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The writing workshop was a success because it helped me see the errors that I had missed while I was editing. Although the three peer reviewers had most "yes" marked, there were some "almost" as well. After receiving my paper back, I realized that I need to separate my ideas or start new paragraphs so the two ideas are not in the same paragraphs. Furthermore, I also need to use transitional words more effectively, for it left some reviewers confused.

A Stimulated Amygdala (Revised Version)

Kanza F. Naqvi

Stacey Knapp

English 1B

October 21, 2011

A Stimulated Amygdala

What is a book if it fails to make a connection with its readers? What is a book if it fails to trigger a memory? Persepolis is a wonderful tale about a rebellious girl who has seen the devastating effects of oppression and war. Many readers can relate some aspects of their life to Persepolis and identify themselves with several characters. Likewise, as I was reading this book, I could not help but notice the life events that the author (and the main character) and I share.  Marjane and I both had influences in our lives that helped shaped us as adults. Moreover, we also share several events and situations, but our reactions and interpretations lead us to different paths. Although I do not agree nor identify myself with the author on some contexts, I have found some incidents filled with memory triggers. Marjane Satrapi had a dynamic childhood; she had seen a war, its consequences, oppression, and the social caste system. At a very young age, Marjane had a basic idea of what was fair and what was not. She had a rebellious streak that did not stop her from speaking  against the authority—even though it put her in the path of danger at times. 

 In the chapter “The Sheep,” Marjane loses someone she loved dearly. As I sat reading this chapter, I could not help but think of my beloved father. Even though the situations were not completely similar to each other, a painful memory was triggered nonetheless. When Marjane meets her uncle Annosh for the first time, she immediately starts to adore him for his heroic  personality(54). He not only tells her stories, but he also gives her political knowledge (54-60, 62). He soon becomes her favorite uncle and a person of influence.  Then one day, Marjane’s world came crashing down on her when her father informed her that the authority had “arrested Annosh” (68) and had declared death penalty for him. What is more, he tells her that “Annosh has the right to only one visitor and it’s [her] he wants to see (68).” Marjane, who was devastated after the execution of Annosh, lost her faith in her religion; when God came to visit her, she told Him “Shut up you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again! Get out! (70).” When I read this chapter, my mind immediately went back to the year 1999. I was about to turn eight `through, the emotions were the same – betrayed. Like Marjane, I came home from school one day to find my father nowhere to be seen. After asking my grandmother what had happened, I soon learned that my “father was invited by God to the heaven because he was a very good man.” I immediately knew that something was amiss; tragedy is always in the air when an adult tells a child that a loved one has “gone on a vacation (67)” or has been “invited to the heaven.” I soon learned that my father had passed away—just two weeks before my birthday. I felt betrayed by God. Why would He do something like that to a child, I thought. Why would He take away something so precious? I cried and cried and cried, but my questions were left unanswered. However, I never lost my faith in Him or my religion. I soon realized that life is full of challenges, and what does not kill you makes you stronger. In addition, Uncle Annosh asked for Marjane before his execution (68). My father never did, for he never wanted me to see him suffering. He wanted me to keep the healthy memories of him.

My father was as influential in my life as Annosh was in Marjane’s life. My father cultivated me into a confident person that I am today. He also passed to us the values he highly regarded, such as importance of an education, honesty, integrity, kindness, and humbleness towards every person. I look up to him because he led such a life, that, when he died, the people mourned for him and while he was alive, they longed for his company (Ali ibn Abi Talib). Annosh influenced Marjane to love her family and not be ashamed of it. Before Marjane meet Annosh, she always felt embarrassed for not having anyone significant in the family (54). She even told her peers false tales about her father and the treatment he faced in the hands of the authority (54). However, once Anoosh came into Marjane’s life, he enlightened her about all the great individuals she had in her family that died while defending democracy (55-58). If it was not for uncle Annosh, Marjane would have never realized how significant her family really was.

