1.  What was the primary difference between the Iranian and Iraqi armies?

2.  What might be the purpose of publishing Iran’s “martyrs”?

3.  Comment on the picture on page 95.

branden: The picture looks like Nuns praying to god.

4.  Why was Marji’s generation so rebellious? marshaila: the reason the are so rebelious is because they had know secular schools. What does the teacher blame?

5.  What injustices do the parents see in the educational system? Which restriction is particularly ironic?

6.  Who does the government recruit to serve on the front lines of the war? How do they

persuade them? Can you think of another time when this practice has been used?

7. What is one of the country’s rituals? What is its purpose?

Alex : one of the countries religious rituals was to hit yourself. The purpose of it was to suffer just like the people who have died.

8. How did the students try to ease the tension of a very serious situation?

Alex: The students would act like children and play around. The girls decorated the place with toilet paper and Marjane fooled around saying she was a martyr.

9. Comment on the teacher’s relationship with her students. How were the students able to endure the treatment they received?

10. Why was Marji’s generation so rebellious? What does the teacher blame?

11. What injustices do the parents see in the educational system? Which restriction is particularly ironic? 

Alex 11. The injustices that the parents saw was that the children had to hit themselves twice a day during the mourning of the martyrs and soldiers. Also the fact that they weren't able to play like the kids they are.

12. Who is Mrs. Arsine? What does she receive from her son? What does it mean? How does she perceive this token?

Alex 12. Mrs. Narsine was their maid. She received a plastic gold painted key, the school gave boy's these keys telling them that if they went to war this would be their key into heaven. She perceives this token as a trick to make her son want to go to war.

1. What seems ironic about Nasrine’s description of Paradise?

That you have to have lots of kids to be promised a better life. Kristy

2. Who does the government recruit to serve on the front lines of the war? How do they persuade them? Can you think of another time when this practice has been used? The children that are then promised money and women a so called paradise. The civil Cold War using children and promising them money a shelter and food. -marco

3. Explain what image on page 101 seems particularly disturbing to you.

Ebony: That they hypnotize them and just toss them into the battle.

4. Who possessed the key to Paradise? Why? Children who fight in war -kristy

5. Explain your interpretation of the symbolism in the picture on the top of page 102 

Jonathan the children were blown up by mines; they were not promised a better life

6. How did clothing of the 80’s reflect the political realities of that time period? It was something wrong that was uncommon and also the time period was strict making women have a veil.

7. Where did people seek refuge? How did this environment also reflect the emotional state of the people/country?

Erandi: People seeked refuge in their own homes, specifically their basements. They turned their basement into a shelter. This environment reflected the emotional state of the people/country because all of the sudden everyone became paranoid. For example, Taji was so scared that their neighbors would accuse them of doing something, that she covered the windows with masking tape so no one would see what's going on. They couldn't live freely and in peace, they lived in fear.

Breanna-I agree with Erandi. The country was in a state of chaos and people had to be extremely careful. The people were in a difficult emotional state, all the things that would happen on their surroundings made them paranoid.

8. How did the interior of their homes reflect the external changes that were occurring.

Mohammad: they felt like they were all one person and being in the home brought them all together and

9. What two things did they need to protect themselves against?

10. What forbidden items did the government find at the house of Timoosh’s dad? What was his punishment? When have you seen this in our country?

Erandi: The government found video cassettes, a deck of cards, and a chess set at Timoosh's dads house. His punishment was seventy-five lashes. I have seen this in our country when alcohol was forbidden but people found ways to use it any way.

Steven: I agree with your answer because despite the laws that were set there has to be some fun and bending the rule would not hurt.

11. Why did Marji’s family continue to hold parties deshpite the danger?

Erandi: Marji's family continued to hold parties despite the danger because it was their therapy. It kept their mind off the war. It distracted them.

Mohammad: because they were against the shahs patrol and his rule so it gave them self confidence and also brought them together.

12. How did Marji’s dad bring light to the darkness at the party?

Erandi: Eby brought light to the darkness at the party by playing the Zara.

Alex:I disagree with Mohammed because he did not answer the question. The had parties because they needed to have some fun while the war was going on.

Great work people-Paris

1. How long had the war been going on so far? What did the local news report? What does Marji realize about this information? How do you explain the discrepancy? 

Kenu- The war had been going on for two years. The news destroyed 13 Iraqi planes right after on the BBC and the Iraqis had shot down to. Marj realized everyday they tell them that they destroyed ten planes and five tanks. Start from the beginning of the war, that makes six thousand planes and there thousand tanks destroyed.

