Persepolis and the Complexity of Subjectivities

Persepolis is a French semi-autobiographical film written by an Iranian woman, Marjane Satrapi. Originally a comic, the film illustrates the struggle of Marji (Satrapi’s young-self) and her family during the Iranian revolution during the 1970s. The story follows Marji through the development of her identity and multiple subjectivities. Although literary theory engages in many different interrelated theories and frameworks (Gray 2010:63), I will focus on the multiple subjectivities of Marji and the concept of diegesis in an analysis of Persepolis.

Literary theory emerged from the analysis during the shift from pre-modern to modern narratives. During this time, there was a drastic change in belief, thought and society; a shift from feudal to democratic, religious to secular societies (Gray 2010:63). As a result, the formation of modern subjectivity and its relationships to the modern narrative changed. The author became involved in the structuring of the story by choosing whose point of view to promote and when, in order to establish authority (Gray 2010:63). Satrapi claimed the authority of Persepolis by telling the story of herself and her family, from her point of view. She reflects as an adult, on her story as a child, teenager and young adult. Therefore, the story is a reconstruