Persepolis

Persepolis is a French-iranian movie that goes through the coming of age of a young girl named Marjane. What makes this coming of age story unique is that it takes place during the Iranian Revolution. Personally, I loved this movie! It was beautifully written and narrated. Marji, as a young girl, was so outspoken, strong and gifted. She stood up for what she believed in and was always comfortable being herself. Some would say Marji was a “rebel” during this time of extreme conflict going on in Tehran. I think Marji’s character represents so many qualities women in our day and age should strive to have. Marji’s mom, grandmother and father play a great role in how Marji was this extraordinary young girl.

During the Iranian revolution, this was a time when in school, young girls were being taught that “a woman who shows herself will burn in Hell.” Men would approach and insult women on the streets if they felt they were being “immodest.” In a scene, Marji’s mother was insulted outside a grocery store. There were tears in her mother’s eyes after the interaction and they were driving home. When Marji asked her mother if she was okay, she wiped her tears and said “yes dear I’m fine.” This scene exemplified a lot about Marji’s upbringing and how her mother shaped her. Her mother was trying to show her to be strong even when people Her mother was trying to be strong for her daughter

In the film, we see Marji as she grows up and takes on life in France by herself. She went through a lot of crises there, which reminded me a lot of myself. When I first came to college, I also went through a lot of emotional wounds. Like Marji, it was my first time on my own and independent from my family. I felt the pain and was brought to tears the moment Marji had to call home and talk to her parents. It was so hard for her, but she knew it was the right decision because she had hit rock bottom. This scene really touched me because I could feel the pain in her voice when she asked her father if “no questions could be asked if she came home.”

The grandmother told Marjane “keep your dignity and be true to yourself.”

To what extent does rebellion create change and help a society move forward? Did Marjane’s rebellion create change or disruption?