Persepolis: Trusting Marji's Judgement And Faith

In the graphic novel 'Persepolis', Marjane Satrapi explores the intersection of religion and modernity in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The novel's protagonist, Marji, is a young, deeply religious girl with grand aspirations of becoming a prophet. However, as the story progresses, Marji's relationship with God becomes increasingly strained due to the oppressive religious regime that takes over the country. Marji's environment and the building Revolution cause a significant conflict with her faith, leading her to eventually lose her faith in God and rebel against her surroundings. Through Marji's experiences, Satrapi highlights the impact of religious repression on individuals, demonstrating how forced religious practices can cause a loss of personal religion.

The intersection of religion and modernity

The graphic novel Persepolis, written by Marjane Satrapi, explores the intersection of religion and modernity in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. At the beginning of the story, Satrapi, the main character, identifies as "deeply religious" while also considering herself and her family to be "very modern and avant-garde". She finds freedom in religion, which allows her to escape into fantasies of glory and social equality. She does not view religion and modernity as incompatible, even adding a commandment in her self-written holy book that "everybody should have a car".

However, the Islamic Revolution brought to power a regime of conservative religious hardliners who viewed Western culture as incompatible with Islam. This new government, the Islamic Republic of Iran, passed laws regulating behaviour on strict religious grounds and outlawed anything deemed Western. The novel depicts how the Satrapi family, despite their devotion to Western ideas, had to hide their affinities and outwardly profess their devotion to the nation's religious values to avoid terrible consequences.

The novel also illustrates how the Iranian government's attempts to force religious practices on the populace caused Satrapi and others to lose their personal religions. After the execution of Anoosh by the Revolutionaries, Satrapi yells at God to leave her, and he disappears from the novel. Under the new regime, she could no longer explore religion on her own terms, as it was co-opted for nationalistic and political reasons. For example, the family maid, Mrs Nasrine, is shown a plastic key painted gold, which represents the guaranteed entry of poorer boys into heaven if they die as soldiers in the Iran-Iraq War. Religion becomes a tool used by the government to justify and encourage participation in the war.

The novel also highlights the hypocrisy of many representatives of the Islamic Republic, who declare their religious allegiance while also taking bribes or overstating their devotion for personal gain. The state-sanctioned religion becomes a means of career advancement rather than inspiring true religious values. Ultimately, the repressive religion imposed by the Islamic Republic stands in contrast to the sincere religious feelings and beliefs of individuals.

Through her experiences, Satrapi loses her faith in God and rebels against her environment. She wants to show that there are many people in Iran who are no different from Westerners, facing similar teenage conflicts with their parents, oppression, and faith. Satrapi's environment, particularly the building Revolution, causes a significant conflict with her faith. She puts her "prophetic destiny aside" as her surroundings change and her faith is shaken.

The impact of religious repression on personal faith

In the graphic novel *Persepolis*, Marjane Satrapi explores the impact of religious repression on personal faith through the lens of her own experiences growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. At the beginning of the story, Satrapi describes herself as "deeply religious", with her religion serving as a form of freedom and escape. She incorporates elements of modernity into her religious beliefs, such as adding a commandment that "everyone should have a car" in her self-written holy book. However, as the Revolution unfolds, a regime of conservative religious hard-liners rises to power, passing laws that strictly regulate behaviour and outlaw anything deemed Western.

The impact of this religious repression on Satrapi's personal faith is profound. As the new government forces its religious practices onto the populace, Satrapi finds herself losing her personal connection to religion. After the execution of Anoosh at the hands of the Revolutionaries, she yells at God to leave her, marking a turning point in her faith journey. The co-opting of religion for nationalistic and political reasons further distances her from her faith. For instance, the use of religion to justify and encourage schoolboys to join the Iraq-Iran War causes Mrs. Nasrine, the family maid, to express doubt about her own faith.

Satrapi also observes the hypocrisy of representatives of the Islamic Republic, who profess their religious allegiance while also engaging in bribery and overstating their devotion for personal gain. This further erodes the possibility of heartfelt religious feeling and belief. Ultimately, the repressive religion imposed by the new regime stands in stark contrast to the personal and individual nature of faith experienced by Satrapi and others.

Through her narrative, Satrapi highlights how religious repression can lead to a loss of personal faith and a disconnect from religious practices. The imposition of strict religious regulations and the co-opting of religion for political purposes can cause individuals to question and reject their previously held beliefs. Additionally, witnessing the hypocrisy and exploitation of religion by those in power can further distance individuals from their faith. Satrapi's experiences in *Persepolis* illustrate the complex and often detrimental impact of religious repression on personal faith.

The loss of faith in God

In the graphic novel *Persepolis*, written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi, the protagonist, Marji, undergoes a significant transformation, starting as a deeply religious girl who believes herself to be the last prophet, to losing her faith in God as she grows up amidst the Iranian Revolution.

