Persepolis Revolution
48 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What does Marjane liken the Revolution to?

  • A bicycle needing pedaling (correct)
  • A boat needing a rudder
  • A train needing tracks
  • A car needing fuel

Marjane and her friends fully understand the implications of the revolution they are pretending to participate in.

False (B)

According to Marjane's grandmother, what was a major failing of the Shah's rule?

The Shah did not keep his promises.

Marjane learns to be ______ of even the things she learns in school.

<p>skeptical</p> Signup and view all the answers

What motivated many revolutionaries, according to Marjane's grandmother?

<p>The injustice felt from a self-serving government (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane's loyalty shifts entirely away from Iran due to the corruption of its governments.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which figures do Marjane and her friends dress up as while playing 'revolutionaries'?

<p>Guevara and Trotsky (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the Shah spending the government's money on, according to Marjane's grandmother, while Iranian citizens were suffering?

<p>Frivolous celebrations of the State</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Marjane's family decide to send her abroad for education?

<p>Her rebellious behavior led to expulsion from multiple schools in Iran. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane maintains a strong relationship with God throughout her life, finding unwavering support in her faith.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What event leads to Marjane finally banishing God from her life?

<p>Seeing Anoosh in jail and knowing he will soon be executed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

________ is murdered in his bathtub by the Revolutionaries after being released from prison.

<p>Mohsen Shakiba</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did Anoosh play in Marjane's life?

<p>A political prisoner and hero figure (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why was Anoosh arrested again after the revolutionaries took power?

<p>His views did not align with the new regime, despite being anti-Shah. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following characters with their descriptions:

<p>Anoosh = Marjane's uncle who was imprisoned and executed Paradisse = Marjane's friend whose father died while bombing Baghdad Fereydoon = Cousin of Anoosh executed for declaring Azerbaijan independent from Iran Laly = The daughter of Siamak</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Anoosh give Marjane before his execution, symbolizing continuity and hope?

<p>A bread swan</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the Iranian government attempt to influence the future population, as depicted in Persepolis?

<p>By indoctrinating children with the ideology of the Islamic Republic. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In Persepolis, the author portrays Marjane as blindly following the opinions of others without questioning them.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the graphic novel, what is one way the revolution changed the dress code for men?

<p>To cover their arms and not wear a necktie</p> Signup and view all the answers

In Persepolis, Marjane's school becomes a _______ of the wider world, reflecting the government's ideological influence.

<p>microcosm</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following actions with their significance in Persepolis:

<p>Wearing veils = Obligatory for women after the Revolution as a symbol of the new regime. Tearing out the Shah's photo = Symbolizes rejection of the past regime. Covering windows = Protection from both warfare and scrutiny.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Marjane's mother covering the windows symbolize in Persepolis?

<p>An attempt to protect the family from the physical dangers of war and the ideological dangers of the regime. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Persepolis illustrate the narrowing of the space between the personal and the political?

<p>By demonstrating how governmental ideologies infiltrate personal lives and decisions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the relationship between gender and politics in Persepolis?

<p>Gender becomes a focal point of political control and expression. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do the gold-painted plastic keys symbolize in the context of the war?

<p>Guaranteed entry to paradise after dying for the nation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane's parents fully support and participate in the demonstrations against the Islamic Republic without hesitation.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What motivates Marjane's parents to send her to Vienna, Austria?

<p>To provide Marjane with a better education and life away from the repressive Iranian regime.</p> Signup and view all the answers

During the war, the Satrapis' forbidden ________ supply almost gets discovered during a party.

<p>wine</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following events/elements with their symbolic significance in the graphic novel:

<p>Plastic keys painted gold = False promise of immediate paradise after death in war Western items (posters, sneakers) = Yearning for a modern, secular lifestyle Destruction of the Satrapis' Jewish neighbors’ home = The indiscriminate nature of war and loss of security Marjane's increasing rebelliousness = Response to trauma and oppressive environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

What event deeply traumatizes Marjane during the missile attacks on Tehran?

