Setting

Describe how setting plays a part in the book. How does it move the plot forward? What does it reveal about the plot? How does it set the mood? Give specific examples from the book.

In Persepolis, the setting moves the plot forward by changing from Iran to Austria (p. 155). This change signifies several things. First, it marks what many would consider the beginning of puberty for Marjane. Second, it also shows the drastic change in both social and physical environment from strict, religiously-run Iran to a more free society in Austria. Not that the free society was accessible to Marjane at first, seeing as she was living in a boarding school run by nuns. Not related to the change, the mood is also set by the setting. All through the book the confined nature of Marjane’s surroundings really sort of lends light to what it was like to live her life when she did.

Discrimination

On many occasions in Austria, Marjane experienced discrimination (from the nuns, other students, etc.). Why do you think the Austrians felt this way about Marjane, and how do you think this changed Marjane's opinion of Europeans? Use specific examples from the book to support your claims.

Marjane gets a lot of discrimination thrown against her during her four years in Austria as shown by the students in the cafe on page 196 and by many others. I think the Austrians felt this way about Marjane because she was different from them. One of the major differences was probably how she looked different. While the book never actually says it, I'm sure that she had some sort of accent that people also didn't like. The discrimination changed Marjane's views of the Austrians in many ways, one of them being that she obviously thought they were much worse than they were. They also must have seemed alien-like to her because of their cultural and physical differences. All in all, the way that Marjane and the Austrians don't like each other seems very petty and it could easily be solved.

Why did Marjane's parents decide to send her to Europe. Do you think this was the right decision? Why or why not?

Mainly, Marjane's parents sent her to Europe to get her out of Iran as the revolution escalated. They didn't want her to be caught up in the arrests and executions with her current rebellious state. They also wanted to make sure she could get a proper education and be able to express herself without the restrictions set on Iranian women. There was the war with Iraq as well. Marjane wouldn't have even needed to be caught to be killed by a bomb. I don't think there could be any way this wasn't the right decision, unless keeping a family together is more important than getting your daughter to a place where she can be herself. Marjane may not have realized it, but this was the right choice.