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How do the children begin to reflect the political realities of the adult world in which they live? Where do you see this occurring today?
They begin to have protests in the garden of their house. You can see this in the US today due to the marches for science, as well as the women marches, minorities groups' marches, and lgbtq+ marches.
It shows that without knowing the full gravity of the situation at hand, they protest anyway because that is what their parents believe in. This can be seen in the fanaticism of certain children at protests around the world, i.e. Clinton rallies, Trump rallies, etc.
Explain the simile on page 10.
"The revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don't turn, it falls"
This means that as long as people continue to protest, the revolution will continue, but without the civilian support the revolution would fail.
What metaphor does the author use on page 11 to portray the Persian people during 2500 years of tyranny and submission?
She says that after 2500 years the people have finally awakened, implying that they've been asleep all this time until the revolution happened. She's basically saying that people were blind and allowed themselves to be pushed around like dolls, but now they're fighting back.
The Persian people faced oppression from what four sources?
Their own emperors
The Arabs to the west
The Mongolians from the east
Imperialism
Who are Rezai? Dr. Fatemi? and H. Ashrap?
Fatemeh Rezai was a woman who was executed in Iran for defending her rights.
Hossein Fatemi was a politician in Iran. He was tortured, arrested and then executed because of "treason against the Shah."
Hamid Ashraf was one of the original members and later the leader of the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas (OIPFG) that waged guerrilla warfare against the former Pahlavi regime in Iran from February 8, 1971 till February 11, 1979, the Shah's fall.
What is "dialectic materialism"?
It's a philosophy of science and nature, based on the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and developed largely in Russia and the Soviet Union. It accepts evolution of the natural world and the emergence of new qualities of being at new stages of evolution.
Who are Marx and Descartes? What does each believe? How does each philosopher reflect Marji's conflict? What is the outcome of this conflict for Marji?
Marx: was a Prussian-born philosopher, economist, sociologist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. Marx's theories about society, economics, and politics—collectively understood as Marxism—hold that human societies develop through class struggle; in capitalism, this manifests itself in the conflict between the ruling classes (known as the bourgeoisie) that control the means of production and working classes (known as the proletariat) that enable these means by selling their labour for wages. Marx is the realist who she later compares to God, which can be used to infer that she agrees more with Marx than Descartes because of how close she appears to be with God.
Descartes: He was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. Dubbed the father of modern western philosophy, much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings,[10][11] which are studied closely to this day. "I think therefore I am". He was very heavy in the scientific and mathematical side of philosophy, often deemed one of the key figures in the scientific revolution. Much of his work was concerned with the provision of a secure foundation for the advancement of human knowledge through the natural sciences. Descartes is the more philosophical and theoretical part of her conflict that tries to have faith despite not fully understanding the situation.
How did books shape public sentiment?
Books can influence how a person thinks, sees the world, and interacts with others. With books, come knowledge, and with knowledge comes individual thinking. Individuality is viewed poorly in Iran, as demonstrated by the seemingly "copied-and-pasted" scenes of people. You lose their individuality if they are copied and pasted as such. Some examples of this can be seen on pages 3, 11, 18, 28,.... You get the idea. The repetition of the people show how there are masses of people following the same religion, political ideology, and/or culture. Marjane educates herself on many books regarding enlightening topics, books on the children of Palestine, about Fidel Castro, about the young vietnamese killed by the Americans, and the revolutions of my country. However, her favorite book was on Dialectic Materialism.. See pg 12.
How is the picture on page 13 (middle) both symbolic and ironic?
This picture is symbolic and ironic because for some Marx was the "god" of their life. But for others God is the God of their lives. They both have specific guidelines for their believers to follow.
It is also ironic because although they look similar, God is wiser and older looking. He represents wisdom and truth.
How does Marji's relationship with God begin to change?
Marji begins to ignore God to a certain extent. She also doesn't want to talk to Him about being a prophet anymore, and becomes strict about the topics that God can bring up.
What happens at Rex Cinema? What is the political spin?
"They" burned down the Rex Cinema according to Marji's father (pg. 14). The doors were locked from the outside and minutes later a fire was started in the building. The police were there and wouldn't allow people to rescue those inside. They also attacked those that wanted to help. It took the firemen 40 minutes to get there. Book says that the BBC reported 400 victims.
