Adversity In Persepolis And The House On Mango Street

Sometimes adversity can be the key to success, as Walt Disney once said:“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare, and the most beautiful of all”. As seen in Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis, James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk, and Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street, protagonists face and conquer different types of adversity. As seen in Marjane’s education in Persepolis, Fonny’s sculpting in If Beale Street Could Talk, and Esperanza’s writing in The House on Mango Street, all reflect
In Persepolis, Marjane uses European education as her way to a life of freedom outside of sexist Iran. Marjane Satrapi’s dream of becoming an “educated, liberated woman”(Satrapi 74) is impossible in her home country due to

Iranian laws. After a confrontation with two Iranian men while out on night, Marjane’s mother tells her family “They insulted me. They said that women like me should be pushed up against a wall and fucked, and then thrown into the garbage(Satrapi 74)”. Marjane’s mother is assaulted because she was not wearing a veil, something viewed as necessary by Iranian fundamentalists at the time. The Veil is only a small facet of the sexist identity of Iran during this time, as the Iranian government even takes away the right for women to participate in elections. Marjane’s parents save her dreams by gifting her education at an Austrian boarding high school. As she is informing Marjane about the school, Marjane mother tells her “You’re fourteen, and I know how I brought you up. Above all I trust your education(Satrapi 147)”. The Satrapi’s are displeased with the state of Iran, and its effects on the future of their daughter. Their decision to send their daughter to Europe gives her the best education possible for a woman, as in Iran, women can only study certain subjects in grade school, and females were even discouraged from attending university. Marjane uses this education to escape not only from Iran, but ends up gaining acceptance into an arts school in France. Marjane sees her acceptance as a way to help her homeland. Marjane is on break from school, and visits her parents before stating “Not being able to build a community in my own country, I prepared to leave it”(Satrapi 335). Marjane is disappointed that even years after the revolution, her nation still does not accept women as equals. She leaves feeling as if she had let not only herself, but the women of an entire nation down. Marjane’s European art education is her only ticket escaping the misogynistic Iranian system that holds her back.
In If Beale Street Could Talk, Alfonzo “Fonny” Hunt uses his sculpting career to move his new family out of his hard life, and into a joyful and peaceful one on the other side of the world.

Fonny and Tish are even born into a tough life. Tish states that her family“wasn’t as poor as we had been in the south, but we certainly were”(Baldwin 10). Both Fonny Hunt and Tish Carter are African-Americans living in Harlem, a predominately African-American neighborhood in New York that greatly varies in wealth. Both families not only face economic struggles, but racial struggles, as their children grow up in a pre-civil rights act america full of segregation. During this time, neighborhoods are segregated, making it difficult for Hunt and Carter to move up in the american social class system. . Even though they are faced with these difficulties Hunt uses money he has made from sculpting, and rents a loft in Greenwich Village, a nice neighborhood in Manhattan known for its contributions to the art community. They also face another issue when Fonny is wrongly accused of raping a Puerto Rican woman, and thrown in prison. Tish visits Fonny and states “I’ll always remember now, because he is in jail, and whenever I see him, I’m afraid I will never see him again”(Baldwin 4). Tish is worried that Fonny will wrongly spend a long sentence in prison, as she doubts they will win the case. Tish deserves to be nervous, as the justice system has a notorious racial bias against African-Americans, as their family friend Daniel attests. He was wrongfully accused of carjacking, even though he did not even know how to drive a car, he serves a year in prison. However, thanks to terrific work by Mr. Hayward, the family’s attorney, as well as the plaintiff's location being nowhere to be found, the trial is delayed until after the baby Tish and Fonny are expecting is born. By using his art career to move his family out to France, Fonny finally gives them the peaceful life that they deserve. In a

letter, Tish writes “Fonny is working on the wood and stone, whistling, smiling, and far away, but moving nearer the baby cries….dated Columbus Day 1973 in St. Paul de Vence, France (Baldwin 197)”. Fonny, Tish, and their child have left New York for France, while chasing Fonny’s art career. The town of St. Paul de Vence is considered one of the art hubs on the French Riviera, and is also a diverse community. Although the result of the case is unknown to the reader, I will assume that Fonny found a way to get out of his charges, as the 1973 date is only two years after the start of the book, and an average American Rape Sentence is around 10 years. Fonny and Tish have found a safe environment for the child to grow in. An environment that was only available thanks to Fonny’s art career. Fonny uses his art career to give his wife and child the calm life they deserve, something that is only a dream during the pregnancy.

In The House on Mango Street, Esperanza’s writing is the key that unlocks a prosperous life for a young girl struggling in Chicago. Esperanza is an extremely talented girl being held back by the poor living conditions in her neighborhood. Esperanza looks out the window at the four trees outside of her house and says “Four skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows just like me. Four who do not belong here, but are here. Four raggedy excuses planted by the city(Cisneros 74)”. She sees herself in these trees that keep growing, even though their roots are paved over by the sidewalk. Esperanza believes that her current poverty is the concrete paved over her in life. However, just like the trees she just keeps growing physically and intellectually. Esperanza’s writing is the skill that accelerates her intellecual growth, something that she is applauded by from her family. Her writings about women of the neighborhood bring light into the lives of its residents. Esperanza notices her writing . Her writing is on such a strong level, that her whole family gets behind her career, as they believe she can carry the family’s name to success. At a family gathering, Esperanza’s three sisters tell her that “When you leave, your must come back for others. You will always be Esperanza, and you will always be Mango Street(Cisneros 66)”. Esperaanza’s sisters are reminding her that no matter how successful she is, a small part of her will remain in Mango Street. Esperanza’s impact on the lives of the people of Mango Street is inspirational, as she gave life into not only her family, but the community in total. Her admittance at a Catholic High School, continues her writing dream, a dream that takes her to a house of her own. Through her writing career, Esperanza will escape Mango Street, and live in a place where she can flourish as an artist.

As Walt Disney would later state “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me….You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” All of these characters overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to live lives of accomplishment, peace, and overall gratitude in those that that helped them escape their lives. Through Marjane’s education in Persepolis, Fonny’s sculpting in If Beale Street Could Talk, and Esperanza’s writing in The House on Mango Street, people can use their talents to overcome adversity.