Warren 1

Persepolis: A Story of a Westernized Culture

Olivia Warren

The Western world. For those who live in what is considered the “West” might have

different ideas of what the West is depending on where they are in that world. Some see it as a

place of opportunity, wealth, and prosperity. Others see it as a place for freedom, and it can also

be just another source of entertainment and influence. For other countries, however, the West is

seen as a negative rather than a positive. For the country of Iran, the West caused, and continues

to do so, nothing but turmoil and grief for the country. To describe this negativity, and positivity

at times, toward the West, Marjane Satrapi illustrates Iran and her citizens‟ struggles with the

West and Westernization in her graphic memoir Persepolis.

Satrapi displays her life within these pages to make sure her audience knows who she is,

where she came from, and what her country is like, correcting the misconceptions often made by

the Western world. These corrections are illustrated throughout Satrapi‟s story showing the lives

of the citizens of Iran, the government, and their own ties with the West. Iran as a country has

struggled with Western countries taking over the government with the ideal of post-colonialism.

Feminism and gender roles are illustrated in the memoir and the negative influence from the

West. Satrapi herself deconstructs those misunderstandings of the Western world throughout her

narrative.

REASONS OF HOSTILITY TOWARD THE WEST

Europe and the United States are the main places that make up what is considered the

West. Countries in Europe, specifically Great Britain, and the United States are held responsible
 Warren 2

for many of the reasons why Iran is so against the West and Westernization. In the 1800s, Iran

was confronted with one of the most dominate empires in Europe, the British. Toward the end of

the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, Britain, along with Russia, continued interfering

with the country (Katouzian 154). Like Satrapi states, they manipulated and influenced Reza, a

low-ranking soldier who wanted to create a republic, so he would become Shah, or emperor, of

the country while the British would get all of the oil they wanted (22-23). They assured him that

if they got their oil, they would take care of everything Reza was responsible for (Satrapi 21).

Marji‟s grandfather, a prince of Persia before Reza Shah took his crown, states that the emperor

was not Reza Shah, but the King of England (23).

Originally, the United States had good ties with the country of Iran. However, when the

Persians wanted help from the Americans, their aid did not materialize because of the United

States policy of isolationism. In 1937, their positive ties deteriorated when the Shah reacted

sensitively to the criticism of him in the western press (Katouzian 227). Additionally, America

was “held responsible for the absolute and arbitrary government in Iran” (Katouzian 304). In

other words, the United States was one of the Western countries at fault for making the shah rule

with monocratic and supreme authority.

Imperialism, a form of post-colonialism, is defined as “the policy, practice, or advocacy

of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by

gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas” (Merriam-Webster).

By influencing and manipulating Reza Shah, the British took control of Iran, leaving the once-

independent country completely reliant on the British (Katouzian 154). In Persepolis, a panel

illustrates the “2500 years of tyranny and submission” (11). The bottom illustration is that of

modern imperialism. Looking at the drawing from left to right, the first group of men appears to
 Warren 3

be executors, the second group is the army of the Shah holding the flag of the Shah‟s Iran, and

the third is a man holding the British flag and a figure of what appears to be Uncle Sam. The

leaders, the British man and Uncle Sam, are the reason for imperialism, and the Shah follows

their lead.

During Marji‟s uncle Taher‟s stay in the hospital, the doctor describes a group of patients

that were injured by chemical weapons that were made by the Germans and sold to Iran as well

as Iraq. He states that those soldiers who are wounded are sent to Germany for treatment. The

soldiers are treated like guinea pigs for the German‟s weapons. The Western countries are taking

advantage of the Iranians and other Middle Eastern countries for their own benefit.

From the beginning conflicts with the West, Iran‟s perception of the Western world is on

a low note. The Western world shaped their reputation as a greedy, imperialistic world from the

time they manipulated Reza Shah.

PERSIANS AND THE WEST

The people of Iran who follow the ways of the West have certain characteristics. Whether

they are youth or men or women, the traditionalist citizens of Iran have different perceptions of

the more modern and progressive people.

