Persepolis.

The history in Iran was taught in Persepolis in a great way. It starts out in 1980 when Marji was ten years old. Marji comes from a very liberal family, yet they have a decadent lifestyle (Marji's dad owns a Cadillac). Marji explains a year before, a revolution took place called “The Islamic Revolution", and a year later (1980) it became mandatory to wear The Veil. Also in 1980 all bilingual schools were shut down and Marji found herself separated from her friends. Before The Revolution she dreamed of becoming the last prophet and talked to god every night before bed. Marji’s reasons for wanting to be the last prophet were very veritable, she wanted to be a prophet because her maid did not eat with them and she did not understand why, because her father drove a Cadillac and others didn’t drive at all, and her grandmothers’ knees always ached. Marji was surrounded by news of her country and demonstrations her parents went to protesting The Shah. Marji found herself reading books to learn more about her country and the world, she learned about the kids in Palestine, Fidel Castro, and The Vietnamese being killed by Americans. Marji thought she was very educated on what was going on and aspired to demonstrate on the streets like her parents. Her mother and father did not want Marji to demonstrate on the streets because it was too dangerous, often they would come home hurt and tired and did not want the same happening to Marji. Marji did not understand so she became very upset. Soon God stopped visiting her, and Marji learns from her father that God did not choose The King, but 50 years ago Reza wanted to create a Republic but was discouraged by the British and traded oil to become Emperor and later his son succeeded him. Marji then realizes that she didn't understand anything as much about her country as she thought, so she read even more. Her favorite author was Ali Ashraf, he wrote very sad stories that made Marji realized why she was ashamed of her decadent lifestyle. He wrote stories of kids who worked at the age of nine and had no parents. Marji had never worked a day in her life and realized why she was so ashamed.
We then learn about Mehri, her families maid. In the beginning of The Revolution, in 1978, Mehri fell in love with the neighbors son, they had a very clandestine love affair that only Marji knew about. Mehri, the maid did not know how to read or write so Marji wrote letters for her every week for six months until Marji’s father found out. Marji’s father spoke to Hoessin, their neighbor and informed him that Mehri was not his daughter but his maid. Hoessin quickly gave him all of her letters and said he did not want to continue seeing Mehri. Marji becomes very upset because she realizes that Hoessin did not like Mehri anymore because they were not from the same social class. The next day Mehri and Marji go and protest on the streets against her parents wishes. Marji went to demonstrate on the worst day, "Black Friday" (1979). After Black Friday massacre after massacre occurred and The Shah was no longer in reign. We then learn about two political prisoners who were freed after The Shah's exile. Martyrs named Siamak Jari, and Mohsen Shakiba. Just as Marji starts to feel like her family has no heroes like Siamak, and Mohsen her secular uncle Anoosh comes to town from Moscow. After learning about her uncles past a dew days later he was accused of being a Russian spy and was put into prison for nine years. Soon after Mohsen, the martyr was found murdered in his bathtub and Siamak's sister was murdered in place of Siamak. After this the Iran-Iraq war started, (Iraq invaded Iraq). Young boys were being drafted into the army and dying, Iran had a very large reservoir of young proletariat soldiers waiting to go to war. During this time Marji gets older and even more rebellious. Her parents then decide that it would be best if Marji goes to school in Vienna. The book ends as she is leaving the country.

When Marji goes to Vienna I think that she will be very educated, of course there will be a bit of a culture shock. But more importantly I don't think that her mother and father will come and visit her in six months as promised. Marji will also record her experiences I think time will pass and she will become even more educated and "free". I think her experiences in Vienna will eventually lead her back to her home. She will then reunite with her family.