The Islamic Revolution: Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis

The Islamic Revolution and second Iran and Iraq war occurred in 1979 and changed many lives. During this time, families and communities were torn apart. Their lives were never the same again. Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis tells readers her childhood through comics. She demonstrates to readers how the revolution and war dramatically changed the lives of her friends, family and herself. Even though the Islamic Revolution was to defend and free their country, the consequences of the war destroyed the lives of children, families, friends and Marjane. During the revolution, children were affected the most. Their education and childhoods were torn apart by everything that was going on. According to Persepolis, “Then came 1980: the year it became obligatory to wear the veil at school” (3). This was the year that it all started. Marjane and other girls were forced to wear veils at school as a part of their uniform. Marjane said “We
Uncle Anoosh, who meant so much to Marjane, was one of the biggest victims of the war. He was accused of being a spy by the Iranian regime and had to fled to the USSR. During his time with Marjane, he taught her almost everything she knew about the revolution and war. One day Marjane’s dad had to tell her “they have arrested Anoosh” (68). Those words broke her heart even more. Anoosh had one last wish and he was to see Marjane. According to Marjane, “that was my last meeting with my beloved Anoosh” (70). Not only was Uncle Anoosh dead but only many other members of her family and friends with the bombing in Tehran. Marjane’s parents always went to protest and they did not let Marjane go with them. They knew the real dangers out there and did not want her to be apart of it. Her parents had to ship her to a boarding school with nuns in Vienna after she got expelled from school. She did not get along well with the nuns like how she did not with her