In my opinion, religion is a reoccurring theme in Persepolis. First of all Marjane explains to the reader that she is from a religious family, she states "I was born with religion" (pg 6). Therefore, it is evident that Marjane's parents have strong beliefs in religion and raised their children with these beliefs.
Another aspect that illustrates the theme of religion in this graphic novel is the fact that Marjane is convinced that she wants to become a prophet when she grows up. She continuously says "I want to be a prophet"(pg 6), "I will be a prophet but they mustn't know" and "I want to be justice, love and the wrath of God all in one" (pg 9). The main reason for this is because she wants her grandmother to stop hurting and her dad to stop driving a cadillac. Marjane feels as if she can make a change to the Iranian political situation and help her family by becoming a prophet.
Additionally, throughout the story, Marjane has an imaginary friend that happens to be a godly figure that she actually refers to as God. Whenever she is alone she talks to this figure and gets advice from him as well as confesses to him that she wants to be a prophet but to not tell anyone. She even states "As for me I love the king, he was chosen by God" (pg 19) and that "the only place I felt safe was in the arms of my friend" (pg 52) when referring to her imaginary friend (the Godly figure).
In the end, it is clear that theme of religion arises several times in Persepolis through different contexts. The first key fact that illustrates this theme is that Marjane's family comes from a religious background then there is Marjane's inevitable desire to become and prophet and lastly the fact that it is not a coincidence that the narrators imaginary friend happens to be a figure that resembles God and has God-like features.
All of these religious symbols and references does help to contribute and support that religion is a prevalent theme in Persepolis. With this being said though, the reader must also ask oneself why Marjane Satrapi chooses to emphasize religion,what is her narrative ethic and how she is able to do so.
ReplyDeleteSatrapi often gets caught between two conflicting narrators as the child and older more educated writer try to explain the story of her childhood in Iran. She uses amplification through simplification to try to help her make political and social issues clear to the reader. By making the issues she is discussing larger or bigger it can then be relatable to more people across a larger spectrum and as a result more simple and easy to understand through these connections.
With more straightforward comments such as "I was born with religion" (pg 6) this is a blatant attempt at involving religion whereas other examples use underlying text and concepts to help express this point. The section where she says, "the only place I felt safe was in the arms of my friend" (pg 52) when referring to her imaginary friend (the Godly figure). Satrapi uses a common universal concept such as an imaginary friend to help get across her message of religion. Even if the reader isn't religious the element of an imaginary friend helps to bring in those that otherwise wouldn't relate and associate with this.
Satrapi emphasizes religion because it plays a key role in the political values of the time and helped to steer the islamic revolution changing the country she lived in and her daily life.
I agree, Ryan and Yasmina that religion is a very important aspect of Iranian culture, life, and etc. However, when Marjane moves to Vienna, God is hardly ever present in her life. I believe it was partly the influence of western culture that brought Marjane to her personal downfall.
ReplyDeleteIn the chapter 'The Pill', Marjane is exposed to sex, drugs, and rock and roll! Perhaps it was culture shock that later changed her, or maybe it was peer pressure from her friends (192). Either way, Marjane later lied about who she was, claiming she was Perisian (195).
Not until Marjane moves back to Iran, and experiences another culture shock from her own country, does she decide to change her life by what seems to be a makeover (274). I believe religion was important in Marjane's life when she was younger, because it had to be. The Revolution and all the acts that followed forced religion upon her. After her uncle was executed, she yells at God to leave her, and his presence lacked ever since (70). Religion is important for Iran as a whole, but when considering an individual, he or she still has the right to decide.
I almost saw religion as a representation of her belief in her country. I think her religion was seen as strong when she was deeply involved with her country. I think that she lost faith in religion at the same time she lost her faith in the success of Iran, when Anoosh died, and she left.
ReplyDeleteI would also definitely agree that religion is very prevalent throughout the novel. What I found to be rather interesting, though, can tie in with part of what Ryan noted.
ReplyDeleteSatrapi perhaps uses the concept of an imaginary friend to appeal more universally to an audience. This method is particularly effective in creating a common ground with the nonreligious, for who of us hasn't had an imaginary friend, or at least known a child who has?
Statistically, though, the religious outnumber the nonreligious. This statement is especially applicable to the United States, but this was not the audience that Satrapi had in mind; she originally wrote for a French audience. Nevertheless, Christianity is much more common in Western culture than any other religion. In making her God rather generalized, not referring specifically to the Muslim Allah or the Prophet, Satrapi can leave room for her readers to impress their own beliefs upon this vague figure. These beliefs may often be Christian ones. With the stigma against fundamentalist Muslims, Western society has come to view all of Islam along with them. A right-wing Christian in America or even Europe may be repulsed by the idea of commiserating with or even reading about the god of the so-called "terrorists." By representing her God in the way that she does, Satrapi makes her story more universal to both the religious and the nonreligious.