For the youth of Iran, conforming to the Western World and following Western ways are

their symbols for rebellion. By doing little things, such as girls showing their wrists, boys getting

non-traditional haircuts, and laughing loudly, they express how they feel about the restrictions

and laws of their country. According to Katouzian, teenagers in Iran were also influenced by the

1960s Cultural Revolution, the French student revolt, and the rebellion of the American youth in
 Warren 4

the late 1960s and into the 1970s, encouraging them to “seek and support revolutionary ideas and

actions” (304). A major example of teen rebellion is when Satrapi describes the incidents that

happened between 1980 and 1983 (302). She states that there were so many high school and

college students demonstrating and having revolutionary ideas during those years. However, this

rebellious behavior can lead to severe consequences for the Iranian youth. Christopher Theokas,

a writer for USA Today, is quoted in Naghibi and O‟Malley‟s article and wants to make sure

readers know that a big difference between a rebellious American teenager and a rebellious

Iranian teenager is that in Iran the “rebellious behavior we take for granted could lead to jail

time—if not worse” (235-6). Though teenagers and young adults know the consequences, of

their actions to rebel against the government, they still find their own way to do it. They are

influenced by Western revolts, and they exhibit Western behavior to show their opposition to the

government.

Women in Iran are already not treated with the same respect and do not have the same

rights as men, and those who follow Western ways are treated worse. If a woman showed more

of her hair under her veil or headscarf and did not wear a „chador‟ like the fundamentalist

women, one could tell she was more progressive and modern. Women with Western views are

often referred to as sluts and whores throughout Satrapi‟s memoir. Marji, her mother, and other

women are given these names in a number of instances in the story. One scene is when Marji

confesses she has had sexual relations with more than one man. Her friends ask what the

difference is between her and a whore (270).

One can tell when a man is more progressive and modern by the tie he wears, lack of

facial hair, and tucked-in shirt. While the tie is a symbol of the dreaded West, Islam and the

traditionalist men are against shaving. Because Ebi, Marji‟s father, wears a tie, he is called
 Warren 5

“Westernized trash,” a term that is given to people who follow Western ways, and is accused of

having been drinking the forbidden alcohol (108).

The impression readers of Persepolis understand is that the women who live in the West

are seen as less feminine and more masculine, as we see with Taji‟s friend Zozo. Before her and

her family moved from Iran to Austria, Zozo was a secretary, a job that is usually associated with

women no matter where you are in the world. She worked under her husband, Houshang, the

CEO of the company. Now living in Austria, she is the sole provider for her family, usually

associated with the male role. Houshang is unemployed in Austria. He has to rely on his wife‟s

salary in Austria, when in Iran he was responsible for the main source of income, the usual role

of the husband. Houshang would be considered less of a man in Iran due to the fact that he

assumes a more feminine role in the West. Gender roles in Iran are set, the male of the family is

the provider and the female either has a supporting role or none at all, whereas in the West, it is

socially acceptable for women to bring home the main source of income. Satrapi gives these

instances to explain to her audience how the people of Iran react to the Iranian government and

society and their negative views of the West.

These different groups of Iranian people have different reasons for following the Western

ways as well as face various consequences by doing so. The youth of Iran do it to be rebellious,

but have the risk of being thrown in jail. Men and women do it because they want to be more

progressive and modern and therefore run the risk of being called whores, sluts, or “Westernized

trash.”

PERCEPTIONS BETWEEN WORLDS

Throughout Persepolis, there are many different perceptions the characters have of the

West and Westernization. There are both positive and negative views of the West that the

characters portray, including Marji. On one page, she thinks Europe and the United States are

great, and on the next, she calls Americans “dummies” (72). There are also perceptions the

Western world has of Iran. However, these perceptions tend to be more on the negative side.

On the positive side, some Persians see the West, in the form of Europe or America, as a

means of escape from unappealing circumstances: Naghibi and O‟Malley state “the West always

provides the way out, the way to freedom” (238). For example, Marji‟s friend Kaveh is leaving

their country and going to the United States because his parents believe that it is impossible to

live under an Islamic Regime, the form of government of the country after the Shah was

removed (63). Some members of Marji‟s family leave the country for the United States, as well,

and her parents even think of leaving. When things become worse in Iran during the war, Marji

and her family escape to Italy and Spain for three weeks, and Marji thinks “it was wonderful”

(77). Finally, Marji‟s parents send her to Austria for her education because they want her to leave

the country, so she can prosper without the pressure of the country‟s laws and restrictions.

