While the question asks about the 1979 revolution, any big event in history doesn’t happen at one time. The revolution took place in 1970’s and early 1980’s. This revolution, which has been looked at globally, can be broken down into different categories. As I try to cover the many things that lead up to, and are caused by, such a big event I will discuss the major differences between those aspects of the revolution, before and after, or the lack of a difference. Personally, I think the 1979 revolution was transformative. Persepolis tells us about this with aspects of culture and social classes.
In 1979, the Iranian people believed that the Shah was overpowered and overlooked mass casualties, and the Iranian people had finally had enough. The Shah, Mohammad Reza, was the son of the former Shah, Reza Shah. Reza Shah transformed the system of traditional Islamic culture to that of the western world. This shocked many of the traditional Iranians. Because of this, Marjane speaks of how she noticed the revolution with her newfound veil. One of the biggest effects of the Iranian Revolution was the cultural norms.
The Iranian culture was greatly impacted by the leaving of an old Shah and the coming of a new one. We see in the text the original customs of the Shah. The new Iranian Nationalist that took over the Shah believed that in order to fit in with the rest of the world, they must have capitalistic tendencies. A few examples of these tendencies are that every family must own a car, the maid must eat at a different table, the schools are bi-lingual and religious, and the freedom of both sexes. We learn from the text that at this time, traditional Islamic Iranian Culture is being defied.
Not only was the traditional culture defied, the political boundaries were overthrown as well. According to Marjane’s father, (Satrapi, 19) “50 years ago, the father of the shah, who was a soldier, organized a putsch to overthrow the emperor and install a republic.” At the time, a republic was popular in the region even though, Gandhi, Ataturk and many others interpreted it in their own ways. The father of the shah wanted to do the same thing. Unfortunately, he wasn’t educated, nor was he a leader of men and in those times, you had to be both or chosen by God, in order to become king. The father of the shah was an illiterate low-ranking officer. (Satrapi , 20). The British soon learned of his, the father of the shah, projects. They believed the country to be rich and Persia to be full of oil. Soon after a man visited the father of the shah and convinced him that he could be emperor if he gave the British the oil. This oil industry later became BP oil. This example from Persepolis clearly explains the hypocrisy that was going on before the revolution.
The outcome of the revolution freed 3000 political prisoners including, Siamak Jari and Mohsen Shakiba. These two young men were imprisoned for rebelling against the government. In prison, the young men were tortured beyond recognition with irons, their bodies whipped, and their fingernails pulled out. These two men were the only ones Marjane’s family knew. (Satrapi, 47).
Marjane’s point of view in the book Persepolis exemplifies a transformative revolution, but for her sake, not in a good way. The revolutions did bring changes to the Islamic state but not the ones they were hoping and demonstrating for. After coming back to her home land, Marjane was punished for wearing western style of clothing, that ultimately led to her expulsion. This example proves that, even though the revolutionaries were fighting for freedom, traditional beliefs were still the deciding factor in the outcome of the revolution.
The guardians of the revolution, this women’s branch had been added in 1982 to arrest women who were improperly dressed. This group is another reason why the Islamic revolution was not as transformative as it could have been. Marjane is stopped on the street because of the way she looks. The two ladies who stop her, then examine her from head to toe. The “punk” style shoes and the jean jacket ends up getting Marjane in trouble and forced to appear in front of a committee. Luckily, for Marjane, the lady either believed her lie, or she just pretended to believe her, but the lady finally let her go. Marjane ends up at home and in a tyrant matter plays songs from the western world. (Satrapi, 133).
Personally, this book has opened, not only my eyes, but the eyes of everyone in the entire world. Persepolis, the book of a childhood allows outsiders to understand the impact the revolution had on ordinary families. It examined the day to day life of a little 10-year-old girl. This girl who would ultimately stand up for herself and others in part of the revolution. I believe that the Islamic revolution was in fact transformative in providing the Islamic state in one of the first steps they’ll need in order to start the structure needed for a republic. There will be more revolutions and non-violent protests in order to get the government to hear their cries for justice. I learned in one of my political science classes that the western world spends huge amounts of money in order to give the country peace. This should not be the case in a sense that not every country runs, for example, like the United States. We are finally at a point in which we are a true democracy. This did not just come about from nothing, tons of battles and many world wars got us to where the United States is today. The Islamic revolution is just one more step in the right direction for the freedom of the people of Iran. This revolution was in 1979, since then there have been wars and battle fought, losing ones and winning ones. Even if the Iranian people were to receive help from an outside source, like the U.S., they will ultimately have to make the final decision on their own.