Persepolis Study Guide Feiran
232. Who made up a large segment of those leaving the country?
Boys less than 13 years old who wanted to avoid becoming soldiers who would eventually just die
136. Whose fighter jets does Marji see overhead?
Iraq's jets.
112. Ironically, what happens next
Siamak Juri's sister was assassinated in his place, and his family had to escape by hiding in a flock of sheep
199. What ominous news does the phone call bring?
On the phone, they learn that Uncle Taher suffered his third heart attack.
66. 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.
117. Comment on the symbolism on page 69.
The swan may represent freedom and optimism as well as a legacy
177. Why did Marji's family continue to hold parties despite the danger?
Without the parties it wouldn't be psychologically bearable. So they still held parties.
14. Who is Zarathustrian and what are his three rules for living?
Zarathustra was the first Iranian prophet - "the first three rules came from Zarathustra. he was the first prophet in my country before the Arab invasion." 1: Behave well 2: Speak well 3: Act well
134. When was the last invasion of Iran? What was the reason for this second Arab invasion?
1400 years ago. Saddam Hussein has been waiting for an excuse to invade Iran, and when Iranian republics try to stir up Iraq Shiite allies, he takes the opportunity to go to war with Iran
4. What were the two outcomes of the Islamic Revolution?
1980 - The veil became mandatory at school All bilingual schools were closed down
3. When does the novel begin?
1980 - the year that we are introduced to Marjane 1979 - the year that the Islamic Revolution took place
183. How long had the war been going on so far? What did the local news report? What does Marji realize about this information? How do you explain the discrepancy?
2 years; the news reported that the Iranians had shot down 13 Iraq jets, but Marji realizes that they've been lying. Likely, the war is going very poorly but they want to pretend like they have everything under control.
89. Who is Anoosh? How does Marji feel about him? Why?
Anoosh is Marji's uncle (dad's brother). Marji loved him immediately because he was a hero in her eyes.
92. Where did Anoosh go? How would you characterize him?
Anoosh ran to his parent's house. He is perceptive, perseverant, and strategic.
69. 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.
228. How does Marji's dad respond to her behavior at school? Her mom? Why? What is Marji's reaction?
Dad responds with approval while mom responds with disapproval. Mom disapproves because she knows that Marji is at risk of being imprisoned and raped.
57. 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.
124. What consequence did women like Marji's mom face if they fail to comply with the new fundamentalist guidelines?
Failing to wear the veil would result in a gang rape and then being "thrown into the garbage". Because people are barbarians.
208. What is the cost of Khosro's services?
His services cost about 200 USD.
182. What story does Marji's grandmother use to stall the officers? What is she really planning to do? Ultimately, how did they get rid of the officer?
Marji's grandmother says that she has diabetes and must drink some syrup to remedy the situation, even though she is really pouring out all the alcohol in the house. They get rid of the officer by giving him money, "a few bills," (110).
111. What news does the phone call bring? What is Anoosh's response?
Mohsen is found dead in his bathtub; he was assassinated. Anoosh seems incredibly solemn and doesn't put much heart into his words: "Everything will be alright." This demonstrates Anoosh's overall outward positive attitude.
197. What surprising philosophical comment does Marji make to her parents? What is your reaction to her statement? (see page 119)
She says up to a certain age kids need their parents, then later they need you. My reaction is that she is insensitive and stubborn to say that directly to her parents. She may also seem to be trying to be the one in charge or act older than she really is.
192. What was Marji's symbolic act of rebellion? Describe her interesting response.
She smokes one of her mother's cigarettes, but she ends up spitting it out and being disgusted. Despite her disgust, she continues to smoke anyway.
148. What is one of the ramifications of the nation's political conflict?
Supplies (basic ones, like in grocery stores) were depleted which led to a lot of fighting amongst people.
174. Besides fearing for their own lives, what other thought plagued families?
That people shouldn't light a cigarette during a bombing because it is the easiest thing to see in the sky. Wine and alcohol were banned and people feared they couldn't entertain themselves. They feared that friends and family members around the country were dead too.
195. How long were the borders of Iran closed?
The borders were closed between 1980 and 1983.
223. What motivated the Baba-Levy family to stay in Iran? Why is this so unusual? What was Neda's dream? What ironically happens?
The family has ancestors that moved to Iran 3000 years ago. This is unusual as most other Jewish families have moves out of Iran. Neda's dream was for a prince with blonde hair and blue eyes would come and take her to his castle.
141. Why would it be impossible for Iran to retaliate effectively against Baghdad?
They would need pilots to do that, but all the pilots were imprisoned or executed.
12. When Marji was six, what did she decide?
"At the age of six I was already sure I was the last prophet. This was a few years before the revolution." (pg. 6)
203. How did the government delegate positions of power? Describe the encounter between Marji's aunt and the Minister of Health.
Due to the lack of resources, the government clearly had to reallocate powers and reassign government positions. Specifically, in her encounter, Marji's aunt recognizes the director as her for, era window washer. This implies that he probably is not qualified for the position and that the government was forced to chose him as directors due to a lack of resources.
