Persepolis by Marjane Satropi is set in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Education therefore was a necessity during the time, especially because people are constantly enforcing a common mind set, particularly regarding the established government. With education, Satrapi’s narrator Marji, was able to realize the faults of the Iranian government on their society.
Marji and her parents used several strategies to keep her informed about current events. For example, in order to enlighten her they bought her books. She says, “I knew everything about the children of Palastine. About Fidel Castro. About the young Viatnamese killed by the Americans. About the Revolutionaries of my country…But my favorite was a comic book entitled “Dialectic Materialism” (Satrapi 12). This is an incredibly mature statement to be made by such a young child. Her knowledge exceeds that of the majority of adults.
Marji became intrigued with the ideas of socialism. Because of her parent’s active participation in the revolts against the Shah’s regime, she became obsessed with the activism. Because of her advanced knowledge base the reader may forget that Marji is still a child; however, there are certain instances where her age truly shows. For example, she says, "The year of the revolution I had to take action. So I put my prophetic destiny aside for a while. Today my name is Che Guevara…I am Fidel…And I want to be Trotsky. We demonstrated in the garden of the house…Down with the King!…Down with the King” (Satrapi 10). This performance clearly reinforces Marji’s age, but does not diminish her intelligence.
Education serves as an important tool especially in a politically driven society. Not only does Marji’s intelligence keep her informed and grounded, she is able to understand the current problems of her time.
I think one of the important elements on children for development is based on independent action. In Persepolis, the more the development of the story is passing, the more she is getting activity. For instance, she is sometimes going to participate the march in the story. In the beginning part of the book, she tried to participate it with her parents. She said that "I want to come with you tomorrow! To demonstrate on the street! I am sick and tired of doing it in the garden. For a revolution to succeed, the entire population must support it"(p.16-17). Of course, she would just beg to join the demonstration by childish drive and she would not realize how degree the march is dangerous and how degree the demonstration had a meaning for people. However, in the chapter "The Cigarette", she skipped the class and got over the wall to enjoy outside. She said that "I had already broken the rules once by going to the demonstration in '79. This was the second time" (p.111). Like this, she was aware of the meaning of breaking the rule. However, she realized to act by her own decision. This would mean that she got her own opinion through her life and around of her circumstances. Also, she could success to develop her independence outside of the school that they supposed to be received education in.
ReplyDeleteEven though this book 'Persepolis' does not refer the idea of right and wrong about the matter that children participate any demonstration, in terms of education and the development of independence, she could success to grow her personality by herself, to develop herself independently, and adapted herself into the society adequately by herself.