Monday, October 12, 2009

Indoctrination & Persepolis -- American Lit 261 -- Comments?

Questions posed by Audrey Cody for American Lit 261:

While reading Persepolis, the single thing that impressed upon me the most was the Islamic regime's takeover of government. I tended to reflect on their society and ours in America.

One scene shows how the public schools effectively indoctrinate children to political belief systems.

Can you name a few points in the book in which Marjane was either confused by, or convinced of, beliefs other than those shared by her family and/or her upbringing? What are your thoughts about these instances? Do they make you question what you have learned in public schools?

How can the indoctrination of the children in Persepolis be compared to our own experiences? For example, in the chapter, "Water Cell," Marjane told her dad that the Shah was sent by God. This was a blunder according to her parents, but Marjane adhered to what she was taught in school.

To view full analysis, go to http://studentanalysisofpersepolis.blogspot.com

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. ...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on...or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when we were free.” -- Ronald Reagan

1 comment:

Damon Schmidt said...

Karl Marx’s concepts of Dialectic Materialism are probably what drove the violent 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran in an attempt by the proletariat to make its monarchial government a republic. As a result, however, school children are forced with extra political indoctrinations and oppressive religious convictions. During this time, parents either had to allow it, or put up a fight in teaching their kids what was truth and suffer the violent consequences as a result. Sometimes obtaining truth and holding onto it for future generations never happens without a sacrifice or fight.
The violence that occurred in the demonstrations shows the extent of the tyrannical control of the government. It was over simple things we take for granted such as free dress expression, support to new political classes (especially the less in stature), freedom of celebration, and even particular media tools to hear different perspectives of world-wide current events. The graphics of such events told in conversation format depicted the extent of emotional stress that they dealt with as if you were actually there going through it yourself.
Some decisions Marjane made were controversial, such as the extent of partying and drug usage while she suppressed her identity in Austria, or her thoughts on marriage and even how she handled her own marriage. Although these decisions may be controversial, her life displays honor and commendability for her outspokenness, while her peers kept silent. The result was freedom versus slavery in the end.