121. What was the US response to the embassy take-over? Why was this news particularly upsetting for Marji?
Marji was upset because it meant she couldn't get a visa to go visit her friend Kaveh in the US; She says, "So, my great dream went up in smoke."
127. Comment on Marji's statement, "There was a kind of justice, after all."
Having women show their hair would supposedly "excite" men, so they had to cover their hair, but to be "fair", men's bare arms might "excite" women, so short sleeved shirts were banned as well.
178. How did Marji's dad bring light to the darkness at the party?
He brought a Zarb (a drum) to play music for the guests.
102. What is Anoosh's primary motive for sharing his story with Marji?
He doesn't want the family memory to be lost, so he tells her so that she'll know, even if she doesn't understand it completely. As she grows up and matures, she may understand more of the story that her uncle told her.
94. Why did Anoosh have to leave so quickly after his arrival? Where did he go?
He had to leave because the Shah's soldiers would be looking for him and he didn't want to draw them to his parents' house. He went into exile in the U.S.S.R..
114. Contrast Anoosh's reaction on page 66 to his reaction to the previous news.
He seems a lot more downtrodden, he's looking at the ground, and his words, the same as last time, are empty. There isn't an exclamation point, he's wearing black, and there even seems to be something "off" about his hair.
100. How does Anoosh attempt to leave behind his old life? Is he successful? Why?
He tries to dress up and get a fake passport to go home, but he's caught because his disguise is terrible. He's locked up for nine years.
116. What is Anoosh's final wish? Why?
He wants to see Marji one last time to give her another bread-swan. He claims she's the daughter he always wanted.
180. What gives Marji doubts about the notion of a "maternal instinct"?
Her doubts arise when her aunt hands her her baby during the sirens, and promptly abandons her baby.
115. What makes Marji suspect that something has happened to Anoosh?
Her mom uses the excuse "he went on a trip", only he won't come back. Also, she says he went back to Moscow, but Marji knows that he would never go back to his wife because she hurt him too much.
234. What is Marji's last memory of her parents before leaving?
Her mother fainting and having to be carried away by her father, even though they had just been laughing and saying how they'll visit Marji soon
189. Comment on the symbolism on pages 115/116.
In page 115, we see the further development of the motif of both transfusion and self destruction. In page 116, Marji is shown descending the stairs to the basement and opening another door presumably at the bottom. Because there are two Marjis, there is clearly a change in time. However, there is no gutter to separate them. With the battle between the two, this could represent that time had no impact on the war. That it seemed to be a blurb that just went on and on. It could also represent that she could only imagine the horrible things taking place on that battlefield.
187. Describe the efforts made toward bringing an end to the war between Iran and Iraq. Why did peace fail?
Iraq offered a peace settlement. Saudi Arabia would pay for reconstruction to restore peace to the area. But the Iranian government turns down this offer and refused to impose peace. This resulted in the conquering of Karbala, a Shiite holy city in Iraq.
123. What impact would the Islamic republic have on young women like Marji?
It would result in her having to marry someone at a young age and have many kids before she was ready, additionally preventing her from being able to fulfill her new dream of becoming the next Marie Curie.
27. 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.
99. How is the picture at the top of page 60 symbolic?
It's symbolic because the heads of his family are floating in his dream and she uses the same squiggly lines to represent the dream as she had used earlier. It's giving him a sense of unity and family which he feels he is lacking in his real life at the moment. It also reflects the panel showing Marji imagining her father and God after she thinks that he's been killed in the demonstration while taking photos.
20. Comment on the symbolism in the picture at the bottom of page 9. What three attributes of God does Marji wish to embody as a prophet?
Justice - only right hand is visible and holding the scales of justice, face is stoic with eyes directed at the reader and a line for a mouth Love - both hands are visible, not holding anything, right hand is holding up middle finger, index finger, and thumb, face is happy and eyes are looking up Wrath of God - sword and shield with concentric designs and lots of circles, her left hand is hidden while the right is raised, face is angry with frown and eyes looking down (downward-looking eyes indicate authority)
63. 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.
147. What does Pardisse describe in her paper? How does Marji try to console her friend? What is Pardisse's response? What does Marji learn from this experience?
Pardisse writes a letter to her father in her paper. Marji attempts to console her by telling Pardisse that her father died a hero and Pardisse responds with "I wish he were alive and in jail instead of a hero and dead." (86)
170. Who possessed the key to Paradise? Why?
Poorer, young men, because they were more "replaceable" than those of richer families.
75. 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.
162. What is one of the country's rituals? What is its purpose?
Self-flagellation. It's a religious ceremony in which one hits him/herself (sometimes with whips and ropes, it's very brutal but considered "macho")
230. Where do Marji's parents decide to send their daughter? Why? What is Marji's reaction?
Sent her to Vienna, Austria so she can be happy and safe. Marji is initially happy but then realizes she is going alone.