On the other hand, there are plenty of negative views about the Western world. One

reason why Iran acts negatively towards the West and Westernization is the fear of losing the

Persian culture in the influences and contribution of the West. „Western cultural onslaught‟ is the

phrase that best describes this fear. Homa Katouzian defines this as a “phrase adopted by those

circles who feared the loss of Islamist cultural austerity and the beginnings of a more cultural

sphere” (265). The people of Iran, or at least the government and those who believe in more

traditional ways, want to keep their Persian culture secure in their country and not have it ripped

away from them by the West and its influence. A couple of minor examples of negative views in
 Warren 7

the book include when Marji calls Americans dummies and when Momo, Marji‟s friend at her

Austrian school, believes Americans do not care about anything but capital and business, as he

declares when he describes Christmas as an American invention that it is “good for business”

(168). To address a bigger instance, Marji‟s views of the West change after her experience living

on the street while in Austria. She states, “In the West, you can collapse in the street and no one

will give you a hand” (280). Before living in Austria, Marji comes across as pro-West. After her

three months on the street, her perception changes. She believes that all Westerners do not care

about others or maybe just foreigners like her.

The Iranian government also has negative views of the West, from changing names of the

streets of Tehran to closing the schools to make sure they are not educating future imperialists in

the fashion of Westerners. Bilingual schools were seen as a form of decadence and capitalism,

which are symbols of the dreaded West. After the Revolution, the streets of the country‟s capital

were changed from those of Western figures and places to names of martyrs or others that

represented their own country. Kennedy Street was changed to Unity, Boulevard Elizabeth II

was renamed Keshavarz-Farmers Street, and Goethe was changed to Shaheed Ahmadi. There

were also avenues named Los Angeles, France, and Italy that were subsequently renamed (Elliot

15). The government banned and forbade everything that was seen as decadent and associated

with the West like alcohol, music tapes, and games.

Besides closing the schools to prevent imperialism and capitalism, the government also

establishes “moral codes.” This means preventing men and women from displaying their

affection in public, prosecuting those who host parties, and prohibiting any contact with the

opposite sex before marriage, all behaviors which are appropriate in the West. For instance, after

Marji is accepted into the school of art at the university, she is found alone after hours drawing
 Warren 8

with a man as her model. The supervisor that finds her reprimands her saying she is not allowed

to look at him because “it‟s against the moral code” (300). Marji then retaliates by asking if she

should just look at the door while drawing him, which the supervisor thinks is more appropriate.

Further, Marji and her boyfriend Reza are not allowed to get an apartment together without being

married because of the moral code. Another way the government prevents Westernization is by

issuing what Marji calls “Guardians of the Revolution.” This group of men and women arrest

people who violate the moral code or who wear or display things that signify the West. People

are arrested for wearing Western clothing, wearing make-up, engaging in inappropriate acts in

public, and throwing parties. Those arrested are whipped, beaten, and given a hefty fine.

Westerners have many perceptions of the Eastern World, mostly negative do to current

events and influence from prominent people. Iran is considered part of what George Bush coined

the “axis of evil.” Because Iran is located in the Middle East and neighbors Iraq, Westerners‟

first assumption is that they are all terrorists, when in reality, the Persians dislike Iraq, as well.

As people of the West, Satrapi deconstructs our stereotypes and misconceptions of Iran.

Satrapi “wrote her book in response to one-dimensional representations of Iran as a terrorist

nation” and the term Bush gave the country (Elahi 312). I will admit that before reading this

memoir, I thought every Middle Eastern country was all the same due to the fact that I was not

educated in depth about it. By stepping into her world as an Iranian living in a country that is not

much different than ours, we become more educated about Iran. Instead of everyone living in

huts with dirt floors, having only one economic class, and all women are oppressed, as many

common misconceptions hold, Satrapi helps us understand what her country is really like. Some

of us in the West think all of the countries in the Middle East are third-world when, in reality,

there are poor neighborhoods and wealthy neighborhoods, an obvious social class system, and
 Warren 9

some women are more independent and take advantage of opportunities than others. Even the

nuns at her first boarding house in Austria give in to a stereotype of how Iranians are not

educated, even though one of the main reasons Marji is in Austria is to continue her education.

The difference in social class is apparent when Ebi breaks off the relationship between

Mehri, their maid, and the neighbor boy. Their love would never be possible in a society like

theirs because they must stay within their own social class (37). Evidence of the economic class

difference is shown through the event of war. It is common in Iran for the men in lower

economic classes to be drafted into war and potentially die for their country, while the men in the

higher economic class is not required to fight in the war. When Marji learns about the “keys of

paradise” that the boys are receiving in school, she calls her cousin to ask if he had received a

key (100). Marji‟s cousin is a part of the upper economic class and did not get a key, however

the son of the Satrapi‟s cleaning woman, who is of a lower class, was given one, promising

“plenty of food, women and houses made of gold and diamonds” if he died while serving his

country (100).

