Marjane's Loss Of Innocence In Persepolis

In 1980 it was the start of the Iran-Iraq war. The most recent Shah of Iran had just left the throne and fled to get away from the Islamic revolution. Marjane Satrapi represents how imperialism, social classes, and loss of innocence affected people in Iran during the 1980’s. She represents this in her book, Persepolis. Marjane wrote this book as a child during the Iran imperialism and revolution. They had eventually went into war, in which Marjane was there for. She grew up in a political home where her parents were politically active and also very religious. They made Marjane become a very strong and opinionated girl. Marjane and her family were better off than other families, making her opinion different than some children in Iran.

First

and foremost, one theme represented in the book was Imperialism. This picture demonstrates power. This represents imperialism because it shows that the power of the person holding the world was extended to rule the world. Therefore, this can represent how Iraq’s power was extended when the Islamic revolution had begun. There had been “‘2500 years of tyranny and submission”’(Satrapi, 11) including invasions and leading to imperialism. As a result, the “Iraqi’s” had taken over Iran and started a revolution.. According to google.com, imperialism is “a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.” In this case, the government wanted to make the Iranian society based off of the Islamic religion. Consequently, this caused corruption because there are different beliefs and interpretations of the religion. For example, as Margaret Fontaine explained, not all Muslims wear the veil. The veil, to Margaret, is a way of showing modesty and it can get you closer to God. To Marjane, it is just an article of clothing that doesn't have use because it was “obligatory” to wear (Satrapi, 3). Marjane had been raised an independent child that believed in rights of freedom. Therefore, Marjane can represent how imperialism by Iraq affected daily lives of the people.
Second of all, another theme demonstrated in the book was the social classes. This photo can represent social classes because like every place in the world, there is diversity. The man on the left can represent more of the lower classes or possibly people without hardly any money at all. The man in the middle can represent the middle class; has an average amount of money and is between wealthy and poor. The man on the right can represent the upper class. He is a hardworking business man that is looked up to and has a high status. This image relates to the book because Marjane and her family were considered a higher class family within their society. They drove a cadillac, had a housekeeper, and were able to go on vacation and travel. An example of this would be when Marjane wasn’t happy that their maid didn’t sit with them at the dinner table and that it was unjust (Satrapi, 6). This was because she was a housekeeper, lower in society, and it wouldn't be proper for her to sit with them and eat. Because of the hard times going on, not very many people were able to have a car. Marjane’s father owned a cadillac, a very nice car, which shows that they have many financial advantages compared to other people in these times (Satrapi, 6). She never understood the shame of sitting in a cadillac until she realized all of the people that had to work extra hard just to get by. She had realized, “The reason for my shame and for the revolution is the same: the difference between social classes,” (Satrapi, 33). She can represent the effects on people within social classes because her life had been better within these times than other people; she did not have to work and have a job at her age.
Last of all, an important theme represented in the book was Marjane’s loss of innocence.

This picture represents the loss of innocence because in the Holy Bible, it is explained that Adam and Eve were made perfect and had been told to not eat from a specific tree. They had then eaten from the tree that they had been told not to eat from and suddenly “ the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). This can relate to Marjane because she grew up as a very opinionated and hopeful child because her parents were politically active, especially her mom. Her mom had protested against the veil and then eventually ended up being on newspapers and articles, so she had to take the extreme and dye her hair to not be recognized in public (Satrapi, 5). Marjane grew up with many hopes and dreams, one being the biggest, becoming a prophet (Satrapi, 7). Marjane’s parents encouraged her dreams while some other people told Marjane that it would never happen. People in Iran believed that religion was very important and that you should stand up for what you believe in at all times, even if you get put in jail or even die for it as a Martyr. People in Iran had praised Martyrs for always being so brave. Marjane would be proud of anyone who would get beat or put in jail. Her and her friends were competing, trying to see what relative was put in jail or had the worst punishment for standing up for their beliefs. This is a sign of innocence because the children do not see the pain caused by this. They think that it is good that they are getting beat because they are standing up for religion, when it is actually a very difficult standpoint from the victim’s point of

view.
In final analysis, Marjane had represented the lives of many during the Iraq-Iran war. Life had been tough throughout times like these because the people of their country were being controlled by another country and no longer had many rights. Marjane’s book represents themes of imperialism, social classes, and the loss of innocence throughout Persepolis. Her life as a child can show that one day you are an innocent person with hopes and dreams and the next day you are hoping that you aren’t attacked or face a tragedy.