Symbolism in Persepolis and the Critique of the American Dream
Analyzing Symbolism and Meaning in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis
Question: Authors often use symbols to convey meaning and produce an effect on the reader. Analyze these in Persepolis.
In literary works, authors use certain symbols to convey meaning and to produce an effect on the readers. In the graphic novel Persepolis, the symbols that the author uses are based on the Islamic Revolution. These symbols allow for different forms of perception, given that the expectations and way of life for Iranian children are unlike those of children in Western nations.
Life Under the Islamic Revolution
Iranian children live in a country controlled by a government that prohibits simple pleasures and freedoms, denying Iranian families the ability to control their own lives. Iranians live in a country that always demands obedience to its religious culture or requires them to pay the consequences.
The book, Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, documents her childhood story through her own eyes and experiences. The storyline takes place during the late 1970s in the Iranian capital city of Tehran. During this period, the country of Iran was undergoing major political changes that would forever change the social and political landscapes of the nation. A social and political movement known to historians as the Iranian Revolution had been increasing in popularity as the governing monarchy of the Shah had lost support from citizens.
Symbolism of Social Inequality
In Persepolis, the author uses certain symbols to transmit to the readers the extent of discrimination against women and how the difference in social classes was manifesting in Iran.
Edward Albee’s Critique of the American Dream
Some novels and plays are generally used to give a critical reflection of the context in which they are written or lived by the author. The play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which was first performed in New York City in 1962, was a pleasing work for the American public since it delivered a critical reflection that seemed to give a vital perception into American life.
The Superficiality of 1950s America
The country was leaving the 1950s, when Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower was a conservative and well-liked president. Television shows like Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best were very popular. Both politicians and popular culture emphasized the importance of a happy family. Many Americans believed that success was measured by having their own house, car, children, and dog. According to all surface measures, the 1950s was a stable and productive time for the United States of America.
And yet, these superficial measures and the traps of success often hide real problems that will eventually arise in any human community.
Albee’s Background and Intent
The author, Edward Albee, grew up in a family deeply involved in projecting the perfect image of themselves in social situations. This affluent suburb of New York City housed a rich and competitive social scene, of which his mother was an important part. During his youth, Albee resisted interacting with this culture, finding it hollow and unsatisfactory.
In Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the author uses the historical and literary context to transmit to the readers a critique of this superficiality, exposing all of one’s problems and indiscretions to the world.
Cold War Tensions Reflected in Conflict
In this play, we can find the historical fact of the interpersonal battles between the characters reflecting the Cold War tensions that plagued America. It touches on everything from the death of the American Dream to fears of nuclear holocaust.