Visual RA# 2 (The Key- pgs. 97-99)

Chris Dunfield

Stacey Knapp

English 1A

24 March 2013

Visual RA #2: Persepolis:The Key

The book Persepolis was written by Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian-born French women who has also written several other texts in both English and French. This particular text is written in an informal and inquisitive tone, displayed through comic strips and text bubbles. The readers are assumed to have some prior knowledge into the background of the long-standing feud between Iran and Iraq and of the Islamic Revolution of 1979; furthermore, the readers are most likely assumed to be Western minded people.

Marjane depicts the inconsistency of ideology prevalent in the Iranian working class and educated activists to that of the educational system, government, and fundamentalists. This message is supported in the novel when Marji and her classmates' parents get called into to school because the girls are acting out against being force-fed fundamentalist thought. The teacher tells the parents that they are educating their children wrongly, and, “to make sure their (kids are) well behaved!” (98). The tone of this scene is both mocking of the teacher and defiant to her ideology; it is intended to further show how overwhelmed Marji and her classmates were. This is supported through Marjane's illustrations when she shows the outrage in the parent's faces. She depicts the teacher as a veiled fundamentalist, and she comically pokes fun at the teacher. In the last box on the page, Marjis' father even tells the teacher that, “If hair is as stimulating as you say, then you need to shave you mustache!”(98).

Marjane Satrapi portrays the inconsistency in thought among the population, especially between the younger and older, the government/elite and the proletariat, the revolutionary and the fundamentalist. She emphasizes the parents outrage to the teachers' demands, and chooses to ed-emphasize the views of the teacher. Iranian culture, religion, and historically relevant ideology are incorporated both into this scene and throughout the text. However, Marjanes' main message is that of rebellion to the traditional views and assertion of the strain of secularist thought that Marji and her surrounding acquaintances support.

Narrative Edited

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Chris Dunfield

Stacey Knapp

English 1A

24 February 2013

Shi'i Ulama and the Revolution in Iran

The revolution that took place during the 19^th century in Iran was both long and strenuous, and can be attributed to a plethora of causes. The Shi'i Ulama, or religious leaders, are powerful people, clerics and shahs, who are authorities on the Shi'i doctrine and its' interpretations. Some of these influential leaders are at least a partial cause of the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

In the 19^th Century, the Shi'i ulama are said to have played a large part in defending native peoples against tyrannical oppression by the Qajar. The interpreted doctrines require leaders and believers alike to “strive to end injustice and limit tyranny”(1481). Thus, it was these principles that created a natural flow of movement from those under its' faith to revolution. Samir Arjomand holds the view that, “... certain features of Shi'i Islam...were powerful instruments for political mobilization of the common people...” (1484).
Khomeini, an important religious leader, is said to have started a movement which caused a massive readjustment to the 'traditional understanding'. After this reformation of sorts, it was understood there was no instance of Shi'i ulama taking over political power to control the government themselves. Instead, this reformation was much more suitable to the petty bourgeoisie and lower class and thus was able to act as a catalyst for change and motivate the majority of the population, something much needed for a revolution. Furthermore, the Shi'i system had constitutional guarantees and checks on government. Although it is clear that the most of the Shi'i ulama faith tried to end tyranny naturally through their religious fundamentals, scholars disagree on their beliefs as to whether the actions as a

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result of the doctrine was beneficial or not; “The Shi'i doctrine can be mined to justify and encourage active opposition to the state as readily as to justify political quiescence in the face of oppression” (1483). Clearly, although there are several oppositional views amongst scholars as to which sect of Shi'i played the beneficial role, they all agree that generally that the Shi'i faith and its' principles hold that people should strive to limit injustice and tyranny, and that generally those under this faith (the state) will naturally usurp unrighteous rulers' power. According to the American Historical Review, some scholars view the Shi'i evolution in faith and ideology as an attempted return to traditional values and ways of living, and others as a self-centered strive for resources and wealth; whether that's true or not, and whether it was the doctrine of the hidden Imam or not, both groups make the claim that they are martyrs for “democracy, liberty, and social justice” (1482).
The Shi'i doctrine was crucial in reaching the low class Iranian citizens, and consequently helped start the movement to revolution. The religious leaders, or Shi'i Ulama, hold that they are causes for liberty, social justice, and democracy, and were able to have influence in the political sphere of the state, further pushing this movement.

Works Cited
 Bakash, Shaul. "Iran." American Historical Review (1991): 1479-496. Web.

PERSEPOLIS RR1 edited

Chris Dunfield

Stacey Knapp

English 1A

03 March 2013

PERSEPOLIS READING RESPONSE #1

The novel Persepolis, written by Marjane Satrapi, depicts her childhood and life growing up during the Islamic Revolution. It is written is comic book form, with images that reinforce ideas and help the reader to be in the story more vividly. Marjane Satrapi writes with a motive to show that, “an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists.” (Preface-PERSEPOLIS). She hopes to show the readers another perspective on the Islamic Revolution, one that depicts those who lost their lives defending freedom and those that lived through it.

After reading the novel, I have gained some insight into how it must have been for Marjane during the Islamic Revolution and to some of the history of Iran and its' people. As a young girl, Marjane experienced firsthand the beginnings of a cultural revolution. In 1979, she attended a French school, (non-religious), did not wear a veil, and was educated along-side all of her peers, not just women. Yet just one year later, the Shah closed all bilingual schools because they were “symbols of capitalism.”(4).

She was very confused as a young girl and was drawn to self educating herself through reading; after learning about the history of tyranny and oppression in Iran and of other revolutionary leaders, she came to a better understanding on why their was a revolution taking place. She learned how the English helped bring Reza Shah into power and consequently his son, too; referred to as just the Shah, Reza's son succeeded him and tried to instill a Republic, which eventually motivated the population (and herself) to revolt.
Throughout the rest of the book, Marji's character develops in age and intellect and some Influential family members and their friends come into her life. One in particular Anoosh, Marji' uncle, I found compelling. He was imprisoned for nine years for helping support Marjis' grandfathers' independence movement towards a democratic state, and for going against the shah. He joined the U.S.S.R and went to Moscow to be educated in Marxism-Lennism. His views on the Islamic Republic illustrate how chaotic the political sphere in Iran was at the time, “But the religious leaders don't know how to govern...the proletariat shall rule!...”(62).

Later on, they declare making the veil mandatory to protect women against rape. Even though some are against it, some fundamentalist radicals scared the government into making that decree. Marjis' mother was threatened herself, but was still against the veil. Eventually, the type of veil women wore became a symbol for which type of idealogy they stood behind, and the beard a symbol for funamentalist men.

It has been interesting to gain a firsthand perspective from someone that was in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Marjane offers an inspiring view on the power of society and of the goods of human nature while depicting the battle that went on between and the roles played by the corrupt Shah, religious leaders, and rebellious society. The comic strip format helps enforce and depict ideas and help sympathize with the people that contributed their lives to the roots of and the actual Islamic Revolution.