The Challenge. The Situation.

Due to the war and violence that overtook the country of Iran, Marjane’s parents decided to send her to Austria (147).  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. Seeing how strong Marjane is, I think she will be able to pull through the situation. Leaving one’s country behind to move to a completely foreign country is never a piece of cake. The challenge only intensifies when one has to do so without a support system—in Marjane's case, it was her parents.  However, I do not think that Marjane’s journey will be smooth; on the other hand, it will be anything but smooth. I believe that she will face several obstacles and dilemmas. She may even feel embarrass of her country and start to lose her culture, which is not an abnormal thing because some individuals tend to lose themselves when put into a new situation. Nonetheless, I think Marjane will be able to pull through it because she is a strong, educated person who is from a family with high morals. In addition, I also think that she will end up leaving Austria for Iran.  

            When I was 11, I moved to United Stated. However, unlike Marjane, I was fortunate to have my family with me who made my transition to a new country smoother. They were there for me whenever I needed them . If it was not for my family, I would not be where I am today. As I look back in retrospect, I cannot help but wonder: “What would I have done if my family had not moved with me?” Even though I think of myself as a strong person, I do not think I would have been able to leave my family and loved ones behind—especially if I had to move to US all by myself. In that sense, I think Marjane is way stronger than I am because she was able accept  her parent’s decision. If my mother had told me that I have to move, I would have been sick to my stomach. If I was in Marjane’s position, I would have refused. I would rather stay with my family, even in a time of crisis, than move to a foreign country. I have moved a lot in my life—city to city, country to country—but I always had my family with me. I may be able to move cities, but I will never be able to move to a whole to new country. What Marjane did was brave; however, I do not think that I have the same guts as her.   

What Significance Do Thy Hold, Uncle Anoosh?

Marjane met a lot of influential individuals throughout her childhood; but, no one impacted her as strongly as her Uncle Annosh. Firstly, Uncle Annosh was a significant character because he was able to show Marjane the importance of their family. Moreover, he was also noteworthy because he made a huge impact in her life—an impact that took away the faith from Marjane’s heart.  When Iran was liberated from the Shah’s regime, many people were freed from prisons and were considered heroic. This made Marjane conscious because her father was not considered a hero (52). To make herself seem important, she made up far-fetched stories about the tortures and the struggles her father had to suffer during the Shah’s regime (54).  However, one day she realized that her family had interesting individuals who had tried to make a difference. When her uncle came to visit Marjane’s family, he told her wonderful tales of valiant people (55). He told of her great-uncle, Fereydoon, who had tried to proclaim the independence of an Iranian province called Azerbaijan.  Uncle Annosh, himself, had left his family to help his Uncle Fereydoon (55). Unfortunelty, Fereydoon was arrested and executed (57). As for Uncle Annosh, he was able to escape but was caught and tortured by the authorities years later (60).  When Marjane heard his haunting and electrifying tale, she felt proud of her family. With the help from Uncle Annosh, she was able to realize that her family was also as exciting and fascinating as the families of her peers. Another reason why the character of Uncle Annosh is important is because he stole Marjane’s faith in her religion. Uncle Annosh’s warrant of arrest and execution not only crushed Marjane’s heart, but it also made her loose her faith in God and her religion (70). Uncle Annosh introduced many new things to Marjane such as the history of their family (55-58) and higher order of political debate (62). If it was not for him, Marjane could have never known the importance her family held. In addition, if it was not for him, she could have had her religion intact.

It is not easy to predict how a book may end because one does not know how an author’s mind works. However, I think that Persepolis may not have a jolly ending. Throughout the chapters, many families are seen leaving Iran and moving to western countries for freedom and in pursuit for happiness. Even though Marjane’s family had decided to stay, I do not think that they will be bounded with that decision for long. Not only the family is going through dilemmas, but the whole nation is facing violence and hardships. The effects of war and shortage of food can be experiences by every character. What is more, many people are also seen taking advantage of their new power in illegitimate ways. There is only so much the family will be able to stand. I believe that, in the end, they will either move to England or United States to pursue a better living and to keep Marjane safe.

              

Personal and Objective

Several readers can relate to Persepolis. They can either relate to the history it presents or the events Marijane, the main character, faces. Just like those people,  I can also relate to this book. In the chapter “The Sheep,” Marijane 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 are not completely similar to each other, a painful memory was triggered. In the book Marijane 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). Then one day, Marijane world comes crashing down on her. She soon learns that her dearly loved uncle Annosh has been arrested by the government and sentenced to death penalty (68-70). What is more, he calls to see her for one last time before his execution (68). When I read this passage, my mind immediately went back to year 1999. I was about to turn eight when my father fell sick. Even though he did not go through what Uncle Annosh went through, the emotions were the same – betrayed. Like Marijane, 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 wrong; 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 Marijane 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.

