Persepolis:Abandonment

Growing up during a pivotal time in a country is no easy feat. To come out of it as strong willed and intelligent as Marji did is impressive. She did not lead a simple childhood. Throughout the graphic novel “Perseoplis”, by Marjane Satrapi, the main character Marji experiences abandonment in various ways in which she transforms into a mature young adult. Among the most prominent types of abandonment depicted are maternal, familial, romantic and even religious abandonment.

A type of abandonment that Marji experiences is romantic abandonment. In the novel it is apparent that Marji has developed feelings for a boy who is pictured numerous times throughout the beginning and has been one of Marji’s companions in her mischievous deeds. However, as the story progresses the boy tells Marji that he has to move to America. The boy explains that he has to leave her because his father does not think that it is safe to live under the Islamic Regime. In the series of panels on Marji attempts to cope with her emotions and feeling abandoned. Marji’s disappointment and sadness are clearly portrayed through her body language. In the fourth frame readers see her body turned away from the chattering boys hanging her head low. The boys try to lighten the mood by making a reference to Bruce Lee. However, Marji express her disappointment by not only pointing out the death of Bruce Lee but also in her body language. In the final frame we see Marji in a dark room sulking. Marji’s discouragement and suffering clearly arise from the boy leaving. He physically and emotionally abandons her. One can see with the expression on Marji’s that she is not happy with the outcome and at the same time the boy is completely oblivious to her emotions. Also, the us...

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...e people that are walking by on the street are watching the scene devoid of any sort of emotion. At the end Marji states, “It would have been better to just go”. This could mean that she should have not watched her parents leave her as the emotional rush of feelings was too much for her (Satrapi 153).

Marji was faced with abandonment in all sorts of situations. She was thrown into a world that many would find difficult to deal with and managed to mature into a young adult. Beginning with romantic abandonment, the situation quickly escalated following the death of her uncle and later the abandonment of her family. Having experienced so much loss herself, she begins to see the world and those around her differently. Forced into a world of discord and hardships that many would not withstand, she gradually learns from all of her experiences and in the end, she matures.