Jorge: the war has been going on for about 2 years, the news reported that the military destroyed 13 Iraqi planes, she realized that they lie about the actual casualties, the government wants their people to believe that they have a strong army and are winning the battle.

2. What was Marji’s motive for breaking her parents’ rules? When else had she violated their trust?

Kenu- Marji had broken the rules once by going to the Demonstration in 79. Marji didn't want to upset her parents.

Anthony : Because she accuses her mother of being as oppressive as the guardian of the revolution in their home.

3. What was Marji’rs destination? What was its reputation? How was it able to survive the regime’s repression?

Kenu- They eventually admitted that the survival of the regime depended on war. It could could have been avoided million people will still be alive. Regimes became more repressive.

4. How would you describe the relationship between Marji and her mother? What language does Marji use to describe her mother and her tactics? What lesson does Marji learn that transcends time and space.

Kenu- Marji and her mother didn't really get along. Her mother wanted something different for her daughter. Marji made her mother mad when she skipped school. Marji says that Dicator you are the guardian of the revolution of this house. Marji learned that the regime became more repressive.

5.  Describe the efforts made toward bringing an end to the war between Iran and Iraq. Why did peace fail?

Kenu- the Iran army was retaken khorramsh. The Iraq proposed a settlement and Saudi Arabia was willing to pay for resconstrution to restore peace to the area. Those who were systematically arrested

Good job Kenu -Paris .

6.Aeja: What was the motivation for launching an attack on Karbala? The motivation for launching the attack was because the government Saudi Arabia was willing to pay for reconstruction to restore the peace to the area

Kenu- Iraq proposed a settlement and Saudi Arabia was willing to pay for reconstruction to restore peace to the area.

Steven: Iraq wanted to settle and Saudi Arabia was willing to pay for reconstruction to restore peace to the the area but the government did not want to settle.

7. Comment on the symbolism on pages 115/116 Aeja. They look like they are on strick,they willing to fight for what they want

Steven: The images on these pages are horrific. The things they would do to these people are just beyond horrible.

8. What did the survival of the regime depend upon? What was the human cost of this survival?

Steven: The survival of the regime depended on the war. The human cost was to give up everything.

9. How did the regime become more repressive? 

Steven: The regime became more repressive by exterminated the enemy those who opposed them were arrested and executed.

10. What was Marji’s symbolic act of rebellion? Describe her interesting response. In what ways has Marji become an adult? 

Steven: Marji's act or rebellion was smoking a cigarette. She's becoming adult by making her own decisions.

Darius: are you guys sure these answers are right.

1. What had become a bigger conflict than the war against Iraq? How does this manifest itself? The internal war had become bigger than the war against Iraq. This happened because anyone showing the slightest resistance to the regime was persecuted. Group

2. How long were the borders of Iran closed? The borders were closed for three years. Group

3. What surprising philosophical comment does Marji make to her parents? Explain your reaction to her statement? (see page 119) she states at 14 you don't need parents anymore. I think she was wrong about her statement. Group

4. In front of the hospital, what request is made of the Iranian people? What is the double meaning here? The request made of the Iranian people was to give blood. Group

5. People in need of hospital care face a dilemma: describe this problem. Since the boreders were closed only very sick people were allowed to leave if allowed by the health ministry. Group

6. How did the government delegate positions of power? Describe the encounter between Marji’s aunt and the Minister of Health. The government delegated positions of power by telling the people If the hospital director agrees they can get a passport to be healed. The director was Maris aunt former window washer. Group

7. Where did many of the seriously wounded travel for treatment? Why is this ironic? They were Germany to be treated. It was ironic because Germany was was selling chemical weapons to Iran and Iraq. Group

8. What is Taher’s only wish? To see his son one more time.What prevents him form realizing his dream? Nilfour being spotted and executed prevent his dream. Ironically what happens three weeks later? 3 weeks later uncle rather was buried and his passport arrived the same day. Group

Amunoz26-I agree that the kids were rebellious because of the way they were raised because everything was very strict on them so it makes them want to rebel.

8) .by laughing and making fun of it.

9) they didn't have a good relationship and they were able to endure the treatment by making fun and laughing every chance they got

10) Because their generation had known secular schools. She blamed the kids families.

11) that their kids have to hit themselves twice a day, and had to be covered from head to toe. That their kids were forbidden to play as the kids they were.

12) the maid. A plastic key painted gold. That its their key to heaven. It's an offense (too much) because they want to trade that key for her oldest son.

Good job Breanna!-MsR-D

What were your questions that you answered -Paris