205. Why is Marji's aunt so angry at Dr. Fathi's explanation of the war?
She is angry because she doesn't care about the war she just wants her husband to be treated.
78. What lessons does Marji learn about "truth"?
She learns both that "The truth is sometimes hard to accept." and "Nobody will accept the truth."
193. In what ways has Marji become an adult?
She's beginning to rebel against her parents, and she also understand more of the repercussions of the war. She has been hanging out with older girls. She has cut classes before, and she wants materials (clothes, music, and posters). She tries smoking and drinking wine. She hung out with the "cool girls" and did whatever wrong things they did because she was trying to act popular, cool, and mature. She and her "friends" laughed at people because they were scared of bombings happening in the city. Although she full well knew that she was going to be in trouble later. She also lies to her parents shortly after this occasion because she did want to tell them the truth about what she was up to. She learned how to flirt with boys. She also talked back to her Mum.
79. 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
202. What dilemma faces hospitalized patients because of the war?
Some hospitalized patients are unable to receive the treatment that they need because there is a lack of competent surgeons/doctors and they are unable to get passports to see the ones that can perform the procedures they need.
150. How else are Iranians required to ration their supply? Why?
They had to ration the amount of gas they used because Iraq bombed a large supply of it
224. What happened to Iran's economy during the war? Is this unusual?
The Iranian currency (Tuman) depreciated. This is very common during wartime situations (WWII, Revolutionary War)
190. What did the survival of the regime depend upon? What was the human cost of this survival?
The survival of the regime depended upon the war. A million people died in this war.
5. In what ways does the children's response to the veil reflect a universal truth about society?
The children don't understand why they have to wear the veil. They just follow the orders from their teachers. This may be an indicator that many people do not truly understand the significance or importance of wearing the veil.
172. How did clothing of the 80's reflect the political realities of that time period?
The clothing of the 80's reflect a rebellious period. Holes in her sweater reflect rebellion and her necklace is also made from unconventional materials (nails and chains)...
160. How did the educational system engrain the Persian philosophy?
They had to stand up and line up and constantly mourn the martyrs of the war.
109. What are the two possible consequences of the people ignorance?
The first consequence could be complete dominance by another more intelligent or more powerful group of people. If the people are ignorant, then they follow the leaders with blind loyalty. They do not stop to reflect on what is happening to themselves. They become slaves to the regime, to their society, or to themselves. The second consequence could be that they eventually lead to the self-destruction of their country. By lacking the intelligence to see past the small issues and instead focus on the larger issues, the people will remain narrow minded and followers.
169. Who does the government recruit to serve on the front lines of the war? How do they persuade them? Can you think of another time when this practice has been used? What image on page 101 seems particularly disturbing to you?
The government recruited young boys. They were persuaded by being given a key that was supposedly to grant them access to Paradise where there is everything they could ever want.
211. How did Iran accommodate for its need for imports during the war?
The growth of the black market.
194. What had become a bigger conflict than the war against Iraq? How does this manifest itsel?f
The internal war had been a bigger issue than the war against Iraq. This is manifested by the persecutions.
145. What was the outcome of the attack of Baghdad?
The military pilots were released from prison after agreeing to bomb Iraq in exchange for the government playing the national anthem on the TV, but there were many Iranian casualties.
220. What was the new strategy? How does the author characterize Iranians? How does she characterize her father? Her mother?
The new strategy of the Iraqis was to bombard Tehran with SCUD missiles. Satrapi characterizes the Iranians as "olympic champions in gossiping" that like to exaggerate things. She characterizes her mother as a pessimist and her father as an optimist
173. Where did people seek refuge? How did this environment also reflect the emotional state of the people/country?
The people seeked refuge in Marji's basement. This environment reflects the emotional state because they are trying to go to shelters the environment is gloomy.
10. Why was a picture of Marjane's mother published in the newspaper? How did her mother respond? Why?
The picture of her mother was published because she was protesting against the veil with her hair down in a very protestful stance (fist up). She was very scared and dyed her hair because the picture was published in a newspaper in Iran and she didn't want to get in trouble with the authorities or the fundamentalist vigilantes. She did not want to end up in prison or be killed.
217. What was the purpose of the Guardians of the Revolution? What happens when they encounter Marji? How does Marji respond?
The purpose of the Guardians of the Revolution was to arrest women who were improperly veiled. When they encountered Marji they stopped her to put her in her place and take her to HQ. Marji responds by saying she will never do it again and her mother will get mad at her.
96. What does the reader learn about the status of women in Iran?
The reader learns that the life of a single mother is very difficult in Iran and that a woman could be shunned and her life would be like living hell.
106. What do Eby and Anoosh find so troubling about the revolution in Iran?
The revolution is "leftist" but the republic wants it to be "Islamic"
55. 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.
221. What did the sirens signify? What did Marji realize for the first time? What does this show?
The sirens signify the threat of death and that a missile will land in three minutes. Marji suddenly realizes how much danger she and her family are in. This shows that she is still a child as she never knew danger before
39. 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.