            At the age of six, Marjane’s thought process was more advance than most children her age.  She took notice of the social system and felt ashamed of it. In addition, she also felt embarrassed because her family owned a Cadillac, while most families in Iran were barely scraping by (6). She also did not like the fact that their maid, Mehri, was not allowed to eat dinner with the family because she was a maid. The “reason for [her] shame… [was] the difference between social classes”(33). She reasoned that it was not an individual’s fault “that [they] were born were [they] were born” (37). Although her parents had promised Mehri’s parents that they will “take care of her” (34), they never accepted her as part of a family. Marjane also found it despicable when a boy, who had promised his love to Mehri, refused to see her once he found that she was just a maid (37). When my family and I lived in Pakistan, we also had maids. However, unlike Marjane’s parents, my parents treated them with respected and thought of them as part of the family. In addition, they also expected my siblings and I to treat them like older siblings because they were older than us. We were never allowed to order them around, and if we disrespected them in any way, we paid the price. I believe that this is what Marjane wanted her parents to do—treat Mehri with respect and make her part of the family. Unfortunately, she never got her wish.

            Marjane was an outspoken child who was not afraid to voice out her opinion. She stood up to the authority in any way she could. For example, Marjane snuck out with Mehri to attend a demonstration, even though her mother, an authoritative figure, forbade them to (38). She also revolted by smoking (117), listening to rock music (131), and wearing western clothes (131). At school, she stood up against her teachers when she did not agree with them and asked them provocative questions, such as “How dare you lie to us like that?” (144). Like Marjane, I also rebelled when I was young. However, my rebellious side ended as fast as it had started.  Moreover, I revolted against my culture -- not the authority. I wore clothes that my religion and culture did not allow; but, I never revolted as much as Marjane did because I never had a cause to rebel against. Marjane was a rebellious child with a cause. She stood up against anyone who stopped her from doing something she wanted. She revolted against the government because the government was enforcing a religion and a dress code on her; and, she rebelled against the teachers at her school because they enforced the laws that were set up by the government. However, her rebellious side finally caught up with her when her parents made a drastic decision to send her to Austria to preserve her safety and protect her from the war and violence that overtook the country of Iran (148).  They decided to send Marjane to Austria because they knew how rebellious she was, and they did not want any harm to come her way. In addition, they loved her dearly and wanted her to be safe. They also understood the importance of an education; they wanted Marjane to be in a place where she could gain one without putting herself in danger (147). Marjane handled the situation very maturely. Although she was upset (149), she did not show it, for she wanted her parents to be happy.

            Marjane Satrapi not only presented her autobiography, but she also provided the readers with a rich history. She gave her perspective about the war and the head scarf; however, she failed to look at other individuals’ perspective. Marjane stated that any woman who sported an abaya or fully covered herself was considered a “fundamentalist” (75); whereas, any women who decided to show few strands of her hair was considered “modern (75).” A woman should not and cannot be judged by what she wears. Many Muslim women show their hair, but at heart are more religious then the woman who decides not to show her hair. A head scarf does not show how modern or old-fashion a woman is. Maysan Hayder states in her article, “ Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering,” that although she “follow[s] [her] religion’s standard of modesty and appearance (404),” she still “sports a few well-disguised piercings (404).”Even though Maysan covers her hair completely, she  is a feminist and a “modern woman”—not a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist and a modern person cannot be spotted by their clothes but by their state of mind and thinking process. Furthermore, in Arab society, only the richest women were allowed to cover themselves fully (Hayder 405). Being completely covered was a sign of wealth; however, in Marjane’s mind, it is a sign of a fundamentalist. 

Marjane’s life was influenced by many forces such as her religion, economic status, and loved ones. Likewise, the forces that shaped Marjane also shaped me – but, in a different way. We both hate the social-system, but we both cannot do anything about it. Both of our families have the same financial situation, but we sometimes feel ashamed of it when we see the poor and the less fortunate. On the other hand, we also have our differences. We do not place the same value on our religion and a headscarf. Marjane did not like the headscarf because it was forced upon her. I, on the other hand, chose to wear a headscarf without any external influence. She finds the religion suffocating, whereas I do not.  In addition, we also interpret the meaning of headscarf differently. Marjane Satrapi has written a wonderful tale about her life and has given her opinion on various aspects. Although I can make a connection with her life, I cannot agree with her opinions.

           

Work Citation

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon Books, 2004. Print.

Hayder, Maysan. (n.d.) “Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering.” 403-408. Print.