<p>Seeing the severed arm of her dead friend Neda beneath the rubble (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane's parents never worry about what information to share with her regarding the political situation.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do Marjane's parents attempt to maintain a sense of normalcy amidst the war and political upheaval?

<p>By holding parties and maintaining a secular, modern lifestyle indoors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Marjane's father end Mehri's relationship with the neighbor boy?

<p>Marjane's father believed their difference in social class made them incompatible. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane fully understands and accepts the concept of social class after the incident with Mehri.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the passage, Marjane relates Mehri to characters from whose stories?

<p>Darvishian</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane helped ______ write letters to the neighborhood boy because she could not read or write.

<p>Mehri</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Marjane's initial reaction to learning about social class distinctions?

<p>She is shocked and struggles to understand it. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea Marjane's father wants her to understand regarding the Middle East's conflicts?

<p>Oil resources are a major factor influencing conflict and foreign intervention. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane's father is completely optimistic about the future peace in the Middle East following the revolution.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Marjane's father, what external factor was exacerbating the internal crisis in Iran?

<p>The need for oil</p> Signup and view all the answers

Jimmy Carter, the President of the United States, granted asylum to the Shah of Iran.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match each character to their primary conflict or struggle:

<p>Marjane = Grappling with social class and change Mehri = Forbidden romance due to social class Marjane's Father = Balancing revolutionary ideals</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why did Mehri live with Marjane's family?

<p>Mehri's family could not afford to take care of her.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane's father believed that love between Mehri and her crush was impossible due to differences in ______.

<p>social class</p> Signup and view all the answers

What impact did thinking about social and economic inequality in Iran have on Marjane?

<p>It reminded her of Mehri's situation and her denied love. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the Shah's response to the growing protests mentioned?

<p>He attempted to appease protesters, but it was too late. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Marjane felt completely at ease driving past impoverished Iranians.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the description to its corresponding character:

<p>Marjane's Father = Expresses concern over the impact of oil on Middle Eastern peace. Mehri = A maid whose love was deemed 'impossible' due to social class. Marjane = Reflects on the shame and privilege associated with economic disparities. Shah of Iran = Eventually sought asylum in Egypt after failed attempts to appease protesters.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

God (Marjane's perspective)

Marjane's childhood friend and source of comfort. She later rejects God due to the ugliness caused by religious leaders.

Mohsen Shakiba

A political prisoner under the Shah, later murdered in his bathtub by revolutionaries.

Anoosh

Marjane's uncle who fled to the USSR. He is imprisoned and executed by the new regime.

Laly

Daughter of Siamak.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Ahmadi

Friend of Marjane’s Father, Siamak, and Mohsen, who is tortured and executed.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Fereydoon

Cousin of Anoosh who declared Azerbaijan independent. He was executed by the Shah's regime.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Paradisse

Marjane’s friend whose father dies while a fighter pilot bombing Baghdad.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's Expulsion

Marjane is expelled for slapping her principal. Her family sends her to another country for education and safety.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Revolutionary Pretend Play

Marjane and her friends enjoy pretending to be revolutionaries like Guevara and Trotsky.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's Dual Loyalty

Marjane learns to be proud of her parents' resistance and skeptical of school teachings.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Loyalty to Iran

Marjane retains her loyalty to Iran despite corrupt governments.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Revolution as a Bicycle

The Revolution is likened to a bicycle; without revolutionaries pedaling, it falls.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's Early Religious Identity

Before the revolution Marjane identified as very religious.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Kings' Promises

The kings always kept their promises.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Shah's Broken Promises

The Shah did not keep any promises.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Shah's Extravagance

The Shah spent government money on frivolous celebrations while citizens starved.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's Parents

Parents are central figures influencing Marjane's beliefs and actions throughout the graphic novel. They represent a modern, educated, and politically active ideal.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Golden Plastic Keys

The new war led to enlisting young boys into the army, providing golden painted plastic keys, symbolizing easy entry to paradise after death for the nation.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Forbidden Wine

During the War, the government became stricter. People secretly held parties as an attempt at normalcy.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Western Items

