The Islamic Revolution In 'Persepolis'

A war can set back many things in life and can come out of nowhere and destroy everything you loved. In 1979 a revolution had happened called “the Islamic Revolution”. Changing many lives and setting back everyone from the life they once had. Marjane Satrapi the main character of the book of Persepolis. Marjane was very young but she was still outgoing. In the book, Persepolis Marjane was young at the time at the war was going on. The war surprised many people in Iran and it had a humongous impact on everyone. The war had worried many people and they had to make so many tough decisions on what they should do. Although Marjane was very strong-minded and she didn’t like the change that was coming. Such as the veils she hated it and she didn’t even know why she had to wear it. Marjane can be described but over time Marjane did change and she contributed a lot to help tell her story. Marjane is a girl that can help us go back and learn from her point of view. Words to describe someone like Marjane is confident, strong, and clueless. Marjane was only 10 when she started to experience the world changing and certain people taking sides and the way of losing loved ones. She had once said “At the age of six I was already sure that I was the last prophet. This was a few years before the revolution.” (Satrapi,2000,p.6). Marjane had already decided before the revolution had started so maybe she was the prophet or maybe she was just a little clueless girl. Marjane was the type of girl that was strong and commanding until she actually sees something that she could never unsee. Since Marjane’s parents were strict when she was little Marjane was cutoff to certain things, but Marjane still lost her childhood so as she grew up she became more mature. Marjane was not able to actually be herself without getting in trouble, not with her family or public. Although Marjane was very helpful to everyone her point of view.

Marjane had helped tell her point of view and actually show that life wasn’t easy in Iran. She had shown the killings and what she did when it was happening. At age 11 Marjane had experienced something no one should especially at the young age of 11. “For the first time in my life, I saw violence with my own eyes.”( Satrapi,2000,p.76) Marjane had shared the experience of seeing someone gets stabbed for protesting. The book was basically Marjane’s diary, but instead, it gave visually context. Marjane had contributed more about her life as a young child that had to see something in her life. The good things like meeting and seeing family but also the bad things about losing someone close to you and never even getting to say goodbye.

As the story continued Marjane grew up and she had experienced more. When Marjane grew up she saw more that wasn’t easy to see. She was still very young and wasn’t ready to see or experience. Not only did Marjane grew up but her parents also grew to learn more. All of Iran was changing so they had to change with it. Even though Marjane only was a year older she had to act more mature and take more things more seriously. She had to help out her parents and also be more careful going outside. She also to help family friends that came in danger. Marjane was tougher and mature and was very helpful. Though her parents told her that she was moving. “We feel it’s better for you to be far away and happy then close by and miserable. Judging by the situation here, you’ll be better off somewhere else. At that point, I started to have my doubt. Why say those things if they were coming too.?” (Satrapi,2000,p.148) Although Marjane had changed and was already very independent she didn’t want to lose her parents. She was still very young and miss them terribly.

In conclusion, Marjane went on a roller coaster ride when she was still very young. She had changed for the better and she was able to learn more. Marjane was still very outgoing and she grew to learn more and her telling her story shared her point of view. Her point of view help describe the war she had in Iran. Marjane was wiser and older making her ready to move on. She was set to have a better life even though she would dearly miss her parents. Overall Marjane had shared her opinion helping others see her way, in doing so this helped people understand what had happened.