Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel, Persepolis, tells the story of the author’s childhood and early teenage years before, during, and after the Islamic Revolution. The novel depicts how the revolution dramatically impacts Satrapi’s life as Iran transforms from a relatively progressive society, under the absolute leadership of the Shah, to a society governed by Islamic fundamentalists. But Satrapi’s graphic novel is more than a coming of age narrative; it is also a rebuttal against Orientalism. Orientalism, as defined by Edward Said in his book, Orientalism, is a western construction of the east that is both a product of western imperial ideas and a justification of western superiority both culturally and morally. While Orientalism
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Culturally, Orientalism is slightly less concrete, but is still clearly evidenced in the media. Satrapi’s experience with Orientalism is complex and shapes how she interacts with her own culture as she develops. Said asserts that “[t]he Orient was almost a European invention”, this rings undeniably true in regards to the Iranian government, particularly before and during the Islamic Revolution (1 Said). Orientalism is essentially just another form of western imperialism. Said stresses this fact by arguing that Orientalism encourages western intervention in eastern politics. Orientalism does this by ingraining in people a certainty in the superiority of western modes of government and culture to their eastern counterparts. As a result, Iran’s recent history has been perhaps most strongly shaped by western institutional interference. Satrapi recognizes this imperialism and places it in the larger historical context of Iran on page 11 panel 2. In this panel she depicts what her father refers to as Iran’s history of “2500 years of tyranny and submission”, a pattern that is being continued …show more content…
Said asserts that, “...as much as the West itself, the Orient is an idea that had a history and a tradition of thought, imagery, and vocabulary that have given it reality and presence…” (5 Said). The twisting of Iranian culture into a repressive and religious fundamentalist society can be partly attributed to the effects of Orientalism. As western imperial powers sought to exert greater control over the middle east they caused the people to cling more strongly to tradition and particularly religion as they felt their very identity was under attack. It is this culture deformed in response western interference that Satrapi ultimately rejects. Yet, ironically it is her continual consumption of western culture that allows her to see the flaws of her society and begin to comprehend Orientalism. She listens to Michael Jackson, Metallica, the Beatles, and interacts with many other western cultural productions (131 Satrapi). Not only this, but her family’s only trusted source of information is the BBC (83 Satrapi). In this way, Satrapi begins to really internalize Orientalism by consistently valuing Western culture, or at least her perception of what western culture is, over Iranian culture. Eventually, Satrapi is sent away because her outspokenness makes it too dangerous for her to stay in Iran. As Satrapi and her family part at the airport, she makes this succinct
Culturally, Orientalism is slightly less concrete, but is still clearly evidenced in the media. Satrapi’s experience with Orientalism is complex and shapes how she interacts with her own culture as she develops. Said asserts that “[t]he Orient was almost a European invention”, this rings undeniably true in regards to the Iranian government, particularly before and during the Islamic Revolution (1 Said). Orientalism is essentially just another form of western imperialism. Said stresses this fact by arguing that Orientalism encourages western intervention in eastern politics. Orientalism does this by ingraining in people a certainty in the superiority of western modes of government and culture to their eastern counterparts. As a result, Iran’s recent history has been perhaps most strongly shaped by western institutional interference. Satrapi recognizes this imperialism and places it in the larger historical context of Iran on page 11 panel 2. In this panel she depicts what her father refers to as Iran’s history of “2500 years of tyranny and submission”, a pattern that is being continued …show more content…
Said asserts that, “...as much as the West itself, the Orient is an idea that had a history and a tradition of thought, imagery, and vocabulary that have given it reality and presence…” (5 Said). The twisting of Iranian culture into a repressive and religious fundamentalist society can be partly attributed to the effects of Orientalism. As western imperial powers sought to exert greater control over the middle east they caused the people to cling more strongly to tradition and particularly religion as they felt their very identity was under attack. It is this culture deformed in response western interference that Satrapi ultimately rejects. Yet, ironically it is her continual consumption of western culture that allows her to see the flaws of her society and begin to comprehend Orientalism. She listens to Michael Jackson, Metallica, the Beatles, and interacts with many other western cultural productions (131 Satrapi). Not only this, but her family’s only trusted source of information is the BBC (83 Satrapi). In this way, Satrapi begins to really internalize Orientalism by consistently valuing Western culture, or at least her perception of what western culture is, over Iranian culture. Eventually, Satrapi is sent away because her outspokenness makes it too dangerous for her to stay in Iran. As Satrapi and her family part at the airport, she makes this succinct