Rough Draft

Rough Draft

What is a book if it fails to make a connection with its readers? What is a book if it fails to trigger a memory? Persepolis is a wonderful tale about a rebellious girl who has seen the devastating effects of oppression and war. Many readers can relate some aspects of their life to Persepolis and identify themselves with several characters. Likewise, as I was reading this book, I could not help but notice the life events that the author (and the main character) and I share.  Marjane and I both had influences in our lives that helped shaped us as adults. Moreover, we also share several events and situations, but our reactions and interpretations lead us to different paths. Although I do not agree nor identify myself with the author on some contexts, I have found some incidents filled with memory triggers. Marjane Satrapi had a dynamic childhood; she had seen a war, its consequences, oppression, and the social caste system. At a very young, Marjane had a basic idea of what was fair and what was not. She had a rebellious streak that did not stop her from speaking  against the authority—even though it put her in the path of danger at times. 

 In the chapter “The Sheep,” Marjane loses someone she loved dearly. As I sat reading this chapter, I could not help but think of my beloved father. Even though the situations were not completely similar to each other, a painful memory was triggered, nonetheless. Marjane meets her uncle Annosh for the first time and immediately adores him for his bravery (54). He not only tells her stories, but he also so gives her political knowledge (54-60, 62). He soon becomes her favorite uncle and a person of influence. Then one day, Marjane world comes crashing down on her when her father informs her that the authority has “arrested Annosh (68) and has declared death penalty for him. What is more, he also tells her that “Annosh has the right to only one visitor and it’s [her] he wants to see (68).” Marjane, who was devastated after the execution of Annosh, lost her faith in her religion; when God came to visit her, she told Him “Shut up you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again! Get out! (70).” When I read this chapter, my mind immediately went back to year 1999. I was about to turn eight years old when my father fell sick. Even though he did not go through what Uncle Annosh went through, the emotions were the same – betrayed. Like Marjane, I came home from school one day to find my father nowhere to seen. After asking my grandmother what had happened, I soon learned that my “father was invited by God to the heaven because he was a very good man.” I immediately knew that something was amiss; Tragedy is always in the air when an adult tells a child that a loved one has “gone on a vacation” or has been “invited to the heaven.” I soon learned that my father had passed away—just two weeks before I was to turn eight. I felt betrayed by God. Why would He do something like that to a child, I thought. Why would He take away something so precious? I cried and cried and cried, but my questions were left unanswered. However, I never lost my faith in Him. I soon realized that life is full of challenges, and what does not kill you makes you stronger. In addition, Uncle Annosh asked for Marjane before his execution (68). My father never did, for he never wanted me to see him suffering. He wanted me to keep the healthy memories of him. Moreover he is also an influential person in my life just like Annosh was an influential person in Marjane’s life. My father cultivated me into a confident person that I am today. He also passed us the values he highly regarded, such as importance of an education, honesty, integrity, kindness, and humbleness towards every person. I look up to him because he led such a life, that, when he died, the people mourned him and while he was alive, they longed for his company (Ali ibn Abi Talib).  

            At the age of six, Marjane’s thought process was a bit advance compared to most children her age.  She took notice of the social system and felt ashamed of it. In addition, she also felt embarrassed because her family owned a Cadillac when most families in Iran were barely scraping by (6). She also did not like the fact that their maid, Mehri, was not allowed to eat dinner with the family because she was a maid. The “reason for [her] shame… [was] the difference between social classes (33).” She reasoned that it was not an individual’s fault “that [they] were born were [they] were born (37)” ; although her parents had promised Mehri’s parents that they will “take care of her (34)” , they did not even let her be part of the family. She also found it despicable when a boy, who had promised his love to Mehri, refused to see her once he found that she was just a maid (37). When my family and I lived in Pakistan, we also had maids. However, unlike Marjane’s parents, my parents treated them with respected and thought of them as part of the family. In addition, they also expected my siblings and I to treat them like older siblings because they were older than us. We were never allowed to order them around, and if we disrespected them in any way, we paid the price. I believe that this is what Marjane wanted her parents to do—treat Mehri with respect and make her part of the family.

