Growing Up In Marjane Satrapi's The Complete Persepolis

"Growing up" is very confusing yet pivotal for learning, self-discovery, and development. It is difficult to maneuver through this time under "average" circumstances. However in The Complete Persepolis, the author Marjane Satrapi recounts her childhood spent in Iran during the Iranian Revolution, her teen years spent in Austria in asylum from the Iran-Iraq War, and her return to Iran after gaining global perspective. Throughout the graphic novel Marjane is required to adapt to her ever-changing environment. Through her experience with a different culture, she acquired a new way of thinking about the world and brought this new perspective back when she returned to her cultural homeland. Growing up in Iran, Marjane Satrapi was accustomed to the expectations of living …show more content…
With the ability to see this injustice, she became enraged, causing her so speak out against it. While in art school, it was enforced that the women,"Wear less-wide trousers and longer head-scarves…You shouldn’t wear makeup,"(Satrapi, 296). Satrapi stood in front of the whole school and proclaimed the nonsensical nature of the strict rules saying,"You say our pants are indecent…We need to be able to move freely to be able to draw. A longer headscarf will make that more difficult… Is religion defending our physical integrity or is it just opposed to fashion?"(Satrapi, 297). Marji also stood up to these ridiculous standards when while she was running to catch a bus, she was stopped by soldiers. They asked her why she was running then informed her that her behind was making movements that were obscene. She screamed,"Well then don't look at my ass!"(Satrapi, 301). It is very clear that Marjane adopted the thought patterns and traditions that she had come in contact with while in Austria and was willing to fight for her new