McCarthy-Brown 4
McCarthy-Brown 1
Andrew McCarthy-Brown
Professor Bettacchi
English 1301
22 April 2018
Literary Analysis
Private vs. Public
Childhood can be fun, but growing up throughout the teenage years can be awkward and challenging. For Marjane Satrapi, these issues gain new meaning as she faces her teenage years in the midst of war. 10-year-old Marjane is a dreamer who believes she is God's last prophet, but as the Islamic Revolution becomes violent, Marjane's ideals slowly fade, and her veil of ignorance is replaced with a literal veil of cloth. She encounters bomb scares and many deaths, but her passion for justice keeps her moving forward into a new country and a new journey to free her culture and her identity.
When experiencing war it adds a lot of unnecessary stress on someone. Marjane was put into a situation where she experienced war and the loss of her family members. The theme of so much is happening is seen throughout this entire book. Unfortunately everything that happens is for the worse for everyone. When Marjane’s family realizes that war was coming they decided to take a trip to try to distance them from the situation. They made the correct choice to get out of the country while they still could but they returned to early, when Iran had officially declared war. Iran was immediately affected by the war. Many people had left their country to find a safer place for their families. Marjane explained on saying that the supermarkets were empty and that gas and other resources were so scarce that it left everyone in a panic. She explained that the army had boxed in the country and how bombers targeted every town, so nowhere she went she felt safe.
Uncle Anoosh is a fascinating character. He has a number of experiences, which gives him peculiar insight, especially as it applies to understanding politics. His visit to his family upon his release from prison is a bright spot for Marjane. She is fascinated by his stories of Uncle Fereydoon, and comes to love him deeply. He sees in her a special person with a bright future. He knows she will keep the knowledge and know her place in her family's legacy.
Despite a number of missteps, including a divorce and prison, Anoosh takes time to enjoy his family, and dote on his niece. He enjoys her curiosity and quest for knowledge. He gives her hope for a bright future. He tells her of his life so she can learn from his mistakes. He helps her see the truth. His death brings the truth to life and pushes Marjane toward who she is to become.
Many countries have experienced refugees, but have you every thought about refugees from the same country? It would be like people from Florida moving up to Virginia to escape bombings. We think of them as fellow Americans, but would we be welcoming? Marjane writes about the hatred she overheard in the grocery store.
The refugees had moved to Tehran to escape the hatred of the Iraqi people, and yet, their own people did not accept them either. The refuges w...