7. What did the veil symbolize?
The veil symbolizes oppression of women. It was a representation of Middle Eastern women as passive, oppressed and monolithic.
204. Where did many of the seriously wounded travel for treatment? Why is this ironic?
The wounded travelled to Germany because of chemical weapons, it's ironic because the Germans produce the chemical weapons.
154. Besides their possessions, what else have refugee families lost?
Their dignity
25. The Persian people faced oppression from what four sources?
Their own emperors The Arabs to the west The Mongolians from the east Imperialism
163. How did the students try to ease the tension of a very serious situation?
They made fun of everything; when they had to decorate a room, they teepeed it, they made fun of the martyrs by running around and begging to be killed. When they had to make hoods for the soldiers, they half-assed it, etc.
144. What shocking news does the television report? What is the initial reaction of Marji's dad? Why?
They see that Iranian fighter jets have bombed Baghdad, but Marji's dad doesn't believe it because the media has been prone to lying to its viewers, so he checks the BBC.
200. In front of the hospital, what request is made of the Iranian people? What is the double meaning here?
They specifically ask for people to give blood for the war. Directly, this is referring to blood donations for the wounded. However, the double meaning is that they give blood for the war by fighting and "giving their blood"
128. How did ordinary citizens respond to the new guidelines established by the regime?
They started to dress "progressively", mostly to protect themselves, because the punishments were severe.
131. At their Madrid hotel, what startles Marji's family when they see a report about Iran on television? What are a couple of explanations for this phenomenon?
They're shocked to see that a black cloud is spreading over Iran, eventually revealed to be the war spreading.
85. 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.
44. 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
33. 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.
126. How did the Fundamentalist woman and man differ from the modern woman and man? What were considered to be clear symbols of the West?
Women were "modern" whereas men were "progressive". Fundamentalists wore long garments that completely covered them, leaving only their faces exposed. Modern women wore *slightly* less conservative garments, but still couldn't show their hair. Men's garb stayed mostly the same, but they shaved their beards and had only mustaches, and tucked their shirts in. Neckties were symbols of the West.
165. Why was Marji's generation so rebellious? What does the teacher blame?
Marji thinks that they were so rebellious because they'd once been in secular schools, but the teacher blames their home life and the parenting they received.
77. 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.
184. What was Marji's motive for breaking her parents' rules? When else had she violated their trust?
She wanted to be friends with the 14-year olds, so to make them like her she went along with ditching. She had previously broken the rules by attending a demonstration in 1979.
155. What was the primary difference between the Iranian and Iraqi armies?
The Iraqi army was modern (quality), but there were more Iranian soldiers (quantity)
70. 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.
68. 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."
153. What common attitude about refugees do the other shoppers express?
They don't like that the refugees seem to be taking all of their supplies and food (they can't "find anything to eat anymore"). They're also upset because the women are "whoring" themselves out for money.
122. How did the new Islamic republic impact the educational system?
They got rid of the universities, because they knew that educating people would result in actual intelligence and potential opposition to the republic
30. 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.
120. Discuss how the artistic and literary elements on page 71 help to convey mood and theme?
This scene shows Marjane floating in a space with minimal stars and lights. Her feet are drawn bottoms up. This may represent her insulted disposition toward God, or it echoes Marjane in her bed on pg 70, in the mid page right panel, where she is lying in her bed.
81. 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!"
67. 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
233. Marji's dad says, "Don't forget _____ or _____."
"Who you are and where you come from"
2. The author indicates two motives for writing Persepolis. What are they?
1) She believes that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists. 2) She also does not want the Iranians who died in prisons defending freedom, those who died in the war against Iraq, those suffering under repressive regimes, or those who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten.
45. What four things happened to the emperor's family, and any who opposed the new government, when he was deposed by Reza?
1. The Shah confiscated everything Marjane's grandpa owned 2. Often sent to prison 3. Tortured him by putting him in a water cell for hours 4. Everyone feared that one day that police/soldiers would come and take them or other family members off to prison.
13. What are three reasons Marji wants to be a prophet? What were her underlying motives?
3 Stated Reasons: 1: "because our maid did not eat with us" 2: "because my father had a cadillac" 3: "and, above all, because my grandmother's knees always ached" Underlying: 1: She wants to ease the suffering of others, especially those who are not as well off as her. She feels some guilt for her wealth
108. What was the reported outcome of the elections? How does Marji's father explain these results?
99.99% voted for the Islamic Republic, which Marji's father says is because the elections were faked, but the people are too ignorant to see it; he doesn't know anyone who voted for the republic, but nobody seems to know (or care) that the elections were rigged
103. What gift does Anoosh give to Marji? What does it symbolize?
A bird (swan specifically) made out of bread that he made in prison. It symbolizes his ability to maintain/keep his humanity in dreadful situations. Also this shows that he is able to create something good, beautiful, and a work of art despite his painful experiences. It indicates the redeeming qualities of art. It also shows his willingness to make sacrifices for Marji by forming his sustenance into something unusable for its intended purpose for her.