Political spin: "The Shah said that a group of religious fanatics perpetrated the massacre. But the people knew that it was the Shah's fault!!!"
Respond to the imagery on page 15.
This imagery is very strong. Especially since the panel is very large, the reader's attention immediately gravitates towards the flames and the people running, and them being one with the flame. The fires and the rise could represent the conflict between "hell and heaven" as people are trying to escape, but the "fires of hell" continue to consume them. Also the people don't look like people, but rather ghosts or souls. Additionally, the people look more like souls by this point after they burned to death. All of their faces look the same.
Marji asks, "Don't you think I look like Che Guevara?" What happens next (and why?) How does Marji respond?
Marji asks God if she looks like Che Guevara, as she asks, God walks out of the door. Then, she looks in the mirror and says that maybe she'll be better as Fidel Castro and notices God is missing. She stomps down to her parents' room and tells them she wants to go to the demonstration with them.
What do you suppose is Marji's underlying motive for desiring to join her parents in the street demonstration?
Some part of it could have been to further spite God. God finds out that Marji doesn't want to be a prophet anymore as she wants to be a revolutionary. Because He left following her talking about wanting to be one of the revolutionaries, going to a demonstration and actively being part of a revolution could make Him even more mad at her. I think that she is trying to cut off her connection with God.
Comment on the illustrations used to portray the demonstrations on page 18.
In these three panels, one can see the idea of "copy-and-paste". This may suggest the masses/mobs of people who are united and fighting for the same reason. This also gives a sense of eerie reality. Many soldiers in battle look very alike when they are all dressed in their armor or other battle gear. This suggests that everyone fighting against each other becomes more of one mass against another instead of one individual against another individual.
Why do Marji's parents find her request to play Monopoly humorous?
Monopoly: game designed by a Socialist with the intent to make people turn against capitalism by forcing them to bankrupt their friends in order to win; instead, became incredibly popular and an excellent game of strategy :)
According to Marji, how was a king chosen? What was her rationale? What is her father's reaction? Why?
The king is chosen by God, because both God and her teacher told her so and it was written in their schoolbooks.
Her father's reaction is, "Come sit on my lap. I'll try to explain it to you." He tells her that the Shah was not in fact chosen by God but by some English men that wanted the country's oil. Shah wanted to enact a coup to install a republic. He also tells her about the history of her grandfather (mother's father).
What were two contrasting views of the Republican ideal?
The two contrasting views of the Republican ideal is the Marxist views that Marjane's parents have been supporting in the streets all day while Marjane wants to play a capitalist game, Monopoly.
How did Reza, the father of the Shah, differ from Gandhi and Ataturk?
Gandhi: Reza wasn't educated, Gandhi was a very educated lawyer.
Ataturk: Reza wasn't a leader of men, Ataturk was a general.
"He [Reza] was an illiterate low-ranking officer."
What was Reza's original political motive? What trade-off does he make? Why?
Reza's original political motive was to create a republic.
The trade-off he makes is an emperor led government with "Power, shoe shiners... and even more. Anything [he] wants in cash!" for a republic. He makes for the bribes promised by the English guy...especially the cash.
What is a puppet government? In such a system, who seemed to be the real emperor of Persia?
Puppet government: "a government that is appointed by and whose affairs are directed by an outside authority that may impose hardships on those governed"
The British seemed to be the real authority in Persia. -> "The emperor of Persia is not Reza Shah but the King of England." - Marji's Grandfather, pg.23
Who does Marji learn was the emperor overthrown by Reza? How does this add to the conflict?
Marji learns that her Great Grandfather was overthrown by Reza, her grandfather was a prince.
Comment on the image at the bottom of page 22. What change does it reflect?
This image reflects a change in the regular narrative of the story to Marji's imagination. It also shows Marji's change in "sides" from the religious to the modernist. After that point, Shah is imagined as a comically oppressive and evil character. She also demonstrates more interest and preference in Communist ideas. The lion represents the flag of Iran
What four things happened to the emperor's family, and any who opposed the new government, when he was deposed by Reza?