Visiting Turkey, Marjane's parents brought back Western items like posters and sneakers, risking arrest.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Ballistic Missiles

Ballistic missiles hit Tehran, destroying the Satrapis' Jewish neighbors’ home. Marjane saw the severed arm of her friend Neda beneath the rubble.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's Rebelliousness

After witnessing the war's horrors, Marjane grows more rebellious as a coping mechanism.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Exile to Vienna

Marjane's parents decided to send her to Vienna, Austria, to complete her education away from the Iranian regime.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Guardians of the Revolution

The Guardians of the Revolution's women's branch monitor and punish perceived violations of the Islamic Republic's moral code.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Government Influence on Children

The Iranian government aimed to influence children to support the Islamic Republic, recognizing them as future adults.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's Independent Thinking

Marjane learns to think for herself, rather than blindly following others' opinions about Iranian politics.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Persepolis: Personal vs. Political

A story about Marjane, her family and friends and also about the nation of Iran.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Blurred Public/Private Spheres

The space between public and private life narrows due to government intervention and surveillance.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Covered Windows

Protecting against the danger of warfare and avoiding the watchful eyes of neighbors.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Revolution's Gender Impact

The start of obligatory veiling for women and gender-segregated schools takes place in this moment.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Immediate Post-Revolution Changes

Clothing and appearance regulations immediately impacted people, like mandatory veils for women.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Mandatory Veiling

Wearing veils becomes mandatory for Iranian women after the Revolution.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Middle East Oil

The resources, particularly oil, in the Middle East are a source of conflict.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Social Class Constraints

Social class divisions prevented relationships, highlighting inequality.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Comfort vs. Revolt

Marjane's comfort is linked to the revolt and inequality.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Shah's Asylum

The Shah sought asylum but was denied by the U.S. President.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Resource Control

Resources like oil cause world powers to vie for control and influence.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Iranian Inequality

Economic inequality and class divisions were significant issues in Iran.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Who is Mehri?

Marjane's family's maid, who came to live with them due to her own family's economic struggles.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane´s Father

Marjane's father explains the situation to Marjane and states that because of social class, their love was impossible.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Mehri

Live-in help for Marjane's family, treated like a sister.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Father's Political Views

Marjane's father explains how world leaders exacerbated internal crises due to their need for oil.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Social Class

The idea that someone is assigned status at birth.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane & Mehri's bond

Marjane and Mehri were very close.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Father's intervention

Father exposes Mehri's social status when he discovers the letters.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's role

Marjane helped Mehri write love letters to the neighborhood boy.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Mehri's lost romance

The reality of the end of Mehri's relationship.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Marjane's reaction.

Marjane expresses her feelings about the revolution.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Study Notes

Marjane Satrapi's Biography

  • Born in Rasht, Iran, Marjane Satrapi attended French language schools in Tehran.
  • Her family's modern outlook placed them in a difficult position after the Revolution.
  • Sent to a French school in Vienna in 1984, then returned to Iran and attended the School of Fine Arts in Tehran.
  • Her marriage was short-lived ending in divorce within three years.
  • Later worked as an illustrator for an economics magazine.
  • Satrapi returned to Europe to study Decorative Arts in Strasbourg.
  • Published the four volumes of Persepolis in French in 2000 being published in English in 2003 and 2004.

Historical Context

  • The events illustrated in Persepolis follow a linear path of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and ending with the Iraq-Iran War.
  • The 1979 Revolution led to the fleeing and overthrowing of the American-backed Shah.
  • The Shah was known for modernizing the country, as well as his land reform policies.
  • In 1980, Iraq attacked Iran that led to the eight-year long Iran-Iraq war which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.
  • Persepolis is part of a field of graphic novels.
  • Art Spiegleman's Maus deals with the Holocaust.
  • Maus was serialized in magazines for eleven years until its final edition came out in 1991 and won a Special Pulitzer Prize in 1992.