84. According to Marji, what makes a hero?
A hero is made by getting arrested or becoming a martyr. Surviving prison
185. What was Marji's destination? What was its reputation? How was it able to survive the regime's repression?
A place called "Kansas" where teenagers hung out; it was able to survive the repression because people were ignorant to its existence. Marji claims that the revolutionaries likely didn't know what "Kansas" was.
210. When did Marji's parents receive their passports? What was one provision listed?
A year after their uncle died, when the borders were reopened
82. 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.
214. How does Marji's reaction to the Kim Wilde poster reinforce an existing conflict? How does Marji's attitude change?
After Marji's mom tells the dad to bring his coat over and shows Marji the posters, Marji thanks her dad and calls him the genius. This shows the patriarchal/male dominant culture that they live in and the mother's expression reveals that she is very angry with the sexist ideas set in her daughter's mind.
133. Marji's mother remarks, "There's no place like home." Considering the surprising news they learn, how is this statement ironic?
At the time, there wasn't really any place like Iran. It was covered in wars and revolutions and suppression and everything had gone to hell. While Marji's mother was initially relieved to be back in a place of comfort, it is soon revealed that Iran is anything but stable/welcoming.
159. What is the Persian philosophy of resignation?
Basically "keep your head down and wait for the wave to pass"
142. Why is Marji angry at her father?
Because he doesn't really want to fight (understandably) and she sees this as a weakness.
107. According to Anoosh, why is it nearly impossible to persuade the population to follow Marxism?
Because there are so many illiterate people; they can only be united through nationalism or a religious ethic
158. Why isn't Marji's friend extremely concerned about the growing number of martyrs?
Because they are "still living" and should be focusing on their own lives
29. 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.
21. Who are Che Guevara? Fidel? Trotsky? Why are they important?
Che Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia in popular culture. Fidel Castro was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008. Politically a Marxist-Leninist and Cuban nationalist, he also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1961 until 2011. Under his administration, Cuba became a one-party socialist state; industry and business were nationalized, and state socialist reforms were implemented throughout society. Trotsky was a Marxist revolutionary and theorist, and a Soviet politician who guided the transfer of all political power to the Soviets. He supported the Menshevik Internationalists faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, then he joined the Bolsheviks just before the 1917 October Revolution, and immediately became a leader within the Communist Party. He was, alongside Lenin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Stalin, Sokolnikov and Bubnov, one of the seven members of the first Politburo, founded in 1917 to manage the Bolshevik Revolution. During the early days of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) and the Soviet Union, he served first as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and later as the founder and commander of the Red Army, with the title of People's Commissar of Military and Naval Affairs. He was a major figure in the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Civil War (1918-1923). These three men are important because they all are key political figures. They all have Marxist/Communist thinkings and ideals. They were key figures during their respective country's political revolutions.
8. What did bilingual schools symbolize to the new regime?
Decadence and capitalism
19. What does Marji tell her parents that she wants to be when she grows up? Why?
Doctor; she doesn't want her parents to know, also probably because she is afraid of how they might respond given the teacher's reaction or she wants them on her side in cases similar that that with the teacher - "no, no, I will be a prophet but they mustn't know." This shows that she is not really afraid to lie to them about who she will be when she grows up. And she may think that if she can't be a prophet, being a doctor is the next best thing.
26. 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.
213. How would you describe the mood at the airport?
From the facial expressions of Marji's parents while at the airport is seemingly scared or anxious. However, her mother seems more calm and collected than her father who was smuggling the posters in his jacket.
91. Why did Anoosh abandon Fereydoon?
He abandoned his uncle because he was arrested by the Shah's soldiers.
181. What two violations is Marji's dad guilty of at the traffic stop? How does his wife respond to the situation? What is a condition of their release?
He is guilty of having drank alcohol and having alcohol in his house. His wife responds by telling the officer that he looks very young, that she could be his mother.
118. Under what premise is Anoosh executed?
He was supposedly a "Russian spy"
215. How did Marji's mother compare to other Iranian mothers? How does Marji's relationship with her mother seem to reflect typical parent-child issues?
Her mother was very permissive compared to other Iranian mothers. It seems to reflect typical parent-child issues because typical issues consist of what clothes to wear.
88. What motivated Marji to tell lies about her father? What is your opinion of her behavior?
Her motivation to tell lies about her father stems from the belief that children are representations of their parents as evidenced by Ramin's situation. She lies about her father being a hero for the same reason the neighbor talks about his wife's birthmark/bullet scar. She wants to impress her peers and have something to brag about.
198. How do Marji's parents view their daughter's defiance differently?
Her parents are affectionate towards each other when other parents would team up and keep yelling at the child.
209. What is Taher's only wish? What prevents him from realizing his dream? Ironically what happens three weeks later?
His only wish is to see his son again, but he can't because Iran's borders are closed and he doesn't have a passport. He dies three weeks later on the same day his passport arrives.
