Persepolis Essay

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In "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi torture is one of the major themes in the book. Both physical torture and psychological torture is expressed throughout the book. The purpose of torture is to try to get information from someone or just to feel that you have power over an individual.Torture can be used in many approaches such as in interrogations to try to pressure someone to confess. Both physical and psychological torture endures pain and suffering. Physical torture is inflicting severe pain and possibly injury to a person. A person who is physically tortured is restrained or otherwise under the torturer's jurisdiction. An exemplification of physical torture is someone pouring boiling hot water on you because it's causing damage and also …show more content…

On page 24 her mother tells her "sometimes they put him in a cell filled with water for hours". Because her grandfather was in water for long periods of time throughout his life his health was destroyed. He had rheumatism, which caused major pain and aches in the muscles. This type of torture can physically and mentally hurt an individual. When Marji found out about her grandfather she went and took a very long bath so she could see what her grandfather went through. Another exemplification of torture is demonstrated through Siamak Jari. On page 51 he says "They whipped me with thick electric cables so much that this looks anything but a foot". From this experience it's telling me his feet has never gotten better by saying it looks anything but a foot. He continues to say "not to mention putting out cigarettes out on our backs and thighs". Putting cigarettes out on their skin can leave burn marks this is an example of physical torture. Marji's parents then ask him about a man named Ahmadi. Also on page 51 he says "Ahmadi was assassinated . . . so he suffered the worst kind of torture...". The pictures on this page illustrates him being whipped for not confessing and being burned with an iron.Being whipped and burned is both physical and psychological torture leaving you with both physical and mental scars.

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