Key Facts of Persepolis

  • Full Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
  • Written in 1999; in France
  • Published in 2003 (in English)
  • Graphic Novel Memoir
  • Setting: Mostly Tehran
  • Climax: The bombing of the Baba-Levy home
  • Antagonist: The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Point of View: First person (Marjane)

Extra Credit

  • Marjane speaks six languages: Farsi, French, German, English, Swedish, and Italian.
  • Persepolis was turned into an animated film in 2007.
  • The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Plot Summary

  • The graphic novel opens after the 1979 Iranian Revolution which leads to the downfall of the Shah.
  • Marjane Satrapi describes how this is outlawed because the Islamic Republic distrusts and rallies against all Western influences.
  • Further, the regime forces all women and girls to wear veils.
  • Marjane's parents supported the Revolution but are alarmed by Islamic Republic.
  • Forced to grow up quickly, Marjane begins to learn about the history of Iran.
  • Marjane begins to understand that different social classes exist.
  • After the Revolution, many political prisoners are released from prison.
  • Marjane considers her Uncle Anoosh a hero, who hands a bread swan he made while in prison.
  • Political prisoners become targets again, and Anoosh gets arrested and executed, and Marjane rejects God.
  • Marjane's mother gets harassed by men for not wearing her veil.
  • The Iraq-Iran War breaks out.
  • The government gives young boys plastic keys painted gold as entry into paradise after dying for the nation.
  • The Satrapis' wine supply nearly gets found out.
  • The Iraqis use ballistic missiles against Tehran.
  • Marjane is traumatized when she sees the severed arm of her dead friend Neda beneath the rubble of her house.
  • Marjane slaps her principal at school, and she is promptly expelled.
  • Marjane continues her education in Vienna, Austria.

Major Characters

  • Marjane Satrapi: a strong-willed protagonist who attempts to understand the embattled world that she lives in after the Revolution in Iran.
  • The main threats to her sense of self and growth are the new regime's restrictive measures, most notably the imposition that all women must wear the veil.
  • She reacts to the forces around her by denying, lashing out against, emulating, supporting, or resigning herself to them.
  • Marjane's parents are educated, politically active, and modern, and accepting of Western culture.
  • God becomes a friend as well as a source of support and but banished from her life after Anoosh is executed.

Minor Characters

  • Marjane's Grandmother: An early confidant of Marjane's who gives Marjane important advice about how to live and survive in a world that causes suffering.
  • Marjane's Great-grandfather: Was emperor of Persia before the Father of the Shah overthrew him.
  • Marjane's Grandfather: A Persian Prince, imprisoned and tortured for his communist beliefs.
  • Ramin's Father: A member of the secret police under the Shah whom Marjane and her friends at first blame Ramin for his crimes.
  • Siamak Jari: A political prisoner of the Shah's regime.

Themes

  • Religion, Repression, and Modernity explores the intersection of religion and modernity, and the impact of religious repression on those who must endure it.
  • Nationalism, Heroism, and Martyrdom: Marjane is an Iranian patriot and nationalist who believes in the value and need for an independent Iran ruled by Iranians.
  • Violence, Forgiveness, and Justice: From the start of the Revolution to the end of the Iraq-Iran War over a million people die.
  • Children, War, and Growing Up: The memoir follows Marjane from childhood to young adulthood, and effects of war on her psyche.
  • The Personal vs. The Political: It expresses that one cannot escape from the political and personal, in which that to assert individuality becomes a political act.

Symbols

  • Veil: The key symbol of repression, particularly against women, and the expression of women.
  • Bread Swan: Symbolizes the ability to maintain humanity in dreadful situations, has not become embittered.
  • Plastic Key Painted Gold: a way for the regime to further war and people’s enthusiasm for it, self-serving and hollow.
  • Cigarette: Used to rebel against her mother's rule.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

Related Documents

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi PDF - LitChart Summary

Description

This quiz covers the key themes and events related to the revolution. It tests knowledge of Marjane's experiences, the motivations of revolutionaries, and the impact of the Shah's rule. Explore Marjane's perspective on faith, loyalty, and the complexities of the revolution.

More Like This

Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Open
Browser
Browser