Persepolis by Marjane Satrapy is an award-winning graphic novel that is a memoir of her formative

years. In essence, it is a Bildungsroman that follows her early years while she finds out who she is. A
Bildungsroman is a sort of coming of age novel, it shows the character grow, gain knowledge and
become a mature by the end of the novel. Such is the case with Marjane “Marji” Satrapy.

The story shows the psychological effects of a war, revolution and a tyrannical government on the
common people, especially on young children who can barely comprehend what is happening around
them. Through her graphic novel, Satrapy shows the influence of various cultures on her young
impressionable mind, first the Islamic revolution and later the freeness of Vienna. She struggles to find
who she is, which she is stuck in between these two worlds, while belonging to neither.

Born to the grandson of the last Emperor of Iran in 1969, Satrapy grew up in a progressive household.
Her parents took part in several of the protests that were instrumental in overthrowing the Shah. During
this time, she was exposed to the reasons for the revolution by her father who got her several books on
the topic. This resulted in her being politically aware and got into trouble due to calling out her teachers
while in school. Soon after the outbreak of Iran-Iraq war in 1980, she was exposed to the horrors of war,
as Tehran was bombed several times. Fear for her safety due to her not conforming to the ideals of the
Islamic Government prompted her parents to send her to Vienna. In Vienna, she finds herself lost and
confused, not knowing who she was. We see her struggle to find herself and while doing so, she turns to
drugs to drown out her sorrows. She returns to Iran after suffering a heartbreak, unfounded accusations
and being hospitalized. Her hopes for returning to Iran were not realized and she unsuccessfully
attempts to kill herself. After she miraculously survives, she turns her life around and meets her future
husband and peruses art. After her marriage, she finally realizes the complete extent of the oppression
of the Iranian government. Her frequent clashes with the Guardians, the failed marriage with Reza and
her inability to make something of her life in Iran lead her to leave Iran for France. This time, without
any regrets, to live as her true self without fear of oppression.

Even though it was written two decades ago, Persepolis is still relevant in today’s world. Hundreds of
thousands of men and women face such religious oppression in their own countries, even in non-Islamic
countries. With the recent surge in right wing politics, more and more countries are being polarized
along religious lines, we will get to see the oppression that Satrapy experienced in Iran. With the
increase in border conflicts and tensions among neighbors, we will once again see the mass destruction
and death that Satrapy was exposed to in her childhood. It shows us what the world is headed for if we
keep on our current course.