The panel of the girls beating their chests in honor of the Iranian war in Persepolis is a powerful depiction of the regime’s manipulation of religion, nationalism, and education to indoctrinate even the youngest members of society. The chest-beating ritual, traditionally used for religious mourning, is transformed into a tool of propaganda, glorifying the war dead and erasing individual agency in favor of collective conformity. Satrapi uses this scene to critique how authoritarian regimes exploit cultural traditions to maintain control, demonstrating how children, in particular, are molded into loyal citizens through performative acts of loyalty and mourning. The panel stands as a condemnation of the regime’s manipulation of faith and innocence in service of its political agenda.
