Adolescent Rebellion in Persepolis
Social Class Influence
In order to compare Marji's risk of rebelling with other Iranians who do not enjoy the same socioeconomic privilege, the venn diagram was created: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1lwvMn2tqUSPr_6JrtrvH2ddmh1JpVezAR90D5LS4eCE/edit?usp=sharing
Artistic Choices
Background
Multiple Stories
In Persepolis the idea of multiple stories begin with knowledge that Marejane Satrapi is narrating her childhood experiences as she remembers, differently to how she would tell it at the time. This instigates the idea that adolescent rebelion though the eyes of an adult is much more evident then at the time. So the credibility of how everything actually was and the effect of it is limited to memories and not actual present situations.
To give context, Persepolis is a narrative of Marjane Satrapi's childhood growing up throughout the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the conflict between Iran and Iraq. Which led to many sudden changes, one of them being the transition and replacement of the Shah by the Ayatollah; which imposed stringent religious rules, during the Revolution. She discusses the difficulties she faced growing up in a conservative country, despite being a vociferous and insightful child. Marjane Satrapi tells her readers about her youth and how it shaped her into today's woman. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi's book, delves into how her loss of innocence and adolescent rebellion shaped her personality.
Against People in Power
Throughout the book, Marji shows rebellion against various factors, one of them being against people in power, such as her mother and the government. In this case, the motivation Marji has in order to rebel in many situations throughout the book derives from the historical context and conditions she faces; this is the main point to how her life differs from Western adolescents. Indirectly shown in the picture where Taji is still in shock of the fundamentalist's sexual assault, Marji's feelings toward the government just got worst. When she realized the huge impact they generated on her mother, by this time she had already initiated her disgust and rebellion against the government's effects. More directly, addressing a comparison between her mother and the government, Marji clearly rebels against her mother's power in the image where she's shouting.
Connection With Wester Child
Marji shows signs of typical western rebellion in specially 2 different scenarios, both of them being in the chapter called "The Cigarette". The first one was the time where she skipped classes with her new friends (bad influences), where she demonstrates a common trait of rebellious high school students in the US. The second was the time where she robbed cigarettes from her uncle and said "With this first cigarette, I kiss childhood goodbye," while smoking. These 2 examples show clearly how aspects of the western rebellious child compares with Marji's actions.
Marji's Social Risks
Marji is a middle class citizen, however, she is ashamed of her social class. Meaning that her socioeconomic background doesn't give her security to act in any form consciously.
Ex: "The reason for my shame and for the revolution is the same: The difference between social classes.'' (Marji)
This shows Marji's perspective of how social classes influences the problem in comparison to lower classes. As a response, she chooses to take part in a pro-revolution gathering, putting herself in grave risk.
Other's Social Risks
In the chapter called "The letter" Mehri, the family maid, exemplifies how low social reputation can inhibit learning, fortune, and even love. Mehri, for starters, is unable to read or write. ''Like most peasants, she didn't know how to read or write.'' Marji said. As a manner, Marji must compose letters for her, although being 10 years younger than Mehri. This shows hoe lower class citizens need assistance from higher class citizens to rebel. Even for love.
connection
Shame, Rebellion,
Disappointment,
Discouraged
*the venn diagram didn'r open in this plataform
Background (loneliness)
Emanata and sparking speech bobbles