Marxism In Persepolis

The first few chapters of Persepolis discuss Marji’s participation in protests, her having to wear the veil and not understanding why, as well as how Reza Shah came into power. As we know the veil was not banned under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, but it would become compulsory when the government was being consolidated and the ministry of Islamic guidance enforced an “Islamic code of public appearance.” Women were forced to cover themselves with either scarves, long coats or preferably the full chador. (pg. 177) They also eliminated secular education and teachers which we also see since Marji is now only allowed to be with other female students whereas before she was in a co-ed class. We also see the August 19 theatre fire where hundreds of innocent …show more content…
(pg. 57-58 P) When he did attempt to return to Iran and see his family, he was arrested and thrown in jail. It was very common for dissenters and communist and socialist empathizers to be thrown in jail and even if they were released they would end up dead just like some of Marji’s parent's friends did. “In the twenty-eight months between February 1979 and June 1981, revolutionary courts had executed 497 political opponents as “counter-revolutionaries” and “sowers of corruption on earth …. In the next four years from June 1981 until June 1985, revolutionary courts executed more than 8,000 opponents.”(pg. 181) Unfortunately, Anoosh did end up being one of the people that were executed and he was executed because he was supposedly a Russian spy. After losing her uncle it would only get worse for her as the Iraq-Iran war was about to start and there was also a hostage situation going on. The section The Trip starts with the occupation of the US Embassy in 1979 which would last until 1981 totaling a whole 444 days. The individuals who overtook it came to be known as the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam’s Line; these were 400 students who were outraged that the United States had allowed the Shah to enter the United States for cancer treatment. Here we see that the 1953 overthrow of Mohammad Mosaddegh is still plaguing the Iranian country as the students believed that they were planning another coup. As we see in the comic the takeover of the embassy put plans of people who wanted to leave Iran for the United States on the backburner as they could no longer get a visa. Marji really wanted to go to the United States to see a boy she really likes but no longer had the chance. (pg. 72 P) Khomeini did not let this