Rachel Smith

Period 1

Ms. Moss

28 August, 2017

Malala and Persepolis Project

1. What are some of the similarities between Malala the protagonist from I Am Malala and

Marjane the protagonist from Persepolis?

In I Am Malala you learn just how much of an average girl Malala is. She has friends, she loves

her family that consists of her mother and father and two brothers, she reads books, works hard

in her school work and she decides to participate in sports. “‘Malala is a genius girl,’ my class

fellows would say. I was also known for participating in everything-badminton, drama, cricket,

art, even singing, though I wasn’t much good.” (Yousafzai 69) Yet Malala still was able to stand

up and fight for her country , and be part of something bigger than herself, and knew she was a

vital part of that. You see the same with Marjane when she shows her excitement over her

grandfather being a prince, like any little girl would. “Grandpa was a prince? What do you mean

that’s not the question? My grandpa was a prince!” (Satrapi 22) Marjane shows excitement over

her grandfather being a prince, like any little girl with girlish fantasies would, but it’s almost not

expected of Marjane Satrapi because she grew up in such a war torn and death influenced

household. It gives Malala and Marjane human characteristics, and shows that they are normal

people and yet managed to stand up for what they believe in and make a difference, even if it

was but a small one, in the world.

Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi?

One of the obvious differences between Malala, from I Am Malala and Marjane Satrapi, from

Persepolis, is the age difference. Persepolis opens with Marjane speaking and saying, “THis is

me when I was ten years old. This was in 1980. ANd this was a class photo. I’m sitting on the far

left so you do not see me.” (Satrapi 3) Another difference is that Marjane didn’t understand why

they had to do what the government was forcing upon them. “Then came 1980: the year it

became obligatory to wear the veil at school. We did not really like the veil, especially since we

did not understand why we had to.” (Satrapi 3) While Malala on the other hand, was mostly

around fifteen or sixteen when the book took place. Malala also understood the importance of

picking and choosing your battles, especially against the government when it came to issues like

schooling, religion, and the veils. “Everyone in Swat was jubilant, but I felt the happiest because

it meant school would reopen properly. The Taliban said girls could go to school after the peace

agreement but they should be veiled and covered. We said okay, if that is what you want, as long

as we can live our lives.” (Yousafzai 168) Malala consented to wear the veil and understood why

she had to because she realized that gaining her education was more important than protesting

something that was out of her control.

3. What is the difference in character development between I Am Malala and Persepolis?

book. But Malala develops in different ways throughout the entire book. Malala gives

background and history into her life and explains about how when she was little she used to steal

things often. “I used to go to her house to study, so whenever I was there I would pocket her

things, mostly toy jewelry like earrings and necklaces. It was easy. At first stealing gave me a

thrill, but that did not last long. Soon it became a compulsion. I did not know how to stop.”

(Yousafzai 70) As the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, you can tell that ever since she

was a young thief and used to steal, her parents corrected her and helped her get on the right

track to become the person she needs to be today. In Persepolis, there is not this kind of

development. When Marjane was just a young girl she wanted to fight. “The second invasion in

1400 years! My blood was boiling. I was ready to defend my country against these Arabs who

kept attacking us. I wanted to fight.” (Satrapi 79) In that respect, Marjane never changed. She

always wanted to spread peace throughout the world, but when she was younger she wanted to

do that by becoming a prophet, while when she grew up she decided the most effective way was

war and bloodshed.

4. How did Malala and Marjane deal with the strict rule of their country differently?

Marjane dealt with the strict rule by becoming even more rebellious. She goes out wearing things

she knows she should not be wearing. She wears jean jackets, a Michael Jackson pin, and even

paints her nails when she knows she should not. Marjane makes her parents smuggle posters of

her favorite bands back for her when they go on vacation, even though there was a high risk of

them being caught. “I put my posters up in my room. I put my 1983 Nike shoes on ...and my
denim jacket with the Michael Jackson button, and of course, my headscarf.” (Satrapi 131)

Malala however reacted very differently to the strict and commanding rule of the Taliban,

because she did not agree with them or anything they were doing in power, she stood up for what

she believed in, not in a rebellious or teenage foolish way, but in a respectable mature way. She

kept going to school. Malala knew her education was important and refused to give up on it.

“That morning we arrived in the narrow mud lane of Haji Baba Road in our usual procession of

brightly painted rickshaws sputtering diesel fumes, each one crammed with five or six girls.

Since the time of the Taliban our school has had no sign and the ornamented brass door in a

white wall across from the woodcutter’s yard gives no hint of what lies beyond.” (Yousafzai 4)

5. When it comes to education, what is the difference between Malala and Marjane’s view?

Malala is completely focused on education. She has had to fight more than anyone to gain the

education she rightfully deserves. She had to push her way to get the education she wanted, and

she was willing to fight for it, to the point of taking a bullet to the head and surviving. Malala’s

father instilled in her a love and craving for education and learning that she couldn’t get

anywhere else. “Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path

to follow." Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.” (Yousafzai 162) Malala had a

firm belief that every human being was born with the right to receive education, no matter who
they are, their race or religion, and especially not their gender. Marjane did not share the same

views on education. Marjane was born into a wealthier family and her family could afford to

send her to a great school. She was also taught by her parents to love, respect, and revere her

education no matter what, but it was never taught to her that education was something worth

taking a bullet to the head for. Freedom was, but education was just a bonus to her. “There’s a

french school in Vienna, one of the best in Europe!” (Satrapi 147) Marjane could care less about

education, it has always been a constant in her life, but she wants to fight for the freedom she

rebelliously believes she deserves.

