In our ASTU class we have been reading a graphic narrative called   Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. The book is about the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Iran Iraq War. The protagonist of the story is Marji, who represents Satrapi as a young girl growing up in Iran from 1979-1982. Central to the shaping of the story is the perspective of the narrator. Marjane, the voice of adult Satrapi, serves as the narrator. The narrative has been distinctly shaped by following the story of a muslim, female child, growing up in an upper class family. Marji’s challenges are not the same as a boy’s growing up during this time or as a girl who belongs to a lower class. Her unique perspective puts a bias on the story that she is telling. This does not make it less valid, but it is something that should be recognized when analyzing the events described in Persepolis. I am going to focus specifically on how Satrapi’s gender has influenced her narrative.

By observing the gender bias of the narrator, we can gain insight into the what issues are of central concern to women, especially during times of crisis, like the Iran Iraq War. Marjane begins her story by talking about how the veil, as she refers to the hijab, impacted her childhood, specifically her life at school. When the veil is first presented it is made to seem like a solely women’s issue. It is the female teachers at Marji’s school that force her to wear a hijab. In addition, on page 5, a panel is captioned “Everywhere in the streets there were demonstrations for and against the veil.” Yet, only women are depicted in this panel, with veiled women on one side chanting “the veil!” and bareheaded women on the other side chanting “freedom!” This makes it seem like women are choosing whether or not they and their fellow women should wear the veil. However, later on in the book, a more mature Marji recognizes that although only women wear the veil, it is not women perpetuating their own oppression. In a panel, on page 74, a man on a TV is saying that “Women’s hair emanates rays that excite men. That’s why women should cover their hair.” The panel is captioned “And so to protect women from all the potential rapists, they decreed wearing the veil was obligatory.” This panel indicates that Marjane recognizes that men are the ones forcing women to wear the veil, and therefore actively oppressing women. It also brings up the reoccurring issue in cases of rape where blame is moved away from men and onto women, perpetuating a culture of male dominance.

It is important to recognize that not all women view the hijab as a sign of oppression and that views can change over time. During the 1980’s, women living under the Islamic regime in Iran were forced to wear a hijab. Many intellectuals like Marji and her mother viewed the hijab as a sign of oppression and defied the regime by refusing to wear it or wearing it improperly. However, in today’s increasingly anti-Islam political climate, some Muslim women see wearing the hijab as a sign of defiance and of pride in their culture and religion. For instance in an interview, Leila, a muslim women living in Berlin, said that “as time passed, my hijab was more than a symbol of faith, it became a symbol of resistance and a political symbol.” (http://queermuslimproject.tumblr.com/?og=1) Like recognizing that Marji’s view is just one of many, it is important to recognize that Leila’s view is unique to her. However, it does highlight that forms of resistance can change as political climates change. By mentioning that “as time passed” Leila alludes to the idea that wearing a hijab was not a straightforward decision. It was something she decided for herself due to her experiences and formation of distinct opinions. By forcing women to wear or not to wear a hijab, governments are limiting women’s ability to make their own decisions and limiting their self expression, which is both close minded and oppressive.

Women being positioned in subordinate roles to men is not unique to the Islamic republic. In her blog post, ‘We Have Always Fought’: Challenging the ‘Women, Cattle and Slaves’ Narrative (http://aidanmoher.com/blog/featured-article/2013/05/we-have-always-fought-challenging-the-women-cattle-and-slaves-narrative-by-kameron-hurley/) Kameron Hurley highlights that the roles women played, especially in times of war, are often not told. Often, the stories told in books, in film, and on television focus on the actions of men and the support that women gave them. Although, Persepolis partially breaks free of this standard, telling the story from a female perspective, Marji is still positioned primarily as an observer. This is accentuated by the fact that she is a child, since children are also put in subordinate roles to adults and are constant observers of adult life. Marji watches as Siamak Jari and Mohsen Shakiba, two male friends of her father’s are released from jail and as her Uncle Anoosh is imprisoned and then later executed by the Islamic republic. In the majority of cases it is the men who are jailed, killed, punished, or sent off to war. This perpetuates the view that men are the fighters and the ones involved in the action while the women offer support and serve as passive observers. This follows the pattern recognized by Kameron Hurley and that reappears throughout history.

A boy, specifically a boy belonging to a lower class, growing up in the early 1980s in Iran would be more likely to be sent off to war and face physical violence than Marji. Having a reduced risk of being sent off to war, sent to jail, or killed influences her perspective and her actions. For instance, Marji often takes risks and acts rashly. This may in part stem from her lower potential for consequences. However, although Marji is in less physical danger than other people living in the Islamic republic, it is shortsighted to think that the war did not effect her. Her childhood was shaped by violence and oppression. The Islamic Revolution and the Iran Iraq War have forever scarred her youth, shaping her story as significantly as her gender has.