Draft 1 2/11/13
Throughout history, citizens of the world have pleaded for change in society. Sometimes these changes can come in forms of protesting, rebellions, and wars. The change that people want can come with a price it may be favorable for some or it can be total chaos for others. In 1979, Iran began its own revolution which was later named the “Islamic Revolution” where religion became a major part of the government’s decisions. Iran’s citizens were greatly affected by this sudden change in government especially the ones who believed it was wrong or were not used to living in that way. Marjane Satrapi decided to write her experiences of growing up in the middle of the Islamic Revolution in her book “Persepolis”.
Marjane was about ten years old when the revolution started, she was young and innocent and the only thing she knew is that she had to be separated from her male classmates and now she was being forced to wear a veil which was clear to her that it was because of the war. This would be the beginning of the changes in Marjane’s life and the other citizens. Even though both males and females were told to have a specific dress code, women were the ones who had more restrictions in their wardrobes. Their physical appearance was said to be the cause of men’s urges so they were told to hide their hair and all parts of her body except her face. Even if she showed her face, makeup must not be so out there. According to Adele Ferdows’ “Women and the Islamic revolution” states that women are “enslaved in the name of religion, she becomes a victim of religion” (Ferdows). Religion is a positive but not the way Iran was using it to control their people. For the boys or men in Iran, they were told that they would be sent to a paradise with “plenty of food, women and houses made up of gold and diamonds” (Satrapi,100) according to Marjane when their maid’ son was told that he might have to go fight for his country. Marjane left the country to study aboard since so much was going on and her parents really did not want to see her harmed, they preferred for her to grow up as a normal teen. When she arrived back, it was difficult since she grew up the rest of her childhood in Vienna and saw more freedom in the way people expressed themselves and especially how they dressed. She saw that some of her male friends were fine but some were handicapped or left dead. The outside world was almost forbidden in Iran since they thought influences would distract the citizens from what was “right” for their society.
Both Women and Men had a fear of the Iran government; anything that the government believed to be inappropriate such as drinking, parties, not praying, exposure of skin, and many more. Shaul Bakhash’s article “The Islamic Republic of Iran 1979-1989” “Hundreds were executed for ‘making war against God’ and ‘spreading corruption on Earth” (Bakhash, 56). Every day the Iranians saw someone being taken away for “inappropriate” behaviors and it was not known if the punishment would have been a fine or death. The government expected for the citzens of Iran to be more focused on praying than anything else. But of course people still wanted to have some enjoyment in their lives so people had to make secret parties to take off their veils and have a bit of fun. “In Isalmic Republic, they pray in public and drink in private”. (Bakhash 55-56) Even exposure to different music was considered illegal. For a young teen like Marjane, it was difficult not to be involved in the world’s popular music and style. In Vienna she met a lot of interesting people. She was introduced to punk, different music, and more teenagers who were doing things that would be considered a crime in Iran.
When Marjane went to Vienna, she saw women exposing their hair and body. It was different but many societies believed that a woman should not be told what she could and could not wear or do, or in other world, no gender discrimination. For example, Europe was known for being “a partner of her husband, a co-producer, educated and free, she is raised equally with men”. Marjane did spend her early childhood believing that men and women were equal since she first went to a co-ed school. But as time went by, she saw her world changing. Her parents taught her to be independent and to speak her mind which she did not use wisely all the time. Which her parents thought the best choice for their daughter to go to another country that would let her has a bit more freedom of speech.
Not only did this revolution change the roles in gender, it changed between social classes. In Marjane’s experience, Mehri, Marjane’s maid, was in the lower class. Lower class people were not allowed to study or even learn how to write, they were also not allowed to eat in the same table as others. But what affected Mehri is that lower class was not allowed to fall in love with an upper classmen. She eventually fell in love with a boy who was considered upper class but he did not know this. But still the couple continued sending love letters with the man not knowing that his secret admirer was a maid. Eventually the truth had to come out and it did devastate poor Mehri.