The Shah confiscated everything Marjane's grandpa owned
Often sent to prison
Tortured him by putting him in a water cell for hours
Everyone feared that one day that police/soldiers would come and take them or other family members off to prison.
What new government role did Marji's grandfather accept? What did he now study? Why?
Marji's grandfather becomes the prime minister. He studied in Europe, was very cultivated, and read Marx. Following his new position, he started to speak to intellectuals and became a communist.
What does Marji's mother reveal in a flashback? Her husband responds by saying, "That time is past." What do you think?
Marji's mother reveals that her father had been frequently put in a water cell for hours at a time, the police would come to her house to arrest her father often, and we find out that her father had a Rheumatism.
Why does God return after a long absence?
God returns while Marji is taking a water cell bath. I think He does this because He doesn't want to see her hurting herself or because He has recognized a change in her ideology from support of the "God-ordained" Shah to the modern revolution. The last time she sees God is after Anoosh dies when she completely loses faith in the Islamic Revolution's regime (a different political party from the one that is in place at the time this question is referring to).
How does Marji's grandmother initially respond to questions about the past?
Initially, she responds by changing the subject and asking Marji how her school day was.
What are the strengths and limitations of using the graphic cartoon to tell the story?
Strengths: it helps convey that this is how a child witnessed the world around her, puts the events in simpler terms, allows for visual symbolism to add more complexity to the story & author's opinions, lets the audience follow along and imagine with visuals, decreases space for certain types of uncertainty by showing the reader what is happening- allowing for certain subtleties to be demonstrated that would be difficult to convey with words alone.
Limitations: the mood is limited to what the images can create, there isn't as much room for Satrapi to communicate her tone with diction; some images that are ambiguous can't be clarified; the language of drawing isn't as concrete or universal as a written/spoken language leaving many expressions up to interpretation, what may represent a certain emotion for the artist may be different for a reader.
How did the Shah's rule compare to Reza's?
The Shah's rule was "ten times worse" than Reza's. The Shah kept no promises. He also caused many incidents which lead to the death of many people, often innocent people.
How is the image of the Shah on the bottom of page 27 both symbolic and ironic?
Irony: the Shah says that he is the light of the Aryans but the sky around him is completely dark save few scattered stars; "our people will regain their splendor" is very elegantly saying Make America- I mean, Iran- Great Again, but when was the first good period.
Symbolism: the symbol on his podium is representative of the first Iranian prophet, but one of the wings is missing and therefore one of the fundamental ideas of the symbol; the crown on his head looks very similar to the celestial light lion; to Iran, the symbol of the lion and sun is a mythological symbol for the country; the Shah never actually dressed this way or wore a crown at all, the crown is a symbol of his ruling style, behavior, and influence from England and the English puppet government in place.
Who was Cyrus the Great? Why was he so important?
He was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire.[8] Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East,[8] expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. He was important because he was the first monarch of Persia and during his reign is when the lion and the sun symbol began to appear.
What did Marji's father do every day that makes her mother so nervous? Why is this activity strictly forbidden?
Marji's father took photos: "He took photos every day. It was strictly forbidden. He had even been arrested once but escaped at the last minute." (pg.29)
According to gov.uk, it's strictly forbidden because it's an Islamic state and "Photography near military and other government installations is strictly prohibited. Sensitive government buildings and facilities are often difficult to identify. Take extreme care when taking photographs in any areas that are anything other than very obvious tourist attractions. Using a laptop or other electronic equipment in public places can be misinterpreted, especially if it contains photographs. You may be arrested and detained on serious criminal charges, including espionage. It's better to ask before taking photographs of people."
Ironically, what happens when a second dead man is carried out on a stretcher during a demonstration?
The second man that dies lost his life to cancer. As his body is carried out, the wife informs protesters that he isn't a martyr but a cancer victim. The crowd doesn't understand her and the irony is that, eventually, the wife begins to protest the Shah with the others around her husband's body.
What happens next that surprises Marji and amuses her family? What do the widow's actions show about the Persian people?
Marji is surprised by the fact that her family is laughing after hearing the story. The rest of the family finds the fact that anyone who dies could suddenly become a martyr amusing and how ready anyone is to protest.
