Persepolis, the story of a young girl in the seventies and eightees in Iran, from the age ten to fourteen. This book portrays history from touching up as early as 1925 when Reza Shah, becomes emperor after her own grandfather's father was thrown out of power. Though perhaps mentioned once in this story the rest of the history of Iran goes as follows: In 1935 Reza Shah has "Persia" which was what Iran's name was changed to, back to Iran. From 1939 to 1945 World War II is taking place, putting strict conditions for the Iranians, such as the repression of women. In 1951, the oil industry that was found in Iran in 1945 was nationalized, meaning the government took over and now owns the companies, mainly because other countries were beginning to show interest in the country's oil. Next, in 1953 Mossadeq, the new Prime Minister of Iran, was overthrown by the United States's CIA when they sent a coup after him. The Shah, son of Reza Shah, returns to power.
In 1963 a "White Revolution" takes place, as Iran becomes modernized and westernized, for a time, until the time of Persepolis, when they begin reinforcing the veil and many other traditions.
Beginning in 1974, which is more of where Marji's point of view is, Iran begins supplying Kurdish, a region in Iraq, with weapons and funding. To fix this, many things were proposed, including an embargo, which many believe would have worked well. In 1975, though, the border dispute between Iraq and Iran is compromised, and Iran is forced to stop supplying the Kurds with the weapons and funding they needed to break off from Iraq. Saddam Hussein, considered a secular, or non religious and is also suspected now to have a reservoir of "weapons of mass destruction" according to our President, ruler invaded Iran in 1980, hopefully to "reverse the 1975 border settlement and perhaps gain control of the rich, oil producing Iranian providence of Khuzestan" (Iran-Iraq War, article provided by Cortney). Starting back in 1978, Iran was put under "Marshall Law" reinforcing old traditions and laws based off the Qur'an, such as, the most influencial in Persepolis, women being forced to wear the veil. Many tried to be clandestine, secretly taking off their veils at school as Marji did repeatedly.
1979... the Islamic Revolution begins. Many terrible things happened, as this is where Persepolis starts, including killings at protests (one of which Marji attends) and Black Friday, where the military was basically allowed to whatever they wanted to the protesters. Many, many were killed during Black Friday. Many of the ones who died were martyrs, for they died for their cause, even not willingly. Because of all the harships in social class and deaths, Marji felt her family was decadent for they weren't proletariats and had very nice things (such as a cadilac). Also in 1979, the Shah was overthrown (exiled). Skipping ahead: in 1987, the United States decides to station warships in the Persian Gulf (beginning the Gulf War I believe).
To skip forward again, Iraq dropped their demands of Iran in 1990, supposedly marking the end of the Iran-Iraqi war. In reality, though, by the time all negotiations were made and prisoners released, the war did not end until 1996.
Thus was the basic history of Iran. Most of this relates to Persepolis, the story of Marjane (Marji) Satrapi, as she lives through the Iranian revolution. The way she puts the history of Iran into her own perspective, only makes you realize how veritable the issues in Iran and Iraq really were.
In 1963 a "White Revolution" takes place, as Iran becomes modernized and westernized, for a time, until the time of Persepolis, when they begin reinforcing the veil and many other traditions.
Beginning in 1974, which is more of where Marji's point of view is, Iran begins supplying Kurdish, a region in Iraq, with weapons and funding. To fix this, many things were proposed, including an embargo, which many believe would have worked well. In 1975, though, the border dispute between Iraq and Iran is compromised, and Iran is forced to stop supplying the Kurds with the weapons and funding they needed to break off from Iraq. Saddam Hussein, considered a secular, or non religious and is also suspected now to have a reservoir of "weapons of mass destruction" according to our President, ruler invaded Iran in 1980, hopefully to "reverse the 1975 border settlement and perhaps gain control of the rich, oil producing Iranian providence of Khuzestan" (Iran-Iraq War, article provided by Cortney). Starting back in 1978, Iran was put under "Marshall Law" reinforcing old traditions and laws based off the Qur'an, such as, the most influencial in Persepolis, women being forced to wear the veil. Many tried to be clandestine, secretly taking off their veils at school as Marji did repeatedly.
1979... the Islamic Revolution begins. Many terrible things happened, as this is where Persepolis starts, including killings at protests (one of which Marji attends) and Black Friday, where the military was basically allowed to whatever they wanted to the protesters. Many, many were killed during Black Friday. Many of the ones who died were martyrs, for they died for their cause, even not willingly. Because of all the harships in social class and deaths, Marji felt her family was decadent for they weren't proletariats and had very nice things (such as a cadilac). Also in 1979, the Shah was overthrown (exiled). Skipping ahead: in 1987, the United States decides to station warships in the Persian Gulf (beginning the Gulf War I believe).
To skip forward again, Iraq dropped their demands of Iran in 1990, supposedly marking the end of the Iran-Iraqi war. In reality, though, by the time all negotiations were made and prisoners released, the war did not end until 1996.
Thus was the basic history of Iran. Most of this relates to Persepolis, the story of Marjane (Marji) Satrapi, as she lives through the Iranian revolution. The way she puts the history of Iran into her own perspective, only makes you realize how veritable the issues in Iran and Iraq really were.
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