            Marjane was an outspoken child who was not afraid to voice out her opinion. She stood up to the authority in any way she could. For example, Marjane snuck out with Mehri, the maid, to attend a demonstration, even though her mother, an authoritative figure, forbade them to (38). She also revolted by smoking (117), listening to rock music (131), and adorning western clothes (131). At school, she stood up against her teachers when she did not agree with them and asking them provocative questions, such as “How dare you lie to us like that?” (144). Like Marjane, I also rebelled when I was young. However, my rebellious started and ended with clothes and ended within few years. I wore clothes that my religion and culture did not allow; but, I never revolted as much as Marjane did because I never had a cause to rebel against. Marjane was a rebellious child with a cause. She stood up against anyone who stopped her from doing something. She revolted against the government because the government was enforcing a religion and a dress code on her. She rebelled against the teachers at her school because they enforced the laws that were set up by the government. However, her rebellious side finally caught up with her when her parents made a drastic decision to send Marjane to Austria to preserve her safety and protect her from the war and violence that overtook the country of Iran (148).  They decided to send Marjane to Austria because they loved her dearly and wanted her to be safe. Furthermore, since they understood the importance of  an education, they wanted Marjane to be in a place where she can gain a high quality one that will broaden her mind (147). Marjane handled the situation very maturely. Although she was upset (149), she did not show it for she wanted her parents to be happy

            Marjane Satrapi not only presented her autobiography, but she also provided the readers with a rich history. She gave her perspective about the war and the head scarf; however, she failed to look at other individuals’ perspective. Marjane stated that any woman who sported an abaya or fully covered herself was considered a “fundamentalist” (75); whereas, any women who decided to show few strands of her hair was considered “modern (75).” A woman should not and cannot be judged by what she wears. Many Muslim women show their hair, but at heart are more religious then the woman who decides not to show her hair. A head scarf does not show how modern or old-fashion a woman. Maysan Hayder states in her article, “ Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering,” that although she “follow[s] [her] religion’s standard of modesty and appearance (404),” she still “sports a few well-disguised piercings (404).”Even though Maysan covers her hair completely, she  is a feminist and a “modern woman”—not a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist and a modern person cannot be spotted by their clothes but by their state of mind and thinking process. Furthermore, in Arab society, only the richest women were allowed to cover themselves fully (Hayder 405). Being completely covered was a sign of wealth; however, in Marjane’s mind, it is a sign of a fundamentalist.  

Marjane’s life was influence by many forces such as her religion, economic status, and loved ones. Likewise, the things that shaped Marjane, also shaped me – but, in a different way. We both hate the social-system, but we both cannot do anything about it. Both of our families have the same financial situation, but we sometimes feel ashamed of it when we the poor and the less fortunate. On the other hand, we both share the same religion and wear a headscarf; however, we do not place the same value. Marjane did not like the headscarf because it was forced upon her. I, on the other hand, chose to wear a headscarf without any external influence. She finds the religion suffocating, whereas I do not.  In addition, we also interpret the meaning of headscarf differently.

           

           

Work Citation

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon Books, 2004. Print.

Hayder, Maysan. (n.d.) “Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering.” 403-408. Print.

 

Thinking Within a Thinking

For my First Formal Paper, I am planning on writing about the events Marjane faces in her life and its consequences. I will also introduce how I, as a reader, can relate to her story. In addition to that, I found many points that I did not agree with, and I think this can be my chance to state them. Furthermore, I will be using the Reader Response theory to construct the paper. For example, Marjane was a rebellious child with a cause. The government created religious laws, such as enforcing the veil and beating the chest for the martyrs. The teachers, in effect, enforced those laws because they were forced to do so by the government. Many professors are sometimes forced by their leaders or employers to enforce basic ruling, whether they agree or not. Moreover, they cannot show their opinion because they do not want to influence their students. Likewise, Marjane’s principle and teachers may have been forced to enforce the veil or beating of the chest.  Because they had to follow and enforce the law, Marjane thought of them as authority, and therefore she started disrespecting them by saying things such as “how dare you lie to us like that?”  I do not think that she should have disrespected the teachers at all. At end of the day, they are the teachers, and if one does not agree with the teachings they are provideing, he or she should consider attending a school that agrees with his or her opinions. In my various classes, the professors have said many things regarding the veil. At times, I did not agree with what they had to say, but I never disrespected them because everyone has the right to their opinions. I will also write against the concept of the veil that Marjane presented and use the articles, provided by Ms. Knapp, for support.  What is more, I will also use my blog “Personal and Objective” for further analysis.