Emily Lim

Dr. Malashewski

IB English, Period 2

4, December 2023

Identical Realities: Core Concept Representation

Representations found in literature are often rare to find, especially since it is difficult to

capture a specific thing in the “right" way.” However, many writers and authors continue to use

their own literature to represent groups of people that are often underrepresented in the media as

a whole. In the graphic novel Persepolis written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi, Satrapi

utilizes her platform to create a novel that beautifully represents Iranian women, specifically

during the time of the Islamic Revolution. This novel represents the traumatic reality of what the

world was like during the period, for the millions of people who were impacted.

One of the main focuses in this novel was the representation of Iranian women and the

gender focused discrimination and oppression they face. One of the ways this discrimination they

faced was represented during this time was the requirements for all women to wear veils. Satrapi

brings focus onto the headscarves from the first page, with Marji introducing “Then came the

year 1980: the year it became obligatory to wear the veil at school” (Satrapi 3). Marji explains

the segregation of schools by gender where females were treated differently: forced to veil and

learn new rules and standards that applied to them. Marji further adds on stating that all of the

girls didn’t like the veils because they didn’t understand why they had to wear them.

Unfortunately, throughout the novel, we see the consequences of women who decided to go

against the rules; even Marji’s mother was impacted. Marji’s mom’s car broke down one day, and

had to wait for Marji’s father and Marji to come and pick her up. When they arrived, Marji’s
mother broke down crying “They insulted me. They said that women like me should be pushed

up against a wall and fucked. And then thrown in the garbage. And that if I didn’t want that to

happen, I should wear the veil…” (Satrapi 74). Marji’s mom faced harassment because of this

gender-based rule that forced Iranian women to wear a veil. The focus of the veil gives a fair

representation of what Iranian women had to go through: being forced to do something against

their will but not able to defy, otherwise there would be consequences such as harassment.

This representation transfers into our real world. Iranian women in the past had suffered

through the enforcing of veils, without being able to object and refuse. The conflict continues

today, as Iranian women still suffer from gender-based rules and violence in Iran, and has never

truly been able to be freed from them. When people pass by a woman wearing a veil or headscarf

on the streets, the women will often get looks of pity. Even in the media, women wearing veils

and headscarves are usually characters who are viewed as oppressed.

Satrapi marvelously distinguishes the struggles of Iranian women, and creates a

wonderful representation of what the world looks like to women of Iran. Her work represents

what reality is, and has been for these women, capturing their struggles and bringing them into

life. Her graphic novel Persepolis is a wonderful example of how fictional literature can

represent reality, the harsh truths of the world and how the world has been for an

underrepresented group of people.