Persepolis:

By; Marjane Satrapi

Page Number: 341

Originally published: 2007

(a graphic novel)

"freedom had a price"

During the 70s, with the revolution, chaos ensued in Iran. With modernists versus traditionalists, capitalists versus communists, those rooting for the Shah versus those rooting for the Islamic extremists, the nation was divided into bits and pieces, pulled from every direction by the radicals and superpowers of the world. Britain's presence in the politics of Iran and later on the war with Iraq added to the mayhem in the country.

During this disorder, where law and equality were elements that had long abandoned the country, Marjane was in her teenage years. She saw how the government tortured and imprisoned anyone with a voice, how the extremists treated women, and how normalized the concepts of death and agony were to children of that era.

Opposing all the injustice, the protests went on, the oppressed rebelled against the oppressor with all their power, and the good and decent people of Iran, regardless of their religious standing, came together in the name of values of morality, freedom, and equality amid the horrors of the regime.

Depicting the true life story of Marjane Satrapi's experiences in Iran and Europe, the book provides the reader with the first-hand experiences of an Iranian girl who is faced with threats to her individuality, beliefs, and being.

It is important to note that what is stated in the book like the enforcement of the veil and the politically weaponized religion should not be taken directly as a source to understand the religion of Islam, as the book presents to the reader the extremists who lack a true understanding of the religion's teachings. Commonly held prejudices toward the culture and religion of the Middle East may worsen in the minds of the readers who have been bombarded with the same stereotypical profiling of the Muslim world after reading the book.

There should be an understanding of the true source of the oppression and how it is applied in Iranian society. The obligation of the veil, the prohibition of music, movies, and social gatherings, and the ban on artistic and cultural activities were all utilities used by the regime to silence any potential uprising by the active and hard-working people of Iran, and have no true basis on the religion.

The portrayal of the concepts of religion as systems that resists progressive ideals is imprecise. Veil opposing freedom, modesty challenging ideals of modernism, and religion going against all liberal ideals is a misleading portrayal, as religious entities only flourish these ideals let alone prohibit them. The veil is a way for millions of people all around the globe to put forward their success, character, and moral code before their physical beauty, thus it can be a way to free oneself. Modesty does not go against modernism, as modernity suggests the ability for everyone to choose their way of lifestyle, and modesty is only a choice made by both men and women to be more reserved in what they see as private affairs. Religion does not dismiss all liberal ideals, as the rules of religion contain many elements of liberalism such as human rights and tolerance.

However, the possible orientalist perspectives and the potential profiling of the Muslim world in the book do not undermine the significance, impact, and accuracy of the experiences of Marjane. As a figure with complete resistance to persecution of any kind, a brave soul who challenged the corruption of the cruel regime, and a bright mind who read and thought constantly to come to her own conclusions on the events around her, Marjane was an unforgettable character whom I acquired the true meaning of "impenetrable".

personal rating of the graphic novel: 8/10