101. What caused Anoosh to suffer most in life? Why?
His wife because Russians "don't have hearts". He says that his Russian bride made him hurt more than the nine years that he spent in an Iranian prison
231. What is her grandmother's advice to her?
If you encounter a jerk, tell yourself that they're stupid to prevent reacting to rudeness. Keep your dignity and be true to yourself
65. 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.
49. 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.
216. How had Iran's food shortage been resolved? What was appealing about Gandhi Avenue?
It had been resolved through the growth of the black market. Gandhi Avenue was appealing because you could find uncommon things such as tapes by famous artists that were banned in Iran.
168. What seems ironic about Nasrine's description of Paradise?
It has a "lot of food, houses made of gold and diamond, and lots of women." This is very ironic because all of this is decadence which, supposedly, is very bad and was banned by the republic.
143. Why was it so unusual to hear the national anthem? Why, did they learn, had it been played?
It was strange to hear because it had been banned by the government and replaced with a new hymn; they hadn't heard it in over a year.
125. What was the rationale for making the veil obligatory?
It was to "protect" women from being raped.
179. Even though Mrs Nassrin's comments on page 106 bring humor, how are her actions also symbolic?
It's symbolic because the cleaning lady is creating something messy, it is symbolic that the citizens still disobey the laws.
207. Where is Khosro's family? Why does he help Niloufar?
Khosro's brother sought political asylum in Sweden after he made a passport for him. His wife and daughter "left" after the revolution. He helps Niloufar the communist because her brother was his "messenger boy."
152. What happened to Mali's family? How does Marji's family react? What is your opinion of Mali's family?
Mali's family was bombed and sought refuge with Marji's family. Mali's husband is very pompous and concerned with material goods (he's most upset about the loss of their big house). Marji's parents are happy to help Mali's family, but they don't like her husband very much.
175. How did the interior of their homes reflect the external changes that were occurring? What two things did they need to protect themselves against?
Many times they had to run to the basement to get shielding from the bombing. They also had to hang up black curtains to prevent neighbors from spying and turning them in.
146. How would you describe Marji's response to her teacher's writing assignment? What was her teacher's reaction to her report?
Marjane gave a very factual report, four pages on the historical context entitled "The Arab Conquest and Our War". Her teacher said it was good, but did not elaborate or seem to linger. The teacher just moved on to Pardisse.
186. How would you describe the relationship between Marji and her mother? What language does Marji use to describe her mother and her tactics? What lesson does Marji learn that transcends time and space?
Marji and her mother are clashing very often, but they still love each other very much; which is normal for this age. Marji calls her mother a "dictator and the guardian of the revolution of this house."
226. How did Marji's life change after Neda's death? What happened at school?
Marji becomes even more rebellious and doesn't give a damn about the rules. She wears a bracelet 2 days in a row and punches the principal while struggling over the bracelet, which leads to her being expelled.
218. Why will Marji have to go before the Committee? What would happen there? How does Marji avoid going before the Committee?
Marji has to go to the committee because she was improperly veiled. At the committee anything could happen to her, she could get whipped or detained for hours. She avoids going to the committee by telling that her mom will abuse her and she will be put in an orphanage.
71. 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.
119. Who comes to visit Marji after Anoosh's death? What is Marji's reaction?
Marji is visited by God, but she is extremely angered by His presence and demands that He leave immediately, because she doesn't want Him in her life, and she never wants to see Him again. This is significant as it demonstrates a somewhat typical reaction of peoples' reactions when a loss occurs in their life. They get mad at God, or direct their anger towards God, and ask Him why such things happen to them. This may then push them back on their faith and leave God's presence for a time or forever.
43. 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.
201. Describe Marji's reaction to the hospital experience?
Marji was shocked and somewhat scared or upset. Until they visit her Uncle's room, she States at the wounded around the hospital and is visibly upset when seeing her mother console her aunt crying.
206. Why did Marji's dad visit Khosro? What was Khosro's motive for assisting him?
Marji's dad visits Khosro because he prints fake passports. Khosro's motive was that Khosro's brother and Marji's uncle were in prison together.
132. Who meets Marji's family at the airport? What is the mood upon their return?
Marji's grandmother meets them there, but the tone is extremely grim due to the fact that they're now at war and the government didn't officially announce it for an entire month
167. Who is Mrs. Arsine? What does she receive from her son? What does it mean? How does she perceive this token?
Mrs. Arsine is the maid, and from her son she receives a golden key (his ticket to paradise). She is very upset because, rightly so, she doesn't think that a plastic key is a very good trade for her son's life.
229. What happened to Niloufar? Why? How do you know? What is Marji's reaction?
Niloufar was executed for being a communist. Since virgins are not allowed to be killed according to Islam, a Guardian of the Revolution married Niloufar and raped her before she was executed. They then sent a dowry to the family of 500 tumans (5 dollars). You know that Niloufar is executed in this way because if the girl dies, the husband has to send a dowry to the family. Marji is traumatized and thinks of the quote "to die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society".
42. 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
188. What was the motivation for launching an attack on Karbala?
Refusal to accept peaceful terms by the Iranian government.