Marji's loss of faith in God is a direct result of her changing environment and the onset of the Iranian Revolution. Initially, Marji's religion serves as a source of freedom, escape, and comfort. She is able to explore her religion on her own terms, incorporating modern ideas such as "everybody should have a car" into her self-written holy book. However, as the story progresses and the Revolution gains momentum, Marji's religious freedom is increasingly restricted. The new regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran, imposes strict religious laws and outlaws anything considered Western, forcing Marji and her family to hide their Western affinities.

A pivotal moment in Marji's loss of faith occurs after the execution of Anoosh at the hands of the Revolutionaries. In a panel from the graphic novel, Marji is depicted yelling at God to leave her, and subsequently, God disappears as a character from the story. This reflects how Marji's once-personal religion has become co-opted for nationalistic and political reasons. For instance, the family maid, Mrs. Nasrine, is given a plastic key painted gold, which represents her son's guaranteed entry into heaven if he dies as a soldier in the Iraq-Iran War. This use of religion as a tool to justify and encourage participation in a deadly war causes Mrs. Nasrine to express her own doubts about her faith, stating that she's not sure she can "believe in anything anymore".

Marji's loss of faith in God is a direct consequence of the repression and hypocrisy she witnesses during the Iranian Revolution. The imposition of strict religious laws and the co-opting of religion for political purposes leave her feeling unable to explore and connect with her religion on her own terms. This struggle with faith is a common experience, as many people go through seasons of doubt and loss of faith. It is important to acknowledge and accept these feelings without judgment, and to seek support from loved ones or counselors if needed.

The use of religion for nationalistic and political reasons

Religion and politics have a complex and multifaceted relationship. Religion can be used to unify a nation, with shared beliefs and practices acting as a common bond among citizens. This can be particularly salient for nations with recent borders or a history of colonialism, as religion can serve as a more "authentic" or "traditional" marker of identity.

However, the politicisation of religion can also be exclusionary and divisive, with religious nationalism often articulated in response to modernity and secular nationalism. Religion can be used to justify nation-building through the exclusion of religious minorities, and to inspire political activism and action, such as the passing of laws to foster stricter religious adherence.

The danger of deriving political legitimacy from religious doctrines is that it can leave an opening for overtly religious elements and leaders to exert influence, bringing more explicitly theological interpretations to political life. This can be observed in the graphic novel *Persepolis*, which depicts life in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The main character, Marjane, initially defines herself as "deeply religious" while also embracing modern and Western ideas and practices. However, the Revolution brings to power conservative religious hard-liners who see Western culture as incompatible with Islam, leading to the rigorous regulation of behaviour on strict religious grounds. Marjane and her family must hide their affinity for Western culture to avoid terrible consequences.

The novel also illustrates how the state-sanctioned religion can cause individuals to lose their personal religion. After witnessing the execution of Anoosh at the hands of the Revolutionaries, Marjane loses her faith in God, who disappears as a character from the novel. The repressive and politicised religion imposed by the Islamic Republic ultimately stands at odds with heartfelt religious feeling and belief.

The hypocrisy of the Islamic Republic's representatives

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a dangerous regime that has attracted widespread criticism for its significant violations of human rights and civil liberties. The regime's greatest victims are the Iranian people themselves, who are subjected to brutal suppression any time they rise up and demand their basic human rights.

The graphic novel *Persepolis* depicts the hypocrisy of many of the representatives of the Islamic Republic, who declare their religious allegiance to the laws but also take bribes or overstate their devotion for the chance at extra money or promotion. The state-sanctioned religion makes shows of religion valuable as a means of career advancement, but does not inspire true religious values in many of even its most powerful adherents.

The Iranian government has been denounced by various international organizations and governments for violating human rights. The government has frequently persecuted and arrested critics of the government. Iranian law does not recognize sexual orientations, and sexual activity between members of the same sex is illegal and punishable by death. Capital punishment is a legal punishment, and according to the BBC, Iran "carries out more executions than any other country, except China".

The regime has also been criticized for its mistreatment of peaceful protesters. In June 2024, Iranians marked the 11th anniversary of the Green Movement protests in 2009, a mass movement triggered by blatant election tampering by the regime as disaffected young people pushed for political reform. Ultimately, the regime responded with massive crackdowns, arresting and killing protesters who sought fair representation.

The hypocrisy of the Iranian government has been further highlighted by its response to the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. While expressing solidarity with people of color in the US, the regime has failed to address similar cries from within its own country, including from women, LGBTI individuals, Baha'is, Kurds, and other ethnic and religious minorities.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has a long history of cruel treatment towards its ethnic and religious minorities. In June 2018, the authorities executed a 51-year-old bus driver, Mohammad Salas, a Gonabadi Dervish, an unrecognized religious minority in Iran. Baha'is, in particular, experience what is known as "cradle-to-grave" persecution and are deprived of the most basic rights.

The Iranian government's hypocrisy is evident in its selective use of religion to justify its oppressive policies while ignoring the true values of that religion.

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