Revolution is the “collapse of the political order and its replacement by a new one” (Arjomand, 383). But sometimes revolution can come with a consequence for the country’s citizens. It can sometimes be in the form of giving up their rights. Whatever kind of revolution it is, the fact is that it will affect people. Revolution to me is a change that may or not be favorable, but it will change the way people live.
Marjane was about ten years old when the revolution started, she was young and innocent and the only thing she knew is that she had to be separated from her male classmates and now she was being forced to wear a veil which was clear to her that it was because of the war. This would be the beginning of the changes in Marjane’s life and the other citizens. Even though both males and females were told to have a specific dress code, women were the ones who had more restrictions in their wardrobes. Their physical appearance was said to be the cause of men’s urges so they were told to hide their hair and all parts of her body except her face. Even if she showed her face, makeup must not be so out there. According to Adele Ferdows’ “Women and the Islamic revolution” states that women are “enslaved in the name of religion, she becomes a victim of religion” (Ferdows). Religion is a positive but not the way Iran was using it to control their people. For the boys or men in Iran, they were told that they would be sent to a paradise with “plenty of food, women and houses made up of gold and diamonds” (Satrapi,100) according to Marjane when their maid’ son was told that he might have to go fight for his country. Marjane left the country to study aboard since so much was going on and her parents really did not want to see her harmed, they preferred for her to grow up as a normal teen. When she arrived back, it was difficult since she grew up the rest of her childhood in Vienna and saw more freedom in the way people expressed themselves and especially how they dressed. She saw that some of her male friends were fine but some were handicapped or left dead. The outside world was almost forbidden in Iran since they thought influences would distract the citizens from what was “right” for their society.
Both Women and Men had a fear of the Iran government; anything that the government believed to be inappropriate such as drinking, parties, not praying, exposure of skin, and many more. Shaul Bakhash’s article “The Islamic Republic of Iran 1979-1989” “Hundreds were executed for ‘making war against God’ and ‘spreading corruption on Earth” (Bakhash, 56). Every day the Iranians saw someone being taken away for “inappropriate” behaviors and it was not known if the punishment would have been a fine or death. The government expected for the citzens of Iran to be more focused on praying than anything else. But of course people still wanted to have some enjoyment in their lives so people had to make secret parties to take off their veils and have a bit of fun. “In Isalmic Republic, they pray in public and drink in private”. (Bakhash 55-56) Even exposure to different music was considered illegal. For a young teen like Marjane, it was difficult not to be involved in the world’s popular music and style. In Vienna she met a lot of interesting people. She was introduced to punk, different music, and more teenagers who were doing things that would be considered a crime in Iran.
When Marjane went to Vienna, she saw women exposing their hair and body. It was different but many societies believed that a woman should not be told what she could and could not wear or do, or in other world, no gender discrimination. For example, Europe was known for being “a partner of her husband, a co-producer, educated and free, she is raised equally with men”. Marjane did spend her early childhood believing that men and women were equal since she first went to a co-ed school. But as time went by, she saw her world changing. Her parents taught her to be independent and to speak her mind which she did not use wisely all the time. Which her parents thought the best choice for their daughter to go to another country that would let her has a bit more freedom of speech.
Not only did this revolution change the roles in gender, it changed between social classes. In Marjane’s experience, Mehri, Marjane’s maid, was in the lower class. Lower class people were not allowed to study or even learn how to write, they were also not allowed to eat in the same table as others. But what affected Mehri is that lower class was not allowed to fall in love with an upper classmen. She eventually fell in love with a boy who was considered upper class but he did not know this. But still the couple continued sending love letters with the man not knowing that his secret admirer was a maid. Eventually the truth had to come out and it did devastate poor Mehri.
Revolution is the “collapse of the political order and its replacement by a new one” (Arjomand, 383). But sometimes revolution can come with a consequence for the country’s citizens. It can sometimes be in the form of giving up their rights. Whatever kind of revolution it is, the fact is that it will affect people. Revolution to me is a change that may or not be favorable, but it will change the way people live.