“The Complete Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi (pgs.299-341)
The Socks
In class, it was hard to draw a picture of a woman showing nothing at all. Eventually, the professors approved of the women drawing a structure with its limbs are visible. However, Satrapi got in trouble for sculpting a men after school hours. These restrictions are unbearable! Later, the boys and girls would meet outside of school to do some real drawing. One day Satrapi was running down the street trying to catch the bus, when she was stopped by a guardian because her butt was moving too much while she was running. ARE THESE PEOPLE SERIOUS??!!! I could never live like this… She ever got in trouble for wearing red socks! Later in class, Satrapi faces judgement again about her sexual life among her classmates. She tells them that she is on the pill because she has sex with her boyfriend. During this time, there were many parties and many trips to jail for partying. One night at a party, the guardians killed Farzad. Satrapi faced his death with drinking more than usual.
The Wedding
Reza proposed to Satrapi, but she isn’t sure of her decision just yet. So she talks it over with her father to gain insight. After her talk with her father, she decided to get married. Ebi took the couple out to dinner to celebrate the new. At dinner, Ebi told Reza 3 major things he needed to know about Satrapi and marriage. Satrapi makes a side note that her father knew their marriage wouldn’t last, and according to her he was right. Once Satrapi mother returned from Vancouver, she started planning the wedding. Then came the day of the wedding, there were many tears and laughter. After the wedding when the couple returned to their apartment, Satrapi felt a sense of regret and from that day things between her and Reza worsen by the second. They no longer hung out together or spoke to one another without angry. The couple couldn’t face the fact that they had failed at marriage.
The Satellite
In the beginning of the chapter, Satrapi is mistaken for a prostitute by a Kuwaiti immigrant. And there is war between Iraq and Kuwait. The war tickles Satrapi and her father, especially the timid Europeans. On the other hand, it’s Fariborz new satellite that has the attention of Satrapi and her friends. They were so excited because it was the first time they were able to view something that wasn’t dictated by their government. Sooner or later, their fun was ruin when the government forbidden satellites. However, those who had a satellite before the ban was enforced kept their satellite hidden during the day. Satrapi was enjoying the satellite TV so much that her father pulled her aside for a talk. In his talk, he told Satrapi that she is losing herself in the tube. Immediately, she becomes defensive and storms out the house. Eventually, she came to her senses and apologized to her father, and she took his advice.
The End
This was by far the best chapter of the book, and not just because I am finally done but Satrapi is FREE! The chapter begins with Satrapi and Reza working on the theme park project. The two worked on this project for a year. And this was the first time in awhile that they didn’t argue. They were so distracted with the project that they felt normal. Once the project was complete, the professor was blown away by their work. The professor told them that it was student like her and Reza that gave him hope for the future. Only if he saw their home life before the project!! The professor suggested that they present the painting to the Mayor to be put to use. However, the Mayor denied the painting because of the usage of women on animals. Shortly after being turned down by the Mayor, Satapi realized that she no longer loved Reza. DIVORCE?! She talked about her thoughts/decision with a girlfriend and Grandma. As usually, her girlfriend gave her horrible advance; where as, Grandma had to the words of true wisdom. SO SHE WAITED!! Until one day, Reza approached her asking her to give their love a shot and move to France. At this point, Satrapi knew their love was at the end, so she asked for a divorce without any REGRET! The next day, she went to tell the news to her parents about the divorce but wanting to move to France. As Ebi had said before, he and Satrapi mother was delighted to hear the news. Okay so this is where I fell in love with this book, Satrapi gets into an art school in France, and she no longer has a tourist visa. Her Grandma comes with her to the airport for the first time to say GOODBYE! SATRAPI IS A FREE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF HER COUNTRY!! Side note: The relationship between her and her family is so special but rare in my generation. Her family is accepting and believe in making your own choices. Today, many children don’t have this…
aelamblog 
Marji does make the point in The Socks that if people are worried about small things like red socks getting them in trouble, they have no time left over to question WHY the regime does all of these oppressive things to the citizens.
What did you make of HOW Satrapi chose to tell us about her friend falling to his death while fleeing the Guardians? Did you move faster through it? Did you have to go back and look at it more than once?
Two of the images that really stay with me from the end of the book are the prison bars over Marji’s face as soon as she’s married and then how the butcher, the baker, the guy on the street all leer at the divorced woman because they think they have a shot with her.