Volu m e I - Purdue University Calumet

controlled by others. She is forced to choose self-exile and to leave her family behind to pursue the dreams that
would have been impossible to achieve as an artist in Iran.
Iranians may perceive Marjane to be a coward for leaving her native country, but her audience detects the
bravery and sacrifice required in the Western world to maintain a creative career. Marjane Satrapi utilizes her
illustrations to foreshadow her self-character’s inevitable decision to break away from the constraining,
patriarchal society she was born into. Her distaste for the veil and the feeling of a divided identity becomes
prevalent force in her decision. She ridicules the honorable martyrs. It is interesting to note that she cannot
submit herself to Iranian myth in terms of martyrdom, but celebrates her heritage when creating a mythological
theme park. Only through creativity can she relate to her roots. She was born into a fundamentalist Islamic
country, but her modernist parents taught her the values of individuality and standing up for personal rights.
The terror she witnesses as a child has left an everlasting scar on her. These horrific events are classified as holy
and noble causes which she cannot ever claim to understand. The several times her parents sacrificed their safety
to benefit her, eventually forced her to leave to make their sacrifice to her worthy. This duty brings the entire
family together; after her marriage is ended, they propose to her that the best decision would be for her to leave
them in order to pursue her aspirations. At the conclusion of Persepolis, Marjane is able to attain freedom and to
stay true to herself and her family values through self-exile.
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