Reyes1 Alejandra Reyes Professor Filbeck English 114A 7 December 2013 Good Fellas The Iranian Revolution and

War wasnt a genocide it wasnt as bad as the Holocaust but does it have to be? No. Marjane Satrapis graphic novel Persepolis brings the topic of government torture into focus along with her experiences growing up in the midst of the Iranian revolution. Marjane within the start of the novel gives us a backstory to her ambitious self and where she comes from as well as what is happening around her. Marjane struggles to find out what is really happening to her world but stays true to what she believes is right and wrong. Satrapis graphic novel does a good job at both informing and showing the truth of what was happening in Iran at the time. In Persepolis she makes sure not to hold back any image of the government use of torture being implemented at the time. Her visuals and dialogue within the book may not seem as harsh as the message being sent but I feel its her way of shoving the truth in peoples face without being blunt. Satrapi wants the reader to really get in touch with the book on both a personal and intellectual level and thats exactly what Persepolis does. Through all the simple images we find an easier way to acknowledge and come to an understanding that even though its only in a graphic novel this was all happening in the real world, which is startling. Some governments around the world have publicly condoned torture as a way to show power over people but mostly to set fear. Because fear is an emotion more powerful than any other emotion it can make people change and give power to anyone and everyone. Like the Holocaust Satrapis book demonstrate the differences and similarities of the uses of government torture.

Reyes2 The only difference between the Holocaust and Iranian revolution and war is the fact that the Holocaust was a mass genocide that happened for no real reason. Satrapis message shows how government torture in events and circumstances such as the Holocaust is a cruel way to show dominance over power. In Persepolis, we see in almost every chapter a panel or dialogue showing how torture is being inflicted in the lives of Marjis family, friends and others around her. Its a sad realization to come down to that all the things we see in horror movies or action movies may actually be true. All the torture, abuse and death seems all to fake to be real its sad to hear and even more devastating to see and have to live through it. Panels in Persepolis like the one in the chapter The Heroes shows us even though the panel is a simple drawing of the uses of torture that was being inflicted it still grips the reader. The panel is one of the few larger panels within the graphic novel as it shows in depth through these illustrations the methods of torture inflicted and in this case on one sole person. Any form of pain can be used as torture as we see one method being the use of a hot iron, which changes Marjis view of the common household appliance. (Satrapi 51) The visuals within this panel alone are a change from the past illustrations as this panel is exposed. It shows everything from the marks caused by the constant lashes from a whip, burns from the iron and the illustration of the guard urinating on the character Ahmadi. As if this is as worse the torture can get on the next page we see the unfortunate illustration of his mutilated body. As one of the character says on the page before the dismembered picture, He always had cyanide on himunfortunately he never had a chance to use it. (Satrapi 51), which shows how death in this case was seen as the better way out. Marji was too young to understand fully why this was happening to people so she tried her own method of understanding. She incorporated what was torture for her within her childhood games to try and understand what she

Reyes3 couldnt. How can anyone understand? Satrapis main message is an alert to show how devastating it is to hear about torture and death but even that for some cannot kill their soul. How can anyone expect to understand why authority figures that are supposed to be helping the people do these ungodly things? Like Satrapis graphic novel the real world offers some oppressing visuals of unjust and cruel events and methods of torture. One in particular that seems to cross every ones mind due to the knowledge of the event is the Holocaust. One cannot simply think of government torture without having this event cross their minds. If not for Satrapis graphic novel giving those who read it knowledge a better insight about the Iranian Revolution and war it probably wouldnt be so widely known. The Holocaust as everyone knows was brutal and so unusual as to why it came about and became to widespread that it took on the name of being the 2nd World War. Adolf Hitler rose to power through his powerfully moving opinionated speeches He promised the disenchanted a better life and a new and glorious Germany (Hitler comes to power) along with his party widely known as Nazis. If anyone can relate government torture to Persepolis this is one of the many real life events that share similarities. It was hard enough to read about the iron burnings, the lashes, mutilation and urination in Persepolis but reading information on the Holocausts torture is something out of a horror film. Most of the torture methods included stamping on a mans foot for ten minutes with a special steel boot and repeating the process for two weeks; pressing a hot poker into the hands (Nazi torture and medical experimentation), other torture methods were implemented far more ghastly than anything I have ever heard of. Torture as a whole implements fear and through this can make or break someone. Nazis tortured Jews and other people for the belief they were lesser people while the Iranian government wanted names and any information that could have been used against people during that time. The Iranian war and the Holocaust may become more than

Reyes4 just an event through books like Persepolis the message on government torture can really expose the truth. Satrapi does make sure to show not only the torture of men who were officials and important during that time but she makes sure to show the effect the war had on women and what was done to them as well. The veil could have been seen as a form of torture do to the fact women had no choice to wear it or not. Within Persepolis we see a great example of how women were treated when they were arrested and executed. Towards the end of the novel in the last chapter The Dowry we see Marji talk back to her new religion teacher and later that night her parents get a call about it. Although Marjis father seems proud at the fact his daughter defended herself Marjis mother knows the wrong that could come from her rebellion. Marjis mother begins to yell at her asking if she knew anything about what happens to the women that are arrested. She tells her about the girl Marji briefly met at the house of a friend who could fabricate false passports and what most likely happened to her once she was executed You know that its against the law to kill a virginSo a guardian of the revolution marries herand takes her virginity before executing her. Do you understand what that means?(Satrapi 145) The way Marjis mother shows her anger and fear for the sake that this could happen to Marji is what gives the panels more emotion and personal connection. If this happened to anyones daughter or sister everything would change from beliefs to the rest of their lives. Women in situations such as these are subjected to a unique type of torture that tears everyone apart once inflicted being rape. In Persepolis Marji thinks about the girl she met and realizes that what happened to her could happen to anyone. Satrapi shows hints of how women are treated here and there within her graphic novel and does well in capturing the readers emotions especially in this chapter solely.

Reyes5 As I read about the torture and what was done to women and children during the Holocaust I came to the conclusion that most of what happened was similar due to the gender and how easily women were persecuted. Posted on the United with Israel website was the statement during the Holocaust that women were frequently beaten as well, forced to stand for long hours outside naked, and had their hair shaven off. The concept of the veil along with this could be methods of torture as women are forced to wear the veil and cover every inch of themselves. In the Holocaust women were subjected to embarrassment of exposing themselves. Although the Holocaust was a mass genocide and forbade any relations between the soldiers and the inferior race it was common to hear about rape within concentration camps. As said in the United with Israel website is the startling fact that women are also subject to the sex-specific political torture of forcing them to bear the child of their torturer in order to break their will, the one method of torture that changes the way people see the gift of life. Its hard to accept the fact that this would happen within the Holocaust and probably the Iranian War. The Holocaust isnt the only event that is relatable to government torture within the graphic novel it is simply the first event that came to mind due to how widespread it is known. Women and men being tortured shouldnt be real but it is and things like Satrapis Persepolis and the Holocaust send a message to try and not repeat the past. Because no one will forget the effect war has on people and no one will accept why it occurs. Overall Satrapi conveys her message of government torture through her book effectively and compellingly. Hopefully more readers take on her graphic novel.

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Works Cited "Hitler Comes to Power." The Holocaust: A Learning Site for Students. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. "Jewish Women's Suffering During the Holocaust." United with Israel RSS. United with Israel RSS, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. "Nazi Torture and Medical Experimentation." The Holocaust Historiography Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York, NY: Pantheon, 2003. Print.