How would you feel if you were an outsider? Being an outsider can be very difficult at times, especially if you are an outsider in your own society. In the book Persepolis, Marjane demonstrates the theme of being an outsider in many ways. She is different from many of her peers, who may not agree with some of the things she does. Marjane demonstrates throughout the book how she is not afraid of consequences and breaking the law. Also, Marjane believes in equality and that social classes should not exist, which is a very different opinion than most citizens in Iran. Lastly, Marjane is given a lot of freedom and her parents encourage her rebellious behavior. Many of Marjane's actions demonstrate how she could be considered an outsider.
One way that Marjane demonstrates the theme of being an outsider is that she is not afraid of consequences. As a young woman growing up in Iran in the 1980s, there were many laws that prohibited citizens from doing many things. While most people followed those laws, Marjane was not afraid to break them. For example, one Iranian law during the time of the war was that woman had to wear long, black veils that covered most of their bodies, including their hair. Marjane loved punk rock clothing, so she was not going to let the law get in her way of expressing herself in the way she dressed. Most people would have worn their punk clothes under their veil, but one day, Marjane decided to go out wearing a denim jacket, a Michael Jackson pin, and punk boots. The guardians of the revolution caught her, and she had to make up a big, exaggerated story in order to not get into serious trouble. By disobeying the laws and not caring about her consequences, Marjane demonstrates how she is an outsider.
Another way in which Marjane demonstrates the theme of being an outsider is that she believes in equality. Many people in Iran during the 1980s believed that it was important to have social classes.