6. What are some of the differences in Malala’s parents and Marjane’s parents?

Marjane’s parents heavily influenced her life in an almost irrational way. They showed her what

it was to protest, to question higher authority and demand justice. Marjane’s parents had been

going to protests for as long as Marjane could remember, so naturally, Marjane wanted to go to,

because she had grown up seeing her parents doing it and believed practically all they told her.

“‘Tomorrow we are going to demonstrate!’ ‘But we are not allowed?’ ‘We are going to

anyway!” (Satrapi 38) MArjane’s parents could not have expected their daughter to be rule

following and obedient to them and the law if they were setting the example of questioning and

protesting against the government. Malala’s parents however, knew what they wanted and went

about it in a wise way. No, they were not quiet about it. They let people know about the school,

and about their beliefs that girls should be able to go to school and be as privileged educational

wise as boys were. But Malala’s parents set a good example for Malala and her brothers. When

Malala was young and did something wrong, one of her first concerns was her parents
disappointment in her, and that was what she didn’t want. Her parents set such a good example

to her of being obedient and yet not backing down in what they know to be right that Malala was

ashamed whenever she did something that Malala believed would question their pride in her.

“‘They knew you were stealing,’ she said. ‘They were waiting for you to come clean, but you

just kept on.’ I felt a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. I walked back to my mother with my

head bowed. ‘What you did was wrong Malala,’ she said.” Instead of teaching their daughter to

oppose and object to what they didn’t believe in, Malala’s parents taught her to stand up for what

she did believe in and never be ashamed of it.

7. Explain why the end of each book ended as they did.

I think Persepolis ended in such a way to leave you with suspense and wonder. Persepolis ended

in such a way to invoke interest even long after the book has been read. In the last few scenes of

the book, Marjane is feeling to Vienna, Austria to try and find a better life and education then the

war torn country she suffers through throughout the book. After Marjane says goodbye to her

parents she turns around to see them one last time. Her mother is fainted in her father's arms,

most likely out of grief that they may never see their daughter again. “I could not just go. I

turned around to see them one last time. It would have been better to just go.” (Satrapi 153)

Marjane ends on this line because she sees her mother and is filled with sadness and shock that

her mother fainted, and is finally coming to terms with the reality that she might never see them

ever again. Malala came to a full circle at the end of the book. She started the book with talking
about the shooting and ended the first chapter with her famous saying and the title of the book, I

Am Malala. “I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not.” (Yousafzai 313)\

8. Why were both these books received with such publicity?

I think these books were mostly received with such acceptance and publicity because they tell

the story of people who stood up and fought for what they believed in. They did not give up and

they did not give in. Never once did they surrender or decide they were complacent with the

rules that were being forced upon them. Malala stood up for what she believed in, education for

all, and never backed down. “‘Let us pick up our books and our pens,’ I said. ‘They are our most

powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book , and one pen can change the world.”

(Yousafzai 310) Marjane Satrapi, a young rebellious teenager stop up in her own way. She wore

Jean jackets and Michael Jackson pins. She painted her nails and bought Iron Maiden tapes from

men on the street. She went to demonstrations at a young age, and fought against her teachers

and principals when she disagreed with the information they were trying to force onto her.

Marjane Satrapi could tell when things weren’t right and told stories of her brave uncle she

comforted in jail before he was executed. She listened to people’s stories, and cared for those

around her by letting them know that their words were not wasted or in vain, they were heard

and would forever be heard. “I saw a turquoise bracelet. It was Neda’s. Her aunt had given it to

her for her fourteenth birthday. The bracelet was still attached to...I don’t know what. No scream

in the world could have relieved my suffering and my anger.” (Satrapi 142) Marjane had to see

dead victims, people she knew and loved, be destroyed in front of her, and she still had to be

strong.
9. What were some of the struggles Malala and Marjane had to go through?

Malala physically had to suffer the most, as the Taliban shot her in the head and hurt two of her

friends also. The amount of pain and anguish Malala had to go through must have been

unbearable. She was separated from her family and wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to see

them again. Her family wasn’t sure if their visas were in the works or not, or even if their

daughter had died or survived. Both of Malalas brothers were in the dark about the whole

situation and were not sure if their sister would be coming back to them alive or in a coffin.

“Even after the call, my parent were not completely reassured. They hadn’t actually heard my

voice and were still cut off from the outside world. People who visited them were bringing

conflicting reports.” (Yousafzai 278) Marjane Satrapi had to go through the loss of losing ones

she loved close to her. So many people she knew and loved died by the harsh inflicting rules of

their government. “That was my last meeting with my beloved Anoosh.” (Satrapi 70) Marjane’s

Uncle Anoosh died, and he was only the first of many deaths that would follow in her life.

10. Why are these stories important to spread throughout the world?

These stories are vital to spread throughout our nation and the world. Malala and Marjane serve

as role models and examples to people everywhere, in that everyone can make a difference if

they stand up for what they believe in. Most people can stand up for what they believe in and not

win a Nobel Peace Prize like Malala. When Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize even she was

surprised. “When the deputy head teacher told me I had won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside
children’s right activist Kailash Satyarthi, I was shocked. I responded very formally. I thanked

her for the news and said I was honored. It was only when I saw the tears in my teacher’s eyes

when they came up to congratulate me that the meaning of the news really sunk in. My teachers

were treating me as if I was their daughter.” Even if most people can not win the Nobel Peace

Prize, they can still make a difference in the lives around them, like Marjane did. Marjane

brought attention to how bad the situation really was with this book.”The key to paradise was for

poor people. Thousands of young kids, promised a better life, exploded on the minefields with

their keys around their necks.” (Satrapi 102) Marjane Satrapi’s book, Persepolis brought a light

to this subject that wouldn’t have been shed on it otherwise.