Moral Courage In Persepolis

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Moral courage is the audacity to take action for moral reasons despite the risk or consequences. In the novel Persepolis moral courage is a theme described throughout the plot. Persepolis is a story about a child growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In a setting where freedom of expression was forbidden and violence was frequent the protagonist Marji, grows up accustom to this way of living and is highly influenced by her non conformist parents. Until things get too dangerous for Marji to continue her education in Iran so they make the decision to send her to Austria. In the novel Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi uses the literary elements of setting and conflict to develop the theme of moral courage by depicting how the setting affects …show more content…

During the Islamic revolution the people of Iran were not allowed to have forbidden things like music, games, alcohol and throw parties. For example, when Marji describes how people thought of life in Iran without parties she stated, “In spite of all the dangers, the parties went on. ‘Without them it wouldn’t be psychologically bearable’, some said. ‘Without parties, we might as well just bury ourselves now,’ added the others. My uncle invited us to his house to celebrate the birth of my cousin. Everyone was there, Even grandma was dancing.” This quote supports the theme of moral courage because during such a dangerous setting it takes courage to invite family and friends while hosting a party in secret to avoid getting into problems. Another example of how the setting affected the protagonist and her family’s daily life is when their home was under attack and they had to leave but they wouldn’t. For example, when Marji describes the moment where things got dangerous for her family she stated, “Now that Tehran was under attack many fled. The city was deserted. As for us, we stayed. Not just out of fatalism. If there was to be a future, in my parents’ eyes, that future was linked to my french education. And Tehran was the only place I could get it.” This quote depicts moral courage because even when …show more content…

From throwing parties during Iran’s Islamic revolution despite the consequences and remaining in Tehran rather than leaving solely for the future of their daughter. To leaving her family behind for her education in a place she has never been to before and struggling to fit in but stay true to herself these were some of the ways Satrapi used setting and conflict to develop the theme of moral courage. Moral courage doesn’t always have to be developed through some dramatic or life changing sequence of events. Even the little things that make people nervous or afraid take moral courage, like standing out and being individual instead of conforming or doing something for oneself despite the

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