Persepolis Story Of A Childhood Analysis

Freedom vs. Oppression and Fundamentalism
Scientist, politician, physician, these job titles are highly sought after given their prestige and luxurious wealth dispensed. Although equal in opportunity by law today, women were denied the right to pursue these careers due to restrictions imposed by the government. During the Iranian revolution, women were restricted small, family roles. Most Iranian women complied with these rules in fear of the consequences for rebelling. In Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel: Persepolis Story of a Childhood, Taji Satrapi serves as a symbol for women fighting against the oppressive laws instituted by the Iranian government after the departure Mohammad Reza Shah during the Iranian revolution. While most women remained
Satrapi and Marjane went out looking for Taji as her car had broken down while in the city. To their surprise, Taji came running at them as they drove down the street. She claimed the two fundamentalists had confronted and insulted her. They told her that women like her, “ should be pushed up against the wall and fucked. And then thrown in the garbage.” (Satrapi 74) The men said this in response to Taji’s decision to not wear a veil. This was not uncommon at the time. Although raping of women is prohibited in the religion of Islam, Men felt that women not complying with the social rules of wearing veils as breaking their faith to the religion. This justified the mens’ right to their controversial actions according to them. Although Taji wasn’t hurt physically, she was heavily impacted psychologically. For several days she spoke to no one, including her daughter and husband. Taji’s case was not an outlier but merely but one of the many hundreds to thousands. This led to the current government instituting veil coverings obligatory in order to protect women from potential rapists. The government’s declaration of the reasoning behind this decision was their belief in women’s hair hypnotizing and exciting men. Now Taji’s prediction had become true. After all, the had transpired, Taji did not back down from her beliefs. Instead, she decided it was best to assimilate into society in public by praying and wearing the veil. In private she would continue her mission in fighting against oppression and fundamentalism. Although Taji’s beliefs had not been altered, her sense of thought