Persepolis Literary Analysis

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When analyzing Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel, Persepolis, under a Marxist Literary Lense, one can see an apparent irony in the protagonist’s support of revolution and left-wing ideologies like communism. Marji’s family is a fairly affluent family, seeing that they live lives of relative comfort and luxury. Seeing that the family is a part of the class of Iranian society that has money, it is strange that the family calls for a destruction of the current society that they live in. It seems that the family does this for ideological reasons, as they disapprove of the Shah’s autocratic regime, although their way of life seems unaffected directly. After the revolution of 1979 concludes, an Islamic Theocracy takes control of the country, greatly hindering the family’s rather secular and affluent lifestyle. Marji’s family lives a comfortable lifestyle under Shah Pahlavi, yet they still call …show more content…

Marji and her family support the revolution against the westernized Shah’s regime, since they believe life will improve after he is deposed and a democratic government will follow. However, they are decisively incorrect in this assumption because the so-called “Islamic Republic” is really a democratic institution in name only because their is a non-elected supreme leader who has control over most Iranian affairs. This Islamic Republic instills harsh Islamic rule disallowing secular life in Iran, like Marjane’s family have enjoyed in comfort prior to 1979. Marji’s family’s very comfortable lifestyle is quite ironic when juxtaposed with their communist and leftist ideologies since they call for reform and equality, when they live the lifestyle of the bourgeois. Marji and her family’s support of the 1979 Islamic revolution is ironic since it causes a drastic change in their secular lifestyles for the

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