The widow's actions show that the Persian people exist in polarity at this point. The protesters ask the widow if she had asked them to stop rallying around her husband because they were royalists. She defends her opposition to the S hah and then protests with the crowd. This shows that there is a strong us and them mentality in Iran.
Who was Ali Ashraf Darvishian? What was his favorite subject matter?
Darvishian was an Persian author known as the Iranian Charles Dickens who wrote a book very similar to Persepolis. He told "sad but true stories" and often wrote about child workers in the lower class.
What causes Marji to feel so ashamed? Why? How is this realization connected to the revolution?
Marji feels so ashamed because she was born to a relatively wealthy family in Iran and has things that she hasn't earned. She says, "The reason for my shame and for the revolution is the same: the difference between social classes." She was born to a higher class and feels ashamed for the amount of work she doesn't have to do.
Who is Mehri? How does she come to join Marji's family? How does Marji view her? How does Mehri view Marji?
Mehri is the Satrapi family's maid. She came to join the family when she was 8 y/o because her parents had "14 or 15 including her," and she would be able to eat at their house. Mehri is compared to the subjects of Darvishian's books. Mehri views Marji as a sister and likewise on Marji's part.
What did Marji do for six months to help Mehri? Why?
Marji wrote letters for Mehri to the boy she was infatuated with because Mehri didn't know how to write.
How did news of Mehri's clandestine affair reach Marji's father? What was the outcome? Why?
Mehri's affair reached Marji's father because Mehri introduced her sister to the guy, the sister fell in love with the guy, the sister became very jealous of Mehri so she told Marji's uncle, the uncle told it to Marji's grandmother, grandmother told it to Marji's mom, and mom told dad.
The outcome: Dad decided to "clarify" the situation and tells the guy that Mehri wasn't really his daughter, but his maid. Then, he asks if the guy would like to continue seeing her...he says no. He also returns all of the letters and the dad discovers that Marji had been writing the letters.
The guy decides to discontinue his relationship with Mehri because of their difference in social class. The dad explains it this way: "You must understand that their love was impossible....Because in this country you must stay within your own social class."
What is Marji's reaction to the break-up?
Marji is angry about the way that the relationship ends. She says, "But it wasn't her fault that she was born where she was born??? Dad are you for or against social classes?" and later says that she wants to demonstrate.
What happened on Black Friday? Why? What painful lesson did Marji learn?
On Black Friday, "so many were killed in one of the neighborhoods that a rumor spread that Israeli soldiers were responsible for the slaughter. But in fact it was really our own who had attacked us." Mehri and Marji were protesting and the mother slaps them when they return because they had both gone out without her knowing and gone out to protest on Black Friday.
Identify the irony and symbolism in the picture on page 38.
The irony is that Marji and her friend/maid are going to the demonstration when Marji's parents think that their daughter and and her maid are safely at home while the two of them go out and join the protests.
The symbolism is that the people are protesting the evil of the Revolution. Even the young people are joining in. This shows that many people do not back or support the Revolution.
Discuss an example of symbolism on page 40.
In the top most panel, all the identical faces represent all the people who died as a result of the Revolution. The are identical because as more and more of them are killed, they just become a statistic and are lumped together as a single mass of people who died. Basically, they become a number, and they all lost their identity and individuality. This contains a similar idea to Szymborska's poem, "Numbers", where so many people die that their deaths are counted more as a statistic, rather individuals.
In the middle panel, identical people are line up behind one another as they push the Shah, towards his death/the end of his reign. The identical people may represent the previous rulers of Iran all being pushed to their death/exit or loss of power. Or it may be representative of the fate of the previous rulers; as in what happened to them is also what happened or is happening to the current Shah.
Also, if the men in the second panel are considered corpses, it could be seen as the weight of all the blood the Shah has shed is supporting him, but weakly, and soon to crumble.
How does the Shah attempt to appease the people? Why did he fail?
The Shah attempts to appease the people by saying that he understands the revolt and that he will try to move Iran into a democracy.
