Persepolis

As I read the first half of Persepolis, it occurred to me how much Marji's family benefited from their social satus. Her life would have played out so differently if they didn't have the same connections and access to resources that she did. She had access to education; she went to a french school which is why her parents didn't want to leave Iran. When she was expelled for hitting her teacher, her parents were able to locate another school because of their networking connections with people; her aunt knew someone who could get Marji into another good school. For another family, it wouldn't have been so easy. Marji was then sent away to school because her family had the money to do so. She was a well educated girl in the time of Iran's revolution, which was very lucky.

Her family had access to commodities that were illegal in Iran at the time such as alcohol and chess so she was able to have a comfortable upbringing and was able to enjoy herself in a difficult time. Her parents were able to buy her nice things, even though she got in trouble for walking outside wearing certain clothes. When the soldier stopped their car when Marji and her parents were on the way home from a party, her dad was able to tip the soldier money so they could go in peace. Marji and her family could have gotten in more trouble otherwise.

Meanwhile, poor people in Iran did not have money to leave the area if they had that option, and did not have money to buy food. People were starving and unable to escape the dangers of the revolution. Poor children were recruited to go fight for Iran; they were sent to the front where so many of them died. The keys the children were given symbolized entrance into heaven where they would be happy and have women. This was obviously very appealing to boys 14 years of age.

It's interesting to see how class status in society really shapes how one lives life. One can't escape how they are born. If Marji had been born in a lower class and had been poor who knows if her life would have turned out the same; she probably wouldn't have written this book because of a lack of education and a lack of other resources to go about doing so.

Sarah