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Marjane Satrapi
Though many characters in Persepolis appear and then disappear, Marjane’s parents are constants in the graphic novel, the two people who most affect Marjane, and whose cues and beliefs Marjane follows or alternately disregards over the course of her growing up. Educated, politically active, and modern, and accepting of Western culture, Marjane’s parents represent for her an ideal mode of living. During the Revolution her parents demonstrate against the Shah and take other risks to achieve the kind of government they think is best for the people. They are dismayed, however, when the regime that takes the Shah’s place is even more repressive, and though at first they demonstrate against the Islamic Republic, too, and even let Marjane come along—though they always worry about what information to share with her and from what she should remain protected—they realize the danger is too great. They continue living secular, modern lives—but only while indoors. Still, they wish to give Marjane the kind of education and life that will most benefit her, and by the end of the graphic novel they decide that what is best for Marjane is if she leaves them for the foreseeable future and completes her education in Vienna, Austria, away from the repressive Iranian regime.
Marjane’s Parents (Mother and Father) Quotes in Persepolis
The Persepolis quotes below are all either spoken by Marjane’s Parents (Mother and Father) or refer to Marjane’s Parents (Mother and Father). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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The Letter
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“You must understand that their love was impossible…because in this country you must stay within your own social class.”
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The Party
Quotes
“As long as there is oil in the middle east we will never have peace.”
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The Heroes
Quotes
My father was not a hero, my mother wanted to kill people…so I went out to play in the street.
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The F-14s
Quotes
“The real Islamic invasion has come from our own government.”
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War always takes you by surprise.
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The Jewels
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“To have the Iraqis attack, and to lose in an instant everything you had built over a lifetime, that’s one thing…but to be spat upon by your own kind, it is intolerable!”
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The Key
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“Our country has always known war and martyrs, so, like my father said: ‘When a big wave comes, lower your head and let it pass!’”
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The Cigarette
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“Now is the time for learning. You have your whole life to have fun!...In this country you have to know everything better than anyone else if you’re going to survive!!”
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Marjane’s Parents (Mother and Father) Quotes in Persepolis
The Persepolis quotes below are all either spoken by Marjane’s Parents (Mother and Father) or refer to Marjane’s Parents (Mother and Father). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The Letter
Quotes
“You must understand that their love was impossible…because in this country you must stay within your own social class.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The Party
Quotes
“As long as there is oil in the middle east we will never have peace.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The Heroes
Quotes
My father was not a hero, my mother wanted to kill people…so I went out to play in the street.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The F-14s
Quotes
“The real Islamic invasion has come from our own government.”
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
War always takes you by surprise.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The Jewels
Quotes
“To have the Iraqis attack, and to lose in an instant everything you had built over a lifetime, that’s one thing…but to be spat upon by your own kind, it is intolerable!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The Key
Quotes
“Our country has always known war and martyrs, so, like my father said: ‘When a big wave comes, lower your head and let it pass!’”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The Cigarette
Quotes
“Now is the time for learning. You have your whole life to have fun!...In this country you have to know everything better than anyone else if you’re going to survive!!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