He failed because he couldn't accept delegating his power (implied) and would refuse every prime minister with a reason that was 0% related to their ability to be a prime minister. "The more he tried democracy, the more his statues were torn down." The people's refusal of him parallels his refusal of prime ministers and emphasizes Satrapi's theme that people are people and are all the same everywhere.
How does the picture of the people on page 42 differ from the one at the beginning of the chapter?
Unity vs. Individuality Death vs. Life Solid colored clothing vs. Multiple patterned clothing
Arrangement vs. Chaos
American flag hidden in top left of page
How had the U.S. changed its public policy toward Iran?
The U.S. refused to give the Shah refuge. "Jimmy Carter, the president of the United States, refused to give refuge to the exiled Shah and his family."
Who is Anwar Al-Sadat? Why did he offer refuge to the Shah?
Anwar Al-Sadat was the president of Egypt at the time.
It was speculated that he offered refuge to the Shah because the Shah's first wife was Egyptian by Marji. This idea is shot down by her dad who says that sentiment and politics don't mix.
According to Marji's dad, why will the Middle East never have peace?
The Middle East will never have peace because of the global dependency on oil and Iran's supply.
What contributes to Marji's anger and confusion when she returns to school?
Marji is angry and confused when she returns to school because her teacher is the person who told her that the Shah was installed by God.
What story did Marji's neighbor make up about the spot on her cheek? What did this reflect about Iranian people?
Marji's neighbor says that his wife's birthmark was actually a scar from a bullet grazing her cheek. It reflected that the Iranian people were eager to have a role in the revolution, especially now that it was successful.
Why do Marji and her friends want to attack Ramin?
They want to attack Ramin because his father was a member of the Savak and killed a million people.
What two lessons does Marji learn from her mother?
People are not their parents' actions
Don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself
Learn to forgive?
Why does Ramin believe his father is not a murderer? How does his comment reflect the attitude of other children?
Ramin believes his father isn't a murderer because "He killed communists and communists are evil." His comment reflects how children parrot things that they hear their parents saying.
With regard to other children's attitudes, his comment reflects their need to defend their parents and their origin and upbringing.
How many political prisoners were released after the Shah stepped down from power?
3000 political prisoners were released.
According to Laly, where is her father Siamak? How does Marji respond to her friend's answer?
She thinks her father is on a "trip" but Marji tells her that really means that he is dead.
What lessons does Marji learn about "truth"?
She learns both that "The truth is sometimes hard to accept." and "Nobody will accept the truth."
Where had Siamak and Mohsen been for the last several years? Why?
Siamak: imprisoned for 6 years because he was a journalist whose crime was writing subversive articles in the Keyhan, officially it was being a communist
Mohsen: imprisoned for 8 years because he was a revolutionary, this was both his crime and profession though officially it was being a communist
What united the prisoners? Why?
They were united by their friendship to Marji's dad and once there they bonded over their shared experiences of torture.
Who led the training in torture practices?
"Our torturers received special training from the C.I.A." "Real scientists!!! They knew each part of the body. They knew where to hit!"
Comment on the images on page 51. What is Marji's response to what she hears?
After Marji hears that they burned Ahmadi with a clothes iron, she looks over at the one they have in their own house and makes a connection between their brutality and her domestic life. She says, "I never imagined that you could use that appliance for torture." Later on she incorporates these torture ideas into the games she plays with peers in her community.
How does the relationship between Marji and Laly appear to change after they both learn the truth?
Marji tries to save her ego by saying that she wasn't completely wrong in refuting Laly's father being on a trip. Laly responds by saying that her father was a hero and Marji feels very small and insignificant in comparison.
According to Marji, what makes a hero?
A hero is made by getting arrested or becoming a martyr. Surviving prison
How has war corrupted the innocence of children like Marji?
This chapter shows their desensitization to violence, unhealthy understandings of power, and idealized torture, and dangerous role models.
What ethical dilemma does Marji face? What is your opinion of justice?
After making the torture game and coming up with new ways to mildly hurt her friends, Marji gets a "diabolical feeling of power," that eventually overwhelms her. Her mother tells her that they will pay for what they have done, and Marji argues that everyone should be forgiven. When her mother says that "Bad people are dangerous but forgiving them is too" Marji is confused on how to think of them.