Racism towards Marji and her country comes up quite a bit throughout the text, mostly

while she is in Austria. During the time she is dating an Austrian named Markus, Marji is called

a witch, a dirty foreigner, and a prostitute. The owner of her boarding house, Frau Dr. Heller,

believes that true Austrian men should not date women like her; in other words, Iranian. Heller

also accuses her of stealing a brooch. At one point, rather than have herself associated with Iran,

so she would not feel as much negativity towards her, Marji even denies her nationality stating

that it was “better to lie than to assume that burden” (195). We see another example of racism

when Taji talks about the past when the Iranians could go anywhere in the West by just carrying

an Iranian passport without the hostility from the Westerners, but as she goes on, “Now as soon
 Warren 10

as they learn our nationality, they go through everything, as though we were all terrorists. They

treat us as though we have the plague” (203).

It is apparent that the East and West have different views regarding one another.

Westerners might give into the stereotypes and misconceptions because might not be as educated

about Iran, but that is Satrapi‟s purpose for writing her memoir. She wants to deconstruct our

thoughts of the country and show us the reality. Hopefully, by reading Satrapi‟s memoir and

learning a little bit more about the country, Westerners will change their views and maybe

correct their misconceptions.

INFLUENCES FROM THE WEST

The Western world has influenced many countries with its pop culture, clothing, food,

and art; even forms of violence found in the West have spread to other countries including Iran.

This Western influence is shown throughout Persepolis with parties, references to bands like

Iron Maiden and the Bee Gees, as well as Marji‟s choice of dress.

In Satrapi‟s memoir, one of the most important influences from the Western countries is

their popular culture that includes music, books, movies and television, and games. Throughout

the whole story, Marji is influenced by things that are not originally from Iran. She listens to Iron

Maiden and Kim Wilde and reads comic books. Marji also expresses the influence the West has

on her by dressing in denim jackets, Nikes, and tight pants. Marji is influenced by these things

because she is a young girl who is susceptible to being impressed by everything around her. The

reference to the comic book also relates to the reason why Satrapi chose to explain her life story

with pictures. According to Nima Naghibi and Andrew O‟Malley, in their article “Estranging to
 Warren 11

Familiar: „East‟ and „West‟ in Satrapi‟s Persepolis,” because the memoir “provides a perspective

on events unfamiliar to the Western reader, the comic book form it assumes is itself

automatically familiar” (233). In other words, Satrapi‟s illustrations of her life experiences are

unfamiliar to the West, her main audience, so she wanted to help her readers understand by

giving them something they have encountered before. Satrapi‟s graphic memoir makes it easier

for her to extinguish the false conceptions the West pins on her country.

Most of the characters mentioned in the book are influenced by the West in some way.

For Marji‟s father, Ebi, the situation regarding the fundamentalist students holding some

Americans hostage is like a scene from a James Bond movie; he thinks he looks like

Frankenstein when he smuggles posters, products of the West, into Iran; and he relies on the

British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, for all of his news. Also, the sons of Taji‟s friend Mali

have “all the Star Wars stuff” (91). American food is also mentioned during the story when Marji

and her friends skip class to go to a diner and eat hamburgers and hot dogs. The influence from

the West is so great that people incorporate it into their daily lives, intended or not, whether it is

the media, food, or toys.

Violence found in the West, particularly the United States, has also influenced Iran and

her citizens. One example is when Marji and her friends want to attack another boy, Ramin, with

nails in between their fingers like “American brass-knuckles” because his father killed over one

million people (45). Also, when family friends, Mohsen and Siamak, state that their torturers in

prison were trained by the C.I.A. These scenes illustrate that America is known for violent

things. Of the few times that the United States is specifically mentioned in the book, the

instances described above take the majority, and they illustrate negative things of the United

States.
 Warren 12

Influence from Western countries interferes with the culture of Iran which in turn causes

turmoil within the country and outside of it. These influences could be classified as positive or

negative depending on the person or government. Satrapi illustrates these influences throughout

her memoir, and she shows both the good and bad sides.

MARJI AND THE WEST

Throughout the memoir, Marji battles with the West, her country, and herself. She‟s torn

between her Islamic culture and the West, and it also influences her in significant ways. When

she is living in Austria, she constantly compares the Western social customs to her country. She

describes the different treatments of parents, public affection, and even the parties.

