Persepolis

Throughout this entire book, Marjane is always the one who is the outcast and always has been more mature than the kids her age. She can be considered and outcast because of how much she knows about what is going on in her country. Marjane watches the news all the time and she is the only kid who truly understands the truth about the war. Rather than be sad or nervous, she copes with this news by being rebellious and making jokes about it. By making fun of the war, Marjane can explain the events to the kids her age so that they can understand. She becomes rebellious by going to demonstrations, skipping school, wearing some of her hair outside her veil, and eventually smokes a cigarette as to rebel, not only against the government, but to her mother as well.

In class, we talked a lot about whether or not Marjane's parents made the right decision to send her out of the country. It is a battle between being in danger or being lonely; to give up one, you have to chose the other. How is someone supposed to do that? That is a very hard decision. I think that her parents realized how rebellious of a person she is and decided that it is not safe for her to stay in a country where it could be so easy for her to get arrested just based on her personality. They knew it was better for her to be out of the country so they know that she would be safe (well, at least safer.) However, is it better to have assurance of your safety and be very lonely, or is it better to be with your family but in constant danger? I think the decision made depends on the person who is going through it. No one else can tell you what is best for yourself. You are the only one that knows. From being away from home so long and visiting a long lost friend, Marjane learned that you can't take life too seriously sometimes. Sometimes it helps to just laugh things off. Always keep a positive attitude and have a good outlook on everything.

-Bethany Davis (Post #10)