An Analysis of the Symbols and Themes of Persepolis, a Graphic Novel by Marjane Satrapi Essay

Symbol and Theme in PersepolisOne symbol in the latter half of the graphic novel is cigarettes and smoking. In Marjanes life, choosing to smoke is something she first does with friends, and later with her mother, that connects her to people. When anything to do with smoking is first introduced, it is at Marjanes first party in Vienna, and she is shown to be unfamiliar with it entirely. Later, with her friends, she smokes different drugs, and at first she doesnt truly inhale them. This represents how she acts in order to try to fit in with them, although she isnt truly being herself. When her mother coaxes her into giving her a cigarette when she visits, the two bond over the enjoyment. Then later, as Marjane becomes friends with Ingrid, she takes part in either smoking or taking drugs. The two spend time either meditating or tripping. In all of these scenes, a substance of some sort is passed between Marjane and a friend or family member, and it is a symbol of the type of relationship between them.An overarching theme in Persepolis is that although our beliefs about the world change, where we came from will never change. As Marjane experiences highs and lows, the way she views the world changes. When she is a child, she believes in God and wants to be a prophet. When she is a teen, she rebels against the oppressive government and begins to dream of the options a new society could give. When she arrives in Vienna as a young adult, she learns of communist and anarchical ideals, which shape her thinking. Her various relationships have effects on her, and at one point her depression seems to define her. In the end, despite her feelings of being too Western for Iran and too Iranian for the West, she still has the cultural heritage of her youth. Iran is a part of her, and before leaving it...