A person’s life is shaped by historical forces outside the intimate spheres of family, friends, and community. Whether we are aware of it or not, the circumstances of our lives are shaped in fundamental ways by political events like elections and revolutions; by social or demographic changes, such as epidemics or population changes; by technological changes, such as improvements in health care or communications technologies; by economic developments like recessions, industrialization, and trade; by global developments like imperialism and war; and by new ideas, such those expressed during the Enlightenment. The lives of Marjane Satrapi and her family, too, were shaped by these kinds of forces, which were precisely the European read British imperialism and the revolution orchestrated by the Muslim fundamentalists.
If British imperialism had not happened in Iran, perhaps Marjane would have been raised in royalty. Marjane discovers that the emperor the Shah family had overthrown had actually been her great-grandfather. Her father tells her, “The emperor that was overthrown was grandpa’s father” (Satrapi, 2003, p. 22). However, the story behind this was that oil was discovered in Iran. Marjane’s great-grandfather, the then emperor, refused to yield to the imperialists’ demands or the so-called Allies. With the help of the CIA, the imperialists overthrew the emperor and installed a puppet regime. Imperialism was not just about extending physical borders; it was also about economic pursuits, such as raw materials for industries and minerals. Oil, especially in the 20th century, was a lucrative commodity and a source of great wealth. The imperialists were determined to extend their economic position at the expense of other states that appeared weak and unable to defend themselves effectively. If a regime did not yield to the imperialists’ demands, its fate was clearly known; being overthrown from power.
Marjane would have lived a pretty comfortable life in Iran if the imperialists, with their selfish interests, had not poked into the affairs of the country. When Reza Shah was installed as king of Iran, he immediately confiscated almost everything Marjane’s great-grandfather owned (Satrapi, 2003, p. 23). This act could partly be symbolic; imperialists, often with their puppets, took away what rightfully belonged to the citizens of the countries they controlled. Imperialists looted countries’ resources, impoverishing the populations while they themselves developed their countries. Perhaps Marjane would have inherited some of the wealth of her great-grandfather. It is even a big possibility that her father would have been an emperor at one point if Marjane’s great-grandfather had not been overthrown so unceremoniously. Additionally, the country would not have been destabilized; peace would have somehow prevailed. Usually, with peace, countries can focus on developing in various aspects. However, overthrowing the regime by the imperialists created an unstable environment for citizens and foreigners who might have wished to live and invest in the country. Therefore, the imperialists’ actions affected Marjane’s life both directly and indirectly; it was her great-grandfather who had been overthrown, and the unstable political environment affected aspects such as education and self-advancement.
The revolution by the Muslim fundamentalists also changed the course of Marjane’s life. The fundamentalists changed Iran’s social life in a significant way. For instance, women and girls were now expected to wear veils, and using or possessing things from the West was banned. Marjane’s mother was harassed for not wearing a veil by fundamentalists. She says, “they insulted me. They said that women like me should be pushed up against a wall and fucked. And then thrown in the garbage…and that if I didn’t want that to happen, I should wear the veil…” (Satrapi, 2003, p. 74). People could not listen to music from the West, and anyone suspected of opposing the regime in power was arrested, tortured, and even executed. The fundamentalists had tight control of the control, striving to surveil the people and whip them into loyalty. For instance, Marjane, at one point, was arrested by the women guards for wearing sneakers and attire that was deemed to be from the West. Though she had her veil on, the guards decided she had not dressed as expected. The unbearable life marred by arrests and torture of Marjane’s relatives would later make her parents send her to Austria, where she would be safer. The Muslim fundamentalists in Iran would even revise the education curriculum to remove elements of western education. Clearly, the revolution compelled Marjane’s family to send her outside the country to secure her future and place her on a positive trajectory.
In conclusion, Marjane’s life trajectory was mainly changed by imperialism and the revolution. The imperialists somehow changed her family’s fortunes from comfort and royalty to inactivity and worry about their future. The revolution ultimately pushed Marjane outside the country to Austria. It was no longer safe to live in Iran; staying there would spell doom for her. If the imperialists had not arrived in Iran and the revolution had not taken place, Marjane would have lived in royalty, and the country might have been peaceful and stable. Marjane would never have left the country to pursue a brighter and better future.
Reference
Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis: The story of a childhood. Pantheon Books.
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