The West‟s influence on Marji is apparent throughout the whole story. The music she

listens to, her clothing, and popular culture references we see her use reflect those of the Western

world. She even makes a stereotypical assumption of her roommate in Austria and thinks she is

going to be just like Heidi (155). Her art also reflects that of the West. When Marji is applying to

the university in Tehran, she is required to draw for the school of art. Out of all paintings, she

chooses one by a Western artist, Michelangelo‟s “La Pieta.” Instead of the Virgin Mary cradling

Jesus after his crucifixion, Marji sketches a grieving Iranian mother, veiled of course, holding

her martyred son.

Marji is often seen being torn between her country and the Western world. In a 2004

interview with Bookslut.com, Satrapi explains that “if you want to have another culture come

into you, it‟s like you have to take out the first one, and then choose what you want from the two

and swallow them again.” From the very beginning of Persepolis, we see a panel that is split in
 Warren 13

half along with two sides of Marji. The left represents the West with Marji in Western-looking

clothes and gears and hammers in the background. The right represents the East with Marji

wearing the veil and Persian artwork in the background (6). While Naghibi and O‟Malley state

that this split image reflects the use of “Western autobiography and comic books to depict a very

Iranian experience,” it can also describe Marji‟s split culture of East and West (232-3). After

Marji is given her poster of Kim Wilde, there is a panel of Marji imitating Kim Wilde on the

poster. Marji mirrors Wilde‟s stance, which reflects her fantasy of the West (Elahi 318). By

singing Wilde‟s song, “We‟re the Kids in America,” after she almost gets carted off to jail for

wearing punk clothing, she “demonstrates that she is certainly not a kid in America” but wants to

be there, getting away from her oppression (Naghibi 235).

While in Austria, all Marji wants to do is make friends and be a part of a group.

Throughout this part of the memoir, Marji distances herself further and further away from her

culture and assimilates to the Western World. After denying her nationality and feeling like she

has betrayed her parents, she finally stands up for her herself and her culture when some girls at

a diner make fun of her. Yet, after returning to Iran from her four years in Europe, she feels alone

in her own country. Even though she is not Westernized enough for Austria, she is too

Westernized for Iran and therefore reprimanded by her friends and the government at times.

Satrapi states in her interview that when you leave a country for an extended amount of time and

then go back, “you are a foreigner anywhere.”

Compared to her country‟s different perspectives of the West, Marji has her own ideas.

Though she might have had an unfortunate experience, living on the street in Austria, she still

finds the West beneficial for her. At the end of her memoir, Marji decides to leave Iran to live
 Warren 14

the rest of her life in France. She ends up finding out who she really is in Iran, but the “real”

Marji is viewed as unacceptable in her country, so she must find her true home in Paris.

CONCLUSION

The West can be a frightening place. It is full of stereotypical people, large cities, and

racism. It is the breeding ground for new beginnings, a place for escape, and major influence.

From the views of the people of Iran, the West is considered both positive and negative. The

West, with its imperialism and postcolonial tactics, is the reason why the country had an

arbitrary government for a while. However, the West could be viewed as a means of escaping the

restrictions and laws of Iran.

Satrapi‟s purpose of her memoir is to deconstruct her audience‟s perceptions of her

country. She wants to them see that the stereotypes are wrong, and there is much more to Iran.

Her memoir is, in a way, an educational book. Her audience learns, alongside Marji, about Iran

as well as Marji as a person.

Works Cited

"An Interview with Marjane Satrapi." Interview by Bookslut. Bookslut. Northwestern University,

Oct. 2004. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

Elahi, Babak. "Frames and Mirrors in Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis." Symplokē: A Journal for the

Intermingling of Literary, Cultural and Theoretical Scholarship 15.1-2 (2007): 312-325.

MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

Elliot, Jason. Mirrors of the Unseen: Journeys in Iran. New York: St. Martin's, 2006. Print.

"Imperialism." Def. 2. Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster. Web. 28 Nov. 2010.

Katouzian, Homa. The Persians: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Iran. New Haven: Yale UP,

2009. Print.

Naghibi, Nima, and Andrew O'Malley. "Estranging the familiar: 'East' and 'West' in Satrapi's

Persepolis (1)." English Studies in Canada 31.2-3 (2005): 223+. Literature Resource

Center. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2007. Print.