Thursday, April 5, 2012

Persepolis


The book, “The Complete Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi was a very interesting thing when it came to spaces. Depending on where one was, gave one an outlook of how to behave and act. In Iran, the women weren’t allowed to show their skin nor wear any type of makeup. Their outfit consisted of black large garments. Plus all women were to have a headscarf in public. Men, on the other hand, had to wear suits. Women in the west were completely different. Marjane saw this difference when she saw that women didn’t have to worry about expressing themselves with clothing, hair, and make up. Not to mention all the abundances of things that were available like scented detergent and pasta.
However the spaces in Iran and west were completely different. In Iran, in public, women and men weren’t allowed to make direct contact unless married or engaged. Women weren’t allowed in anything revealing. Plus, if the headscarves weren’t placed correctly problems would occur. Because of this space, Marjane and the people around her had to satisfy those that were enforcing the laws. However, when Marjane and her family were at home, in their private place, they were able to be themselves. They threw parties, but with certain precautions. Black blinds were installed to keep the neighbors from seeing and calling the police. Plus those who were to talk against those in charge and those making the laws were arrested.
When Marjane moved away from her family, her space was completely changed. She went from a place where her actions were influenced by those surrounding her, her family, to her having to make up her own ways. She cut her hair, changed her friends, and her ideas of what was right from wrong. Things where she was now were different from her home in Iran. Here people were allowed to say what they wished about their government and nothing would happen to them, unlike in Iran.
In the end, Marjane realized that though their were many things good in where she was, she couldn’t forget about her home, culture, and her parents. Though Iran was a very violate place to live in, she was able to control what she did depending on which space she was in. 

2 comments:

  1. It's really interesting how moving your home to a different place wether its a different country or a different city space can change. Like you mentioned how marjane can be herself at home and not have to wear a veil or speak a certain way because she is in the confort of her own home. Although when she goes out into the street its differnet because there are certaion people watching how you act and how you dress. When she moved to a different country is when her space completely changed she didnt have to worry about how she is dressed like you said and also about the roof on top of her ever being bombed because of the war.

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  2. Carla-
    you're right, Marjane's identity was vastly influenced by the spaces she was in and with the people. it's interesting to see how much your identity (or anyone's for that matter) chances by simply being in a specific area. As you mentioned, Marjane was herself at her home, because she was comfortable and in public she was different. This can happen to us too, if you notice how you act at home and how you act in school, or with friends, it changes. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have more than one personality, it just means that space influences you so much; on how you act, dress, think..etc.

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