Picture Writing

A Brief Account of the Islamic Revolution

Satrapi does a nice job of explaining the history of Iran. At the same time, it is beneficial for students to obtain more information about the history from other sources while reading Persepolis so that they gain a better understanding of the revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. Furthermore, the geography of the land greatly affects the political story of Iran. Iran is nestled between Afghanistan and Iraq. The Middle East is a land of ancient civilizations. Richard Frye, in his book Iran, points out that because Iran has a mixed landscape, consisting of high mountain ranges, deserts, and semitropical forests, the nature of the geographical terrain keeps the people physically separated instead of uniting them. Also, he points out that Iran is a link between the East and the West and that this physical location puts the country at the center of political, cultural, and economic influences, and power struggles. ¹⁷ Iran has a long, complicated social and political history. The first dynasty was formed in 2800 BC.

Prior to the twentieth century, "Iran was a feudal state with tribal chiefs vying for favor with religious leaders at the court of the Shah," the king. Iran stayed a feudal state until 1907, when it became a constitutional monarchy. In the early 1900s, the people of Iran fought for a constitution. A system of parliament was put in place. The parliament was eventually organized into two sections of government, the "senate" and the "national assembly." The national assembly, when it was established, consisted of 162 people who were elected. The senate consisted of 60 members, half of whom were elected, and the Shah appointed the other half. "The prime minister was elected by the national assembly and appointed by the Shah." ¹⁸ In the constitutional monarchy, the Shah still had a good amount of power, even though there were limits to that power.

The events of the early and middle 1900s led the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Much before the revolution, though, Reza Shah ruled from 1925 to 1941. He valued nationalism, secularism, and anticommunist sentiments and ruled with an authoritarian government. In 1941, he was removed by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran during World War II. His son, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi took over in 1941 at the age of 21 as an absolute monarch. The people protested against his dictatorship. The new Shah was in favor of the westernization of Iran; however, his rule is described as repressive. The U.S. supported Pahlavi and many Iranians resented the U.S. for that. The Islamic Revolution transformed Iran from a monarchy to an Islamic Republic, as it is known today. Ayatollah Khomeini led the revolution and is known for founding the Islamic Republic. The revolution began with the slogan "Down with the Shah." ¹⁹ People were tired of the oppression that the Pahlavi regime promoted. They were weary of the relationships he was building with the United States. People used the Islamic religion as the foundation for the movement to overthrow the Shah. The ideology behind the revolution denounced western culture, Americanism, and capitalism. The people wanted to take back Iran and protect it from westernization. In 1979, Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi was overthrown and exiled.

Eyes from all over the world have always been on the Middle East, but the Islamic Revolution was the first televised revolution. Images and video of mass protests and riots were broadcast all over the world. Through the power of Islam and their opposition of the Shah, the Iranian people were able to change their society. Ayatollah Khomeini was named the "supreme leader," the most powerful man in Iran. In 1980, Abolhasan Bani-Sadr was elected the first President of the Islamic Republic, the second most powerful. In November 1979, when Jimmy Carter was the American President, "Islamic militants took 52 American hostages inside the US Embassy in Tehran," and they were not released until January, 1981. ²⁰ This action increased tension between Iran and the United States. Just as the revolution came about, the Iran-Iraq War began in 1980 and ended in 1988. Iraq invaded Iran first over border disputes and oil. Iran, at that time, was in a very vulnerable position because of the revolution. Iran has been vulnerable to the rest of the world as well because of its possession of oil, among other things. Since the Iran-Iraq War, the relationship between Iran and the United States has not improved greatly. The progress of the Taliban, the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. World Trade Center and Pentagon, the threat of weapons of mass destruction, the Iraq War, and the War on Afghanistan, have affected the lives of all Americans and have been broadcast all over the world. Because of this history, Americans do not tend to be empathetic to those in the Middle East. Looking forward, Hasan Rowhani is set to become president of Iran in August of 2013, and with this new leadership, Western leaders hope to build a better relationship with Iran and the Middle East.

Teachers using this unit should ask students to compare the events in Persepolis to the events that are happening now in the Middle East. By teaching Persepolis, teachers can open up discussions about current events. By looking at the past, students can develop a better understanding of what is happening now. Students can look at the events of the past through non-fiction articles, videos, and possibly interviews with people who have lived in the Middle East. Teachers can ask students how the history of Iran has shaped their perception of Middle Eastern culture.

What is Not Taught in Persepolis?

Does Satrapi do a good job of representing the culture of Iran and the events of the revolution? According to the actual history, yes, she does. It is important to remember, however, that this story is written from her childhood memories. Did she leave anything out? It would be impossible to cover the entire revolution in one small book. Also, she titled the book Persepolis: The Story of Childhood, not, Persepolis: The Story of a Revolution. She was never claiming to document the revolution; she was documenting her childhood. Satrapi grew up during this time, and she depicted the events that she saw in the best way she could. Her intention for writing Persepolis is clearly stated in the introduction of the book. She states that she does not want Iran to be "judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremist." ²¹ She wants to prove that these connections do not paint a true picture of her birth nation. So then how do Satrapi portray Iran? She shows the human side of the people by explaining individuals' stories. At the same time, she is writing for a Western audience.

Is this a Western novel or is this a Middle Eastern novel? Persepolis was never published in Farsai, the Persian language. It has been published and printed in various Western countries. The character Marjane grows up in a home with liberal parents. Her family is established; they have a significant income. With that said, is Marjane a typical representation of a child growing up during the time of the Islamic Revolution? As she becomes a teenager, she begins idolizing Western culture. She wears tight pants and a denim jacket. She loves the music of Michael Jackson and Iron Maiden. Did most young Iranian girls feel the same way as she did? Perhaps Satrapi's identification with Western culture is what allows Western readers to relate to the book and enjoy it. Would the book be as popular in the U.S if the main character did not identify with Western culture? As Americans, or furthermore, as people, do we gravitate toward characters we can relate to? Instead of solely focusing on how students relate to Marjane, it is important for teachers and students to look beyond the universality of Marjane's character, thus digging deeper into the differences between our students and Marjane and other Iranian children. It is important for students to understand where Satrapi is coming from and how she may have a different perspective than many of the other young girls growing up during this time period. This further investigation by students must be done through non-fiction articles, historical images, and videos.