113. How does Satrapi carry the symbolism through this chapter?
Satrapi carries the symbolism through this chapter as she represents pain, suffering, and grief as darkness. We also see contradictions throughout the chapter as the revolution shifts from the initial ideas of freedom to ideas more related to or tied to Islamic fundamentalism. Additionally, most people outside Marjane's family are illiterate and not educated. This means that they do not really understand what is going on in their country. Rather they respond through protests or through religious means. Finally we see how the book continues to draws parallels between Marjane's childish romanticization of the revolution and the nationalistic romanticization of the revolution by the all the Iranians, which ultimately allowed the Islamic fundamentalist regime to take power.
222. How does the picture on the top of page 137 reflect the mood? Where does Marji's only hope lie?
She and her shadow are all alone on the street. The angle of her body indicates that she's walking at a moderate pace. The trees have evolved from their earlier depictions in the book showing her maturity. The trees represent uniformity, as do the streets and the buildings. Her presence is disrupting the order. The fact that the trees are black with only a touch of white contributes to the mood as well; things seem very stark, and almost barren, due to the large expanses of black and white. There is an air of solitude, isolation, and insignificance (due to size difference).
149. What criticism does Marji's mom make of capitalism? What confusing thing does she suggest as they leave the store?
She complains that if people only took what they needed, there would be enough food to go around. But then, when they're in the parking lot, she says that they will go another store to find more food.
138. How does Marji reflect the common stereotypical thinking of other Iranians? How does Marji's dad cut through her propaganda induced thinking?
She immediately views them as their enemies and wants to teach them a lesson, as she is angered that they tried to push their religion on Iranians. Most people thought this way, but her dad cuts through her thinking by humanizing Iraq (they're bad drivers) and telling her that the invasion came from their own government.
135. How does Marji respond to the news of the invasion?
She immediately wants to fight to defend her country
137. What is Marji determined to do after the attack on Tehran? What is her father's response?
She is immediately enraged and wants to "teach them a lesson" and have her father go to war; but he only goes home to make sure Marji's mother is okay, and believes that the real invasion was from their own government.
104. How does Marji's conflict from the beginning of the chapter reach a resolution? What seems to be the underlying theme of this chapter?
She is perturbed at the beginning of the chapter because nobody in her family is a "hero", unlike the other kids who have had relatives who've been imprisoned. When she hears Anoosh, she realizes that she does have a hero. But the underlying theme seems to be that society chooses to glorify people to make them "heroes" when they have actually suffered more than anyone
225. How does Marji's mother attempt to protect her daughter? How does Marji discover the truth? What does the last frame on page 142 reflect?
She tries to hide the fate of the Baba-Levys from Marji. Marji discovers the truth when she sees Neda's bracelet still attached to her arm in the rubble. The last frame is pure black and represents the fact that nothing, not even an image, can represent her feelings at the time.
219. Analyze Marji's behavior when she returns home.
She was reluctant on telling her mom the truth, and then she started singing to Kim Wilde's song.
227. What did Satrapi learn about the government in her new school? How did she respond?
She was taught that there are now no more political prisoners in Iran after the revolution. She responds by denouncing the teacher in class and telling them about her Uncle.
16. What seems to be an underlying theme of Marji's rules?
Social equality
140. What attitude do Marji's comments and behavior toward her parents reflect?
That she is growing up and clashing with them more; which is totally normal for her age
129. What should Marji tell people that she does during the day?
That she prays.
51. 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.
196. Give an example of irony on page 118.
The irony is that Uncle Taher is happy that his son is abroad but he isn't happy that he might not ever see him again. There is also irony in that he's smoking despite his heart condition.
22. 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.
164. Comment on the teacher's relationship with her students. How were the students able to endure the treatment they received?
They constantly made fun of the teacher and undermined all of her efforts, but she couldn't punish them because they were all so united, and she couldn't discipline all of them.
166. What injustices do the parents see in the educational system? Which restriction is particularly ironic?
They don't like the self-flagellation, the fact that they have to wear garments that cover them from head to toe, and that they are forbidden to play like kids. It's ironic about the garments because supposedly they have to wear them to keep boys from getting "excited" but they're not actually in school with the boys, because they were separated.
110. Why do Marji's parents subject themselves to a political upheaval and refuse to leave Iran? What is their opinion of those who have left?
They don't want to leave because they have built a successful life in Iran, and going anywhere else would lead to poor, unsatisfying lives (Marji's parents would end up working as a "taxi driver" or a "cleaning lady"). They believe that the people who left will come back, and are only afraid of change
191. How did the regime become more repressive?
They exterminated the enemy within the country.
176. What forbidden items did the government find at the house of Timoosh's dad? What was his punishment?
They found records, video cassettes, a deck of cards, a chess set and everything else that was banned. He earned 75 lashes as punishment
73. 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.
156. What might be the purpose of publishing Iran's "martyrs"?
To get people angered and make them join the cause
157. What is a nuptial chamber? What does it symbolize?
Virgins weren't supposed to die so it was a way for unmarried men to "know carnal knowledge"
212. What problem do Marji's parents face as they return from their trip to Istanbul? How does Marji's mom show her ingenuity?
