Importance of religion in Persepolis - Research Paper Example

Role and importance of religion in Persepolis and how it impacts people’s behavior of the Department June 2, Abstract Persepolis is an autobiographical pictorial novel by Marjane Satrapi. As a child, she had witnessed the Islamic revolution that had thrown the monarchy in Iran. The dramatic social changes from the modern to the restrictive Islamic rule under, the spiritual leadership of Khomeini was highly confusing for the author. She saw how the friendly police had overnight turned into menacing guards who terrorized people. The novel portrays the impact of and role of religion in the novel through graphics. The graphics clearly show the fears and defiance of common man through subtle body postures, clothes and expressions. It also depicts sensitively the dreams and desires of people as well as the author as a child where she sometimes becomes a tyrant to dominate people and at other times, a healer as a prophet. The book gives an account of the religious rule in Iran with great sensitivity. ‘Persepolis’ is an autobiographical account of the author, Marjane Satrapi who had witnessed the transition of Iran from the monarchy to the religiously fanatic state under Khomeini. The book is written in two sequels. While the first part gives detailed account of social and religious changes, the second part gives account of her disillusionment with her country in the post revolution time, when she comes back from Europe to pursue higher studies in Iran. The book is unique in its understanding of the Islamic religion as seen through the eyes of a child and succinctly conveys the horror and fears of common man. Persepolis is distinct in its pictorial depiction and textual content that accurately capture religious fanaticism and how it impacts common men and their dreams. The paper would discuss the role and importance of religion in Persepolis and defines various characters and how people interact with each other under new regime, headed by the religious leaders, Khomeini. The author has sensitively portrayed the changing socio-religious paradigms of Islamic revolution in Iran through graphics which she had drawn herself. The early childhood of the author was spent in modern society which enjoyed the amenities and lived in a free society that was not constrained by religious dictums or fanatic religious guidelines that suppressed the voice of women. The revolution brings about sweeping changes in the society and people experience the agonizing transition from a free society to the strict code of conduct under Islamic guidelines. Satrapi, who also belonged to an elite class, experiences the changes and depicts the same through the lens of a child. Persepolis gives a sensitive account of the changing society under stringent and biased Islamic laws that were suddenly implemented when monarchy was thrown out during Islamic revolution. The threatening postures of the revolutionaries reflect how they were viewed by people at large. Satrapi’s graphic displays of people are unique in their understanding of people’s feelings that reflect their confusion and at the same time, their defiance against the new regime in the subtle ways. In the post monarchy time, religion had emerged as major influencing factor that defined characters and how religion actually affected their interaction with others. The high point of the book is how the people warily conformed to the changing social format under the eyes of threatening revolutionaries. The behind the door utterances as captured in graphics reveal the terror and also the defiance against the new system that restricts their freedom of expression. Satrapi’s depiction of veiled women with the streaks of hair coming out of the veil subtly exposed their rebelliousness. At the same time, it was also funny because the pictures also presented their lowered heads, a deliberate pose designed to show their meek following the dictums of the rebels. The book indeed innovatively informs the world as to how the Islamic revolution changed the precepts and concepts of social dynamic and changed modern Iran into religious country that was guided by spiritual leaders. The friendly police that had overnight turned menacing accurately revealed the changes that were difficult to accept, especially for child who was not exposed to the plight of common man. Satrapi shows the rebels as threatening creatures who lurk around the corners and create fears amongst the people. She sums up the scenario as says that ‘our fear paralyzes us… fear has always been the driving force behind all dictators’ repression’ (302). The people were following the religious dictums not from choice but from the fear. The power display as seen in the streets instigates her to become ‘Prophet’ so that she can help people. This is important aspect as her wish for power is driven from the need to do good and not follow the revolutionaries in their acts of violence. Her various desires are but reflections of suppressed society where reforms are needed and only people like soldiers or Prophet can make it. Satrapi’s Persepolis is literary masterpiece that makes no efforts to analyze things but showcases the events and people’s actions and reactions within a society that is undergoing dramatic transformation. She shows the changes in people as witnessed as a child and makes no pretense to explain the things, other than the confusion that she perceives within home and outside. Her wild imagination becomes a major tool to create identities and characters which she could enact because they are powerful! The dichotomy seen in her depictions of characters and her own sometimes merge to reveal her confusion and her unique way to cope with the stress. For example, the tales of torture of one of her family acquaintance inspires her to become a tyrant and she feels diabolical feeling of power! As a child in wheelchair, she was often taken outside where she confronted the environment of religious repression that was direct contrast to her home life. Satrapi has therefore vacillated between the good and the bad and her confusion evolves as the important plank that defines and depicts the role of religion and how it impacts the behavior of common man. The undertones of threat and fear that are visible can be felt in the graphics of Persepolis. Like a true genius, the author’s symbolic depiction of conflicting human impulses and hidden dynamics of the societal norms, underpin the survival instincts of people in a strife ridden nation. Satrapi has been successful in showing that religious fanaticism can only be implemented by force and not by choice. This is important message that the book has conveyed to the world. The second book talks about her travails in Austria where she is sent for education. She feels loss of identity because while her religion was conservative and relegated women as second class citizens, her family’s more progressive views would not allow moral lapses, especially in a society where people were free to choose and be accountable for their actions! She is disillusioned with the western culture but also cannot reconcile with stifling environment of religious repression, when she comes back to Iran. She goes back to Europe. The books are stark in the theme of religious bigotry and inform the audience as to how individuals have to evolve their own values which evolve to meet new challenges of the time. Religion plays vital role in both the books and shows how it is an integral part of human social behavior. But Satrapi cautions that ‘an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists’ (2). The first book gives an uncanny insight into the actions of people and their reactions to the social and religious changes which are both unexpected and unacceptable. The common man becomes the innocent victim and suffers only because of fear and threats. Citizens had accepted Islamic rule because they believed that when ‘a big wave comes, lower your head and let it pass’ (94). The Persian philosophy of resignation becomes vital element that helps them cope with the Islamic fundamental guidelines. Islamic religiosity had subjugated women and forced people to live under the ‘weight of the traditions’ (339). They live in the repressive society in the hope that someday the big wave would leave and they would be free to express themselves. Satrapi emphasizes that socio-religious and political disturbances need to be viewed from the broader perspectives of changes people have to undergo. The Islamic revolution was not a nation’s problem but encompassed serious connotations of how religious extremity destroys peaceful living of citizens and distorts religious views of children. The graphic representations of the social and religious changes in Iran during Islamic revolution were reflected by Satrapi with innate sensitivity and candor. (words: 1273) Reference Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. London: Vintage Books, 2003. Read More