Hello everyone!

During this week, in our ASTU class, we have focused our attention on the literature text titled “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi. What struck me the most about this literature memoir is the fact that the main character, Marji, has such a great understanding of politics at a very young age. I have never been interested in my Government’s decision, I have always been very passive on this topic. Just a couple of years ago I came to realize the importance of being somewhat part of the decisions that the politicians are taking for my country. While I was reading this comic book, a question came to my mind: how does this graphic novel will shape and influence my way of thinking of Iran and Iranians?

In my Political Science Lecture we touched on quite a philosophical theory that has been thought by Derrida. This thesis says that we are always changing, therefore we are never the same person. For instance, now I am an absolutely different person than I was before reading “Persepolis”, since I am constantly learning new concepts about Iran and its culture. With all the negative news that I have been hearing about Iran and all of the cynical speculation about Iranians, I had nothing but a negative judgement of this culture that is extremely different from mine. Now, though, I have been pushed towards an entirely different path, a more positive one and more realistic. Not just made of evil, but of people just like me, just like us, just like the people in Syria, that are trying to survive in a period of war and discontent, and to be accepted and seen as fellow humans and not as enemies.

“Persepolis” gave me an extremely powerful insight on the importance of being an active citizen and of being aware of what is happening politically in my country and around me. I now feel even more connected to Marji, the main character, since we now share a passion to seek knowledge of our country’s political and economical situation.