Persepolis is a graphic narrative describing Marjane Satrapi’s life growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution (1978-79) and the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88).  Persepolis, in historical terms, is the Greek term to describe the ancient city of Parsa, the “City of the Persians,” that lies on the outskirts of modern day Shiraz in Iran (Ancient History Encyclopedia). It was founded by Darius the Great in 518 BCE, and its ruins remain today as a valuable archeological site (Ancient History Encyclopedia).  When reading Satrapi’s Persepolis, I was curious as to what the title was alluding to because I had never heard of the ancient city prior to reading her narrative. Her choice of title is an interesting one, and many arguments can be made as to why she chose to use this ancient city of 518 BCE to compare her experience of living within a war-torn, fundamentalist Iran in the 1980s. Speculatively, for example, the defeat of the city of Parsa by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE (Ancient History Encyclopedia) mirrors the decline of Iranian society in the 1980s as a consequence of political upheaval.  I am interested specifically, however, in how the chapter “Persepolis” in Satrapi’s narrative, exposes the juxtaposition between old and new, traditional and contemporary as it relates to memory within Satrapi’s text. In her article “The Texture of Retracing in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis,” Hillary Chute describes how Satrapi uses her narrative to demonstrate the system of memory. The chapter “Persepolis” exemplifies this concept and produces a timeline of memory that reiterates the importance of remembering in developing a critical sense of self.

The chapter “Persepolis” opens up with Marji’s grandmother describing the negative impacts the reign of the Shah and the persecution of her husband had on the social status of her family. She also describes the historical implications of the Shah’s regime in Iran. Notably, the captions that accompany many of the frames in the beginning of this section are dialogue from her grandmother, not the reflective voice of Marjane— the older and reflective Marji (Chute 97)— that tends to characterize these captions.  Like the ancient city of Parsa where memories are contained within the crevices of old stone, Marji’s grandmother represents memory in its most traditional form: captured within the foundations of bodies battered by time. As the chapter progresses, Marji describes how her father, although it was strictly forbidden, takes photographs of demonstrators during the revolution. One evening he arrives home sharing stories of the events that he witnessed during the day. Marji is introduced to the concept of creating memories within this context. The pictures her father takes are a monument to memory, and they will help the next generations of Iranians form a memory for the events that occurred during this period. Essentially, they are contemporary memories encased within the modern technology (photographs) of that period. Marji, at the end of the chapter, is confused as to why her father, mother, and grandmother are laughing when discussing serious topics like death.  She arrives at the realization that she understands very little and therefore must read as many books as she can.  For her to belong to the world of Iran that adults belong to, she must develop memories from the stories contained within those around her and the knowledge she develops through the memory captured within books.  Essentially, this chapter “presents the procedure…of memory” (Chute 97) that is present in many aspects of the text.

Altogether, I suggest that Satrapi demonstrates the critical nature of remembering by titling her narrative Persepolis.  By reminding the reader that memory spans many generations, Satrapi emphasizes the significance of memory in identity by reminding the reader of the various forms of history— from the ancient city of Parsa to the Islamic Revolution— that help develop the character of Marji and other Iranians.

Mark, Joshua. “Persepolis.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2 September 2009, http://www.ancient.eu/persepolis. Accessed 12 January 2017.

Chute, Hillary. “The Texture of Retracing in Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis”.” Women’s Studies Quarterly 36.1/2, Witness (2008): 92-110. Print.