How Does Satrapi Use Symbols In Persepolis

In the graphic novel, Persepolis Marjane Satrapi uses many different types of symbols to help convey more depth and meaning throughout the story. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, they create a hidden meaning used by the author to make the reader think deeper. Satrapi uses symbolism numerous times throughout her novel, usually they appear in parts of the novel where the symbol is negative and it is easier to put it in this form to convey the message to the audience. A symbol used in the graphic novel is the gold key. The gold key is a horrific symbol, it is there to describe the lengths her government will take to brainwash children into enlisting into the military. The government tells young impressionable children, who come from poor neighbourhoods that they will be able to go to heaven if they die at war and that that key is access at the gates. An example of this is when a family friends comes to Satrapi’s house and explains her despair that her sons school as given each young boy a key with the promise of heaven and paradise where there will be “plenty of food,

The veil is quite the fashion statement for people of her culture, it is tied closely with religious fundamentalism. The Muslim regime believes that all women should have to wear the veil, because if any hair or skin seen by another man than a husband is seen to be indecent. And that if a strand of hair is too enticing to the male population so women need to keep their heads constantly covered. Everyone in Iran needs to follow the religious laws of the regime. Most women in Satrapi’s family choose not to wear the veil, when they can without be arrested. This symbol of the veil is set in place to show how women are oppressed in Iran. Before Marjane can even set foot out of her door she must place the veil over her head, it is a constant reminder to her just how much women are oppressed in her