individual vs society conflict

Marj. is forced to wear the veil but explores her individuality

people on top of bicycle= they deny change and do not agree and have different views therefore are stuck and cant move forward (last panel, page 10)

• black background= they cannot "see" the future of progress for their nation

"long sleep of 2,500 years"= people are "asleep" and are now waking up with the revolution

she includes humor of phylosophers because she thinks some of them make things up

page 15= (true event) in 1978 Islamic Terrorists lit the Rex cinema on fire and over 470 people died

the father serves political purpose (meant to ____ oil) (oil: main resouce)

the british were the ones dealing with the father

Marjane thinks the Shaw was put there with a purpose

Marj. says the Shaw is nothing like Ghandi

Marj.'s family has a royal bloodline (her grandpa was a prince but became prime minister (he was a communist))

Marj. filled the tub to feel what a water cell was like (to relate)

grandma supports islamic revolution (they believed the revolution would bring freedom)

Marj.'s father is an activist (takes pictures of acts of Shaw's soldiers)

most important thing in chapter: irony

irony: the man died of cancer and they were blaming the king blindly (people that are expected to be rational sometimes blindly follow because of emotion)

Mary was a best friend/sister to Marj.

Mary was a young woman of lower class (16 yrs old)

Marj. wrote the love letters for her (Mary didn't know how to write)

the dad said "you know that she is a maid right?" to the guy Mary liked and he backed off

"Black Friday" was a day that was rummored that israel soldiers killed lots of people

faces of dead are the same in the book because "they are just casualties, numbers" (dehumanizing, social critique by author)

body of snake in book: ominous foreshadowing, "they are trapped" (irony: "now that the devil has left" and is still inside of snake)

Ramen thinks since they are not communist, they are wrong (echoes how adults go to extremes (gradual loss of innocense))

mirrors (symbol): identity, reflection

just after the Shaw was "liberated"

the parents dont protect children

comrad Ahmadi has the worst of it and later on died

In the mind of Marj.: saw all the suffering as one, no mental pause (adds horrific implication, more horrific)

picture of cut-up man in book: (double intent) 1. dehumanization (body alludes a doll) 2. conception of child for dismembering

new character: Uncle Anoosh

• father's brother

• he lived in moscow

• communist

• Marj.'s hero

• had 2 girls and divorced

Anoosh tells story about HIS uncle

Marj. is proud to have a family that fights for their beliefs

in the bible sheep are followers

Marj.'s crush is moving to the USA

historical context: in this time, many people in Iran saw things getting worse and left the country

hidding in sheep: (symbol) hidding and camouflaging

• ironic: because sheep are supposed to be followers

parents also questioned if they should leave, they stay because he didnt want to give up his social status

irony: revolutionists supporting the cause were the ones getting arrested and attacked

Marj. wants Anoosh's approval more than anyone else

Anoosh dies and Marj. looses faith because God "let it happen"

She feels lost after the death of her uncle

they decide to go to Spain and Italy because everyhting was "too much"

they government took away the right to free will and the right to study

the mother's car broke down and men sexually acussed her (said women like her should be put up against the wall and fucked)

the mother and other women pretested against the veil (attached by islamic regime)

in this time Iran started war with Irak

main theme: death of uncle and loss of faith

breaded swan: everything is beautiful and fragile like bread that crumbles

based on real life events that happened to the author

Marj. came from liberal family

they pretended to be Islam to get away with stuff

her mother was depressed after the harrassment

a group of women faught and demonstrated for rights

they went on a trip to Europe

in Madrid, they realized iran was at war with Irak

Marj. thinks her father is not as patriotic as her

• she struggles to grasp reaction

Marj.'s nationalist feelings grow

Pardisse writtes essay to dead father

the family fights, they all yell at eachother

mother's friend in Abadon was being bombed (Mahi)

Marj. decides to play grown-up and take care of the boys

"women of the south are sluts that take our husbands"

theme: women attacking women

Iraq army conqueres Khorramshair

(in Shiite traditions) when an unmarried man dies, a nuptial is built for the dead to get carnial knowledge

Marj.'s parents told her to lower her head and let war pass when it comes

Marj. tries to think of her life but rituals of rememberance were held in her school

one of Iran's rituals was hitting yourself

some people brutally hit themselves with objects

Marj. mocked her torture sessions, the war, and the martyrs

the girls in schools were raised to supply soldiers and the boys were raised to become those soldiers

the mother's friend's son was given a key