Western imports were banned from Iran and it's illegal to bring them in. They aren't sure how they are going to get the posters to Iran, but Marji's mom ends up sewing them into the back of Marji's father's coat.
105. What is the significance of the title? How does it help to characterize the people of Iran?
While the sheep in question are referencing the sheep that a family used to Odysseus-escaping-Polyphemus-style escape Iran, the title seems to be referring to the people who went along with the extremists, even though they didn't believe or care enough to stand up for their own beliefs. They allowed themselves to be molded and were blind followers
235. What prediction do you make for Marji and her family after she leaves?
While they may eventually be reunited, the dynamics between their family will not be the same, and without the steadfast support of her grandmother and parents, Marji will find it much more difficult to grow up.
36. 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.
93. How does Anoosh's father react to his return? Why?
Initially, the dad asks what he's doing here since he'd been working for his similarly minded uncle. After, he shows some much too late affection to his very sick son.
59. 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.
87. Now that the revolution is over, what does Marji decide?
"Now that the revolution was finally over once and for all, I abandoned the dialectic materialism of my comic strips. The only place I felt safe was in the arms of my friend."
23. 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.
32. 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!!!"
74. What two lessons does Marji learn from her mother?
1. People are not their parents' actions 2. Don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself 3. Learn to forgive?
76. How many political prisoners were released after the Shah stepped down from power?
3000 political prisoners were released.
35. 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.
52. 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.
28. 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.
86. 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.
6. How has education affected by the new regime? Why?
All the girls had to wear the veil. All bilingual schools were closed down. Girls and boys no longer could attend the same school. Bilingual schools were considered symbols of capitalism and decadence by the new regime.
97. What does Anoosh study in the USSR? What change does Marji's response to her uncle show?
Anoosh studied communism and got a doctorate in Marxism-Leninism. Marji brings up her dialectic materialism knowledge despite being done with it in an earlier chapter.
90. Who is Fereydoon? What was his goal? How would he accomplish this goal?
Fereydoon is Anoosh's uncle who proclaimed the independence of the Iranian Province of Azerbaijan and elected himself minister of justice of that place. His goal is to have all men equal under the eyes of the law. He also wanted to do this by freeing Iran province by province.
95. Who came to visit Fereydoon before his execution? On what conditions was this visit permitted?
Fereydoon's girlfriend who was involved in the political movement came to visit him. She paid off the guard in order to have a conjugal visit with him.
40. 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."
15. Marji shares spiritual intimacy with whom?
God and her grandmother
48. 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).
18. How do others respond to Marji's religious calling?
Grandmother: support - "...I'll be your first disciple." "Except for my grandmother I was obviously the only one who believed in myself." Peers: "haha!" "she's crazy." Teacher: "your child is disturbed. she wants to become a prophet." Parents: supportive, but confused - (in response to the teacher asking if it bothered them) "no! Not at all!" "nonetheless, my parents were puzzled."
98. What does Anoosh reveal about his past? What ironic statement does he make?
He was married to a Russian, but they're now divorced. He says that they don't know how to love.
53. 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.
80. 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.
34. 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.
31. 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.
58. 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.
62. 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.
17. What fallacy does Marji's answer to her grandmother reveal?
Marji is so used to listening to orders or any spoken word by authority figures becoming law. So as the prophet, whatever she says will become an order, and it has to be followed. By saying this, Marji is rather naive. She also doesn't really understand that suffering is a part of growing up and/or growing old. She believes that by becoming the/a prophet she can eliminate social and political problems that she sees around her.
56. 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.
83. 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.
60. 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.
54. 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."
46. 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.
47. 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.
72. 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.
61. 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."
37. 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 :)
9. Did women have a universal response to the veil? Why?
No, "Everywhere in the streets there were demonstrations for and against the veil." (pg. 5). Not all women wanted to wear the veil because it symbolized oppression and removed identity.
41. 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.
1. According to the introduction, what stereotypical image is Satrapi trying to dispel?
She is trying to dispel that image of all Iranians are fundamentalists, fanatics, or terrorists.
24. 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.
50. 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.
64. 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.
38. 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).
11. Describe the symbolism and conflict represented in the picture on the top of page 6.
The left side represents Marji's family's ideals--they value education and knowledge above traditional religious ideologies; she is torn between the two. One offers her academic intelligence and freedom as a woman, but the other is soothing and comforting, though it requires her to give in to a more suppressive facet of Islam by wearing the veil. She is conflicted because one represents her family, while the other represents who she wants to be (at the time), but neither one is the obvious answer. This may seem a little simplistic, and there are many other examples..., but the first storyline that comes to mind of a situation similar to Marjane is the story of MOANA. Moana is torn between following her call to be a loyal islander and the next chief, but also to return the heart of Te Fiti. This is similar to the way in which Marjane is torn between the western views and the loyal Islamic calling.