Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis Book Report

When they hear the words Iran or Islam most Americans probably think of terrorism or 9/11. They associate Iran with what they have seen in the news lately, as it pertains to violence in the Middle East. In best-selling graphic novel Persepolis, author Marjane Satrapi attempts to show us that not all Iranians are extremists and that they don't all want to hurt other cultures. Her goal is to show that they rather, simply want to live their lives and enjoy time spent with family and friends. Having this as a goal however, does not mean that in writing her book Satrapi changed everyone's mind. The challenge that stands in her way is that people's minds have been imprinted with the horrific actions that a few people have committed in the name of their religion. These events include the attack on the Twin Towers, the Boston Marathon

Throughout the book author Marjane Satrapi tries to show us that not all Iranians are extremist and that not all Iranians want to hurt other cultures. She offers a viewpoint on a subject matter that most people come in with a fixed mindset about. The challenge that stood and still stands in her way today, is that the view that has been reinforced over and over again in people's minds from the media’s portrayal of the actions of a few religious extremists is so powerful. Satrapi is trying to separate those extremists from the rest of the Iranian people in our minds. “This is why writing Persepolis was so important to me. I believe that entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists. I also don't want those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending Freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suffered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and leave their Homeland to be forgotten. One can forgive but one should never forget.”- Marjane Satrapi Paris September