Persepolis
What is class? And how are class issues represented in Persepolis? Does Satrapi seem to have a class identity?
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posted by Erin @ 1:14 PM
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Friday, March 09, 2007
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My own definition of class is a social status someone has in a society. Satrapi realizes it at a young age that she belongs to the wealthier class in her society. She also realizes that the reason for the revolution is the difference between the classes. She says she feels ashamed to sit in her fathers caddilac and she is ashamed that she has a maid. There is a specific episode in which Satrapi writes about her views on social classes. She writes about her maid Mehri whom she grew up with. Her father is angry when he finds letters that Marjane has written for Mehri. Her father tries to explain to her why Mehri's love for their neighbor is impossible because they are required to stay within their social classes. Marjane's response to this is one of angiush. She can not understand why the place where one is born determines what social class they will be in for the rest of their life. As a young child Satrapi realizes the injustice of classes. She realizes that social classes are unimportant and she tries to demonstrate against them.
I agree with Bilma in her comment about social class. Marjane realizes that there is a huge difference in social classes. Their maid is on a different social class than Majane and her family is on. When Marjane’s father explains to her that the classes cannot mix, she is against it 100 %. She wants there to be equality and she fights for justice. She and her maid went to demonstrate against the social classes during “Black Friday”. She wants to be part of all the demonstrations that go on to show her dedication towards the war and not allow there to be anymore social classes.
One's class if based on there position in socitey. The people with more money and power are considered to be a higher class, than those without. In Persepolis, Satrapi realizes at a young age that conflict in one socitey is based on the fight between different classes. The revolution in Iran was a war between social classes. Satrapi also realizes at a young age that she belongs to a higher social class, however I do not think she enjoys being in that position. I agree with Blima's comment about the maid situation and caddilac situation. These are both good examples that show how Satrapi is in an upper class but is somewhat ashamed of it.
I find it very interesting that the emphasis of social classes begins within the familial environment. It is Satrapi's father who says "You must understand that their love was impossible." (page 37) Satrapi responds in tears that where people are born has nothing to do with the individual person. "But is it her fault that she was born where she was born???" (Page 33)
That sucks! Education should be an equal oppurtunity thing, as well, this emphasis on social class causes civil unrest. "But in fact it was really our own who had attacked us." (page 39)It's interesting how Satrapi defends her people and at the same time points to the causes of the unrest. She depicts the family's reactions to islamic fundamentalism and clarifies that not all people wanted it, especially the wealthy classes. Actually, lack of eduction is clearly the problem. It is because Reza is an illeterate low-ranking oficer (uneducated)that the Britsh sre able to brainwash him.
My definition of class is a group of people who hold the same social and economic status. In most societies, the wealthy class usually has the upper hand. The working class and the poor are often considered to be on a lower status than the wealthy class. In Persepolis, Satrapi knows, very well, that she is part of the wealthy class; thus, she certainly is aware of her own class identity. Her father owns a Cadillac and she has a maid. However, it is evident that she feels embarrassed to be so well-off. She portrays this feeling of shame in various ways. She says that she does not feel comfortable driving in her father's Cadillac, and she feels ashamed that she, unlike many other families, has a maid. Satrapi, therefore, understands at a young age, that there is a definite difference in social class, and she does not like it at all. She portrays this view in her statement, "The reason for my shame and for the revolution is the same: the difference between social class." In additon, she sympathizes with her maid, Mehri, and does not treat her with contempt, as many rich then treated the poor, rather she is very friendly with her and treats her as an equal, as a friend. As Blima pointed out, one instance in which one can perceive that Satrapi understood the effects of social class, and which also shows her friendship to her maid, was the time when she wrote letters for her maid to the boy next door. When her father finds the letters, he is extremely angry and explains to his daughter that Mehri's love for their neighbor is simply impossible because Mehri is from a lower social class and therefore must stay there. She can not marry their neighbor, who is from a higher social class, because every person must remain within his class. At first, Satrapi is confused and does not understand why someone should be treated differently because they were born in a low class. Her response to her father is that she believes that it is not a person's fault that they were born in a specific class. However, she soon begins to realize that there are injustices in social class and she perceives the unfairness that comes along with these injustices. She knows that it is that, the injustice of the separate classes, that caused the revolution in Iran. She wants to go and demonstrate against the injustice and she is overjoyed when she goes with her maid to participate in a demonstration on Black Friday.
Satrapi has proven herself to be wise beyond her years, for she understands at a young age the social injustices in the society she lived in. As an only child, she is extremely observant and picks up information about the current event of Iran, and conflicting views of Islamic Fundementalism as well as the Revolution at that time from adults around her such as her father, her mother, her grandmother and her uncle. It seems to me that a child who is so knowledgeable about the society around him or her, is a very wise child, and like Satrapi, has an inner desire to change his or her society for the better, and attempt to ameliorate society's injustices.
A class is a group of people who identify themselves with common characteristics, backgrounds, or attributes. In Persepolis, Satrapi is identified with the upper class. She realizes this at a young age. In fact, she points out that the cause for the revolution was the difference in classes. She then feels guilty that she is among the rich and is embarrised to ride in her father's Caddilac. She comes to understand - but cannot accept - that her maid cannot be with her neighbor for difference in classes. She is very frustrated with how her society works, and with the revolution as a whole. As Rachel and Vivian have mentioned, Satrapi put the effort into trying to reverse the effects of the differences in social classes, by participating in the demonstration on "Black Friday."
A class is a group of people who identify themselves with common characteristics, backgrounds, or attributes. In Persepolis, Satrapi is identified with the upper class. She realizes this at a young age. In fact, she points out that the cause for the revolution was the difference in classes. She then feels guilty that she is among the rich and is embarrised to ride in her father's Caddilac. She comes to understand - but cannot accept - that her maid cannot be with her neighbor for difference in classes. She is very frustrated with how her society works, and with the revolution as a whole. As Rachel and Vivian have mentioned, Satrapi put the effort into trying to reverse the effects of the differences in social classes, by participating in the demonstration on "Black Friday."
My definition of class is a group of people bounded by similar living conditions and the same social status.
As it is illustatedin "Perspolis",there' always been a matter of class in any given society at any given time in the history of any given human siciety.
That was the case in the satrapi's native country. Though she was against it.She thought that it was unjust for someone to be condamned to saty all their lifetime long within the social class that they were born, regardless their skills and intelligence.
I found it the right action to be taken for changes to happen. So she decided to join the revolutionary demonstration despite her young age, gender and social status. It was such an important part in the sense that in most of the muslim countries women are, in addition to social division based on class, they are victim of another unjust discrimination based on gender.
As she demonstrated (in page 43) Iranians were not only suffering from internal social problems, but there was the manoeuvers of some other countries such as the United States. It was interesting to point out what has been always the case in oil riche countries: the lack of peace, stability and unity. << In any case, as long as there is oil in the Middle East we will never have peace.>> As of today not only oil riche countries, but also diamond riche ones are in trouble for having natural resources.
As a good educated woman, satrapi always wanted to use her knoweldge to empower and help the needy people. She showed that by taking part in demonstrations and in some cases expressing her disagreement with her parents. She was doing it just to transform the society and minimize the differences and unjustice established between individuals based on social rank.
class is your social status of your society and where you stand. i think satrapi understands in the middle of the book that she comes from a wealthy family because her father has a cadilac and she has a maid. i think she is confused by the fact that her maid is in love with her neighbor because it is impossible for it to work out since they are from different classes. i think marhi's response is that she doesnt agree with her father when he gets mad because she really believes that everyone should be equal no matter what class you are from and she is very close to her maid.
My definition on social classes is identified by ones role in there community/society. In Persepolis social classes play a big role since a main reason for the revolution we are reading about is the difference in social class. Through out the book Satrapi begins to become familiar with her families status and that is of wealth. She becomes ashamed that she has a maid and that she is not allowed to eat with the family, she doesnt like being seen riding in her fathers caddilac and we as readers also see there level of wealth when they pick up and move to Europe for a short while. Satrapi is very close with her maid Mehri and refuses to accept the fact that Mehri cannot be in love with the boy next door due to the difference in there social roles. she becomes very upset and marches down to the demonstration to fight against this injustice.
Class has to do with your social standing in society. Satrapi does have a class identity. She is a part of a wealthier class. And you notice the class differences when she tells the story about Mehri, her maid. At first though, she doesn't take notice of this difference. Her maid falls in love with the neighbor boy and Marjane writes notes for Mehri to him. When her Marjane's parents find the letters and realize that it is in her handwriting, they try to explain to her that Mehri and the neighbor boy wouldn't work out because she is just a maid. So this shows that class is an issue. And the love the maid had for the neighbor was how it was represented in Persepolis.
I think class is certified by what family you are born into and what possesions you have. This is represented in Perepolis, when it shows that, Mehri, the maid, is of lower class. We understand that Mehri is from lower class when we see she can not be in love with the boy next door. I agree with Satrapi and think that this is totally unfair.
I believe social class is based on what the society praises. If money is power in your society, then the rich are obviously going to be deemed top class; if it is by race, then the majority will be the high class, no matter what their income is. However, in this memoir, it is money. Satrapi realizes this when she learns that her maid and her neighbor cannot be together because of their different "social class" according to their society. The content of character and personality mean nothing when your rank is lower than that of your suitor. Satrapi learns this horrible truth and is both angered and hurt by it; angered because of it's unfairness and hurt because of what it did to her beloved maid, whom she considered her sister. She therefore joined the "Black Friday" demonstrations against her parents will because she knew they would not understand. She was totally against this type of prejudice; money could and should not put a value on a person.
I believe class is a balance between one's education, financial status and level of refinement. If you're missing one of these you may still be of the "upper class" but in my opinion you really dont have any class. Satrapi is obviously unhappy with the fact that her father drives a Cadillac and that her maid can not eat with the family at the table. She can not understamd why social status has to get in the way of two people who are in love (THE LETTER Pg. 33) . I think feelings like these contribute to Satrapis admiration of Marx and his desire to abolish the idea of social classes.
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