I believe that the author included this scene to show the effects of the war that a country has on various children and to illustrate Marijane’s anguish and vulnerability . Many children develop a strong relationship with their family members, and nothing could be more devastating to a young child then to see their loved ones being torture and executed. By including this scene, the author applied pathos to appeal to the readers’ emotions. If she had not included this scene, the readers may not have realized the psychological dilemmas a child suffers from. Moreover, this scene is also vital to the book because it showed why Marijane lost faith in her faith and in God. If this scene was not written, I would have never been able to develop a connection with Marijane and her story and know that I am not the only person who has had felt lost. What is a book if it fails to make connection with its reader? What is a book if it fails to trigger a memory?

My Mother Never....

My mother has never cried in front me or my siblings. She has never showed any signs of weakness in front of us. She always gave us an aura of a woman warrior.

 My father, whom I was very close to, passed away when I was only seven. I did not take his death as easily as my siblings did. My siblings, who are much older than me, were able to express themselves and communicate about their grief, whereas I could not find a way to express myself. I soon found myself crying over small things and losing concentration in school. If it was not for my mother, I do not know where I would be right now. My mother never ignored me and gave me the most attention. She was always by my side holding my hand. She never let go. Even though she had just lost her husband and was going through her own grief, she never gave up on me. She also taught me the same things. She showed me that even “darkest nights must give way to the day.”  It was her strength and belief that kept me and my family together. Through her determination and hard work, I was able to pull out of the grief and become my normal self. I was able to concentrate on my education once again and participate in activities that I had once enjoyed. She nurtured my siblings and I lovingly and provided us with a healthy lifestyle. Whenever I find myself in a dilemma, I think of my mother’s strength. It was her nurturing that made me stronger and determined. We were able to pull through the tragedy successfully because of her strength. Even though we still miss our father deeply, we know we can turn to our mother and communicate with her about it. She is not only a strong individual, but she is also graceful, kind, humble, respectful, and loving. Whenever my life takes a turn for the worst, my mother is always there supporting and advising me. If it was not for her, I would have been lost. Her confidence and trust in me also acts as a reminder to be a better human being. Moreover, it also makes me want reach my full potential in life, for I want to make her proud. My mother has done everything for us. She has provided us with a luxurious and comfortable life. She has never complained or insulted us. She has never made us feel un-loved. She has done everything in her power to keep us happy. I am truly grateful and proud to have such a woman as my mother. She has and always will be there for me, and for that I will be eternally thankful to God. My mother truly is a blessing, and I can only hope to become like her in the future. For everything she has done for me and my siblings, I am indebted to her forever.

My mother is like a gem. She has instilled values and moral in me that has created a strong foundation that will last for years to come.

I Am...

I am a student. A dedicated student. A little to dedicated sometimes. I was born in Pakistan and moved to United States when I was 11. I am a Political Science major, and I am planning on going to Law school after completing my undergraduate studies. My hobbies consist of fashion, photography, reading, writing, and staying healthy. Firstly, I absolutely love fashion and photography. In high school, I wanted to go to fashion school to pursue a career in design, however my family did not approve of it. Nevertheless, I have not given up on them because I feel that fashion and photography make up a little bit of who I am. Through fashion, I can express my style and taste; and through photography I can express my view on the society and the world. Most of my inspiration for photography comes from Tim Burton and the world issues. I love to shoot creepy shots and manipulate it to make it meaningful. I have even won several awards in photography including the "Best Portfolio in East Side District" title. Secondly, I love to read! Some of my favorite novels are "The Thousand Splendid Suns," "The Alchemist," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy, "The Godfather," "The Pearl," and off course "Harry Potter" series. Reading not only relaxes me, but it also helps me improve my writing. Since writing is a vital part for my future career, I am always looking for ways to improve it. Every time I receive praises on my writing skills, I feel like I can do anything in this world.
I come from a super dedicated family. Unfortunetly, my siblings have set such a high bar for me, I am always striving to be better than them. During school, my life revolves around my education. I have also been told that I am a workaholic, which I think is a good thing because it might help me in my career. I am also very fortunate to have a family who is not only loving and supportive but also expect me to reach my full potential. Their expectations always keep me on my feet. Another factor that strives me to do my best and be successful is my father. My father passed away when I was seven. I was extremely close to him -- almost his shadow. His death was devastated me, but my mother became a strong pillar for me and helped the family pull out of the tragedy. My mother is my inspiration because she is a strong, graceful, educated, and a respected woman. I can only hope that I can grow up with such grace as her.  My family is extremely important to me. I love getting together and hanging out with them; sadly, they live all over the world, and I have to travel a lot to visit them. A lot of people find traveling joyous, however I absolutely hate it. I do not like sitting still for nine or ten hours and receiving no sleep!