Another case of "assimilation"

While discussing Persepolis in class, I found a few points exceptionally interesting. There are many themes that are found within this novel, not one more important than another. One I found interesting based on many different perspectives though was the idea of Marji in a constant search of her identity. Heroine and narrator both can be found confused on who Marji wants to be versus who she is actually becoming. Personally, I found myself unsure of whether she would ever make the connection and blend the two--the idea vs the reality.

During class, Jeff proposed the question whether it is possible to "forget who you are in a situation where you're the only one." I have to answer blatantly and say absolutely. If it is unclear to an individual what his/her identity actually is, then he/she will do whatever possible to fit in to whatever situation they are a part of at the present time. In each situation Marji experiences, she is actually the "only one." While in Iran, she seems to be the only young Iranian concerned about retaliating and fighting for freedom. She strives to earn the title of adult in hopes of making a difference. This sets her apart within the novel. When she moves to Europe she begins to lose herself slowly to "assimilate" into the culture she finds herself a part of. She longs to be that individual who retaliates and fights for the right to live freely, but cannot find the strength to do so in a nation where it is not seen as the norm. Thus, she is at a constant war within herself to find a firm understanding on who she is meant to be. Is she Iranian? Is she European? Where does she fit, and even more importnatly, does she needed to choose one or another?

This seems like a great example to connect to the "English Only" article we read a few weeks ago because Marji is put in a predicament where she cannot mesh her two cultures. The idea assumes that people are capable of leaving one discourse behind when they enter another discourse. This assumption suggests people are never really stable in who they are, but instead, are becoming new people in every situation they enter. this is completely unrealistic. It is the different experiences on endures that creates the whole person they become. The reason it seems Marji constantly felt lost was because she had difficulty blending her two cultures. For example, when she headed back to Iran, she placed her veil on proudly, only to have her "brother" at customs tell her she needed to fix it so she was wearing it properly. She forgot who she was and what she thought she knew, which I think is a common issue among immigrants today. How can they become "American," while still maintaining the other cultures they choose to associate with?