topics of family, religion, drugs and alcohol, all ways of life that are experienced all too well by the average person. Although many people you ask on the street might say they have not had to endure to warfare, perhaps you have met someone who has served for your country, or a family member who involves themselves deeply in politics. Surely, these are two topics that are highly illuminated by Satrapi. The surface remains merely scratched if you look to see nothing but the life of Satrapi’s childhood- raised in a warzone-
and not think to look further within the author’s context. Satrapi has lived all of our lives in one way or another, by using common place or familiar circumstances throughout her novel Persepolis. Satrapi has utilized her talents of reaching out to different audiences on a global scale, by using her coming of age writing style technique. This allows her to connect through similar experiences and conflicts. Satrapi has mastered the art of manipulating a not-so-mainstream life style and, has turned out a beautiful graphic novel. Persepolis can relate to more than just people who have experienced hardship and warfare because of Satrapi’s superb writing skills. Marjane Satrapi’s mother lived in a time before women’s rights were controlled, and therefore holds a strong sense of self. Satrapi has learned through her mother that women should live their lives independently as opposed to living for a man. Gender quality remains a current talking point not just nationally but globally. Many groups are now formed and lead to protest a modern gender equality movement. An example of these modern times are, celebrities leading activists group to support women who are not receiving a fair salary to men. The topic of feminism and womanhood are not only prevalent in Satrapi’s Iranian life but across the nation as well. Satrapi’s younger self listened to her grandmother and mother who encouraged her to allow herself prosperity, which modern women- men as well- try to inflict upon young females today. “I wanted to be an educated, liberated women. And if the pursuit of knowledge meant getting cancer, so be it.” (Marjane Satrapi, Page 10, Persepolis) Satrapi not only captures the cultural similarities between societies but the biological similarities, as well. No matter the skin color, geographical location, or gender teenage angst runs through us all at one point or another. Satrapi’s experiences her childhood during a war, true some can say they have not experienced this but despite this Satrapi undergoes the all too familiar bullying, and obsession with punk rock. “Don’t you know when parents say someone is on a trip, it really means dead.” (Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis) This quote symbolizes the time period in which you are not young or old enough to fully understand and cope with a situation. She spent most of her teenage years in Vienna before she became an adult, which allowed more freedom. Growing up in Iran could have resulted in a different outcome, perhaps Satrapi would not have known as much pop culture, and in turn could have altered the novel entirely. Persepolis reflects her teenage years growing up in Vienna, because both the novel and her life are both modern, coming of age stories. “It is important you know. Our family memory must not be lost.” (Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis) The literal memory of Satrapi’s family drove her back to her home in Iran. The reason I say “her home in Iran” not ‘to her home, Iran’ stems from the same reason Satrapi stated the quote in her novel; blood is thicker than water. Despite living in a country away from her family majority of her life, Satrapi remains the composition of her Mother, Father, Uncle Anoosh, and her Grandmother. Today, the main reason behind almost any decision in life derives from the will to better your family. Whether you acquired a second job to assist your child’s payment for college, or moved back to an unsafe Iran to visit your family humanity all shares one similar trait in common; love for family runs deep. Satrapi’s depicts this sentiment when she returned home to Iran, because she had a case of home-sickness. An illness that eats at us all eventually. To coincide with the previous coming of age statement, Satrapi turns to an old popular stress reliever; smoking. “One in every fifteen high school student’s smoke, in a 2014 study.”- U.S Department of Human and Health services. Satrapi turns to smoking in Vienna when her life becomes conflicting and too much to bare at times, all in an effort to find herself. Many teens today despite cultural differences relate to the inner turmoil Satrapi showcased in Persepolis. Warfare along with politics can relate to anyone and everyone, because every country has experienced a time period during war and each country has some form of government.
Whether you’re playing a video game or reading a history book, you have a mental image to Satrapi’s descriptions of her life in Tehran. “The revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don’t turn, they fall.” (Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis) A great choice of words to embody the notion of war that everyone can understand. Although Satrapi’s refers to Iran as her home-where they restrict something as minor as freedom of speech-she has passionate, free, political state of mind, which could stereotypically relate to an American mindset. Politics and religion are two subjects Satrapi has distinctly noted the difference, when discussing Iran to western countries. In Iran freedom of speech could mean your life, in the United States freedom of speech could cause social ridicule worst case scenario. By exploiting this difference, Satrapi has furthermore accentuated the similarities that they share. The traumatic history between Iran and Iraq results from The United States and England medaling. Although our cultures and belief system are extremely different, Satrapi’s childhood may not have happened had another country did not get involved. The country you live in today could have taken part during the Islamic Revolution. Reading about Satrapi’s life sounds like a-you-problem, however the country you live in may have taken part of the beginning of the war which resulted in Satrapi’s traumatic childhood. Satrapi’s childhood could very well stem from your country of origin, meaning were all in this together and if one country regime has fallen another country may be to blame. In other words Satrapi’s life could have possibly rested in your hands, or the hand of your
ancestors. Satrapi has chosen her life story as the plot to her novel Persepolis and has used the themes of feminism, teen angst, politics, war, religion, and family all in effort to relate globally to her multi-cultured audience. “It’s wonderful to have international friends.” (Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis) Iranians are people that are constantly feared, therefore nobody knows discrimination quite like Satrapi. Perhaps Satrapi’s real purpose in writing Persepolis is to unite people of different origins by showing them her biggest revelation; treat people as open opportunities despite where they come from.