To rewrite history is to provide a different version of history that is known or believed. With this in mind, Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel about Marjane Satrapi reflecting back on her life during the Islamic revolution in Iran. Throughout the novel, Marjane writes the history again by adding an unique identity to Iran that rejects the government in power and the religion associated with the government. Satrapi often challenges Western perspectives of religion in the East. Additionally, The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, is a fictional story about an Afghan male named Amir recalling growing up during the increasing social, ethnic and political changes in Afghanistan. Khaled Hosseini portrays Amir as being in opposition
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The history of Iran and Afghanistan is being rewritten through the theme of religion within Persepolis and The Kite Runner in order to confront Western ideas of the Middle East. However, Persepolis creates a juxtaposition between the West and the East, while The Kite Runner goes against existing stereotypes.
In the western world, Middle Eastern culture is synonymous with Islam and Islam itself is often simplified to being dangerous and outdated. Thus, anyone associated with Islam is either oppressed and forced to wear a veil or is a villain by choice that is going to wreck havoc on society. Persepolis challenges this perception. Marjane states that “in every religion, you find the same extremists,” when she is kicked out of school by the nuns for standing up to prejudice. Nuns are often praised for their devotion to God, while Muslim women who wear the veil are criticized by the West for being extreme in their worship. Marjane exposes the prejudice associated with Iran and Islam within a liberated West. Additionally, Satrapi juxtaposes a widely accepted form of Catholicism and the …show more content…
Hosseini portrays a liberal Westernized version of Afghanistan through Baba (Amir’s father) by his rejection of the Islamic faith. For instance, Baba tells Amir that “You'll never learn anything of value from those bearded idiots." Baba makes this statement about the mullahs that educate Amir; The West often thinks of Afghanistan as being a traditional Islamic country failing to acknowledge people from a pre-Taliban era like Baba who are the complete opposite of what is imagined. This characterization isn’t associated with the Middle East, thus rejecting conventional stereotypes. In another instance, The Kite Runner painstakingly recreates Afghanistan’s history by humanizing characters that the West (along with other oppressors) otherwise persecutes. Additionally, Hassan, Amir’s childhood friend, represents a positive representation of Islam which evokes empathy and attaches a face to the “true” victims of the Taliban. In addition, the long history of prejudice against Shi’a Muslims (or Hazaras) in Afghanistan isn’t portrayed in Western media allowing The Kite Runner to write history again to include them. From an extreme western perspective, Islam is often the enemy of Christianity and other Western religions; Hassan depicts a sense of victimhood that is ignored by the West. Within the novel, Hassan is a victim to Assef and
The history of Iran and Afghanistan is being rewritten through the theme of religion within Persepolis and The Kite Runner in order to confront Western ideas of the Middle East. However, Persepolis creates a juxtaposition between the West and the East, while The Kite Runner goes against existing stereotypes.
In the western world, Middle Eastern culture is synonymous with Islam and Islam itself is often simplified to being dangerous and outdated. Thus, anyone associated with Islam is either oppressed and forced to wear a veil or is a villain by choice that is going to wreck havoc on society. Persepolis challenges this perception. Marjane states that “in every religion, you find the same extremists,” when she is kicked out of school by the nuns for standing up to prejudice. Nuns are often praised for their devotion to God, while Muslim women who wear the veil are criticized by the West for being extreme in their worship. Marjane exposes the prejudice associated with Iran and Islam within a liberated West. Additionally, Satrapi juxtaposes a widely accepted form of Catholicism and the …show more content…
Hosseini portrays a liberal Westernized version of Afghanistan through Baba (Amir’s father) by his rejection of the Islamic faith. For instance, Baba tells Amir that “You'll never learn anything of value from those bearded idiots." Baba makes this statement about the mullahs that educate Amir; The West often thinks of Afghanistan as being a traditional Islamic country failing to acknowledge people from a pre-Taliban era like Baba who are the complete opposite of what is imagined. This characterization isn’t associated with the Middle East, thus rejecting conventional stereotypes. In another instance, The Kite Runner painstakingly recreates Afghanistan’s history by humanizing characters that the West (along with other oppressors) otherwise persecutes. Additionally, Hassan, Amir’s childhood friend, represents a positive representation of Islam which evokes empathy and attaches a face to the “true” victims of the Taliban. In addition, the long history of prejudice against Shi’a Muslims (or Hazaras) in Afghanistan isn’t portrayed in Western media allowing The Kite Runner to write history again to include them. From an extreme western perspective, Islam is often the enemy of Christianity and other Western religions; Hassan depicts a sense of victimhood that is ignored by the West. Within the novel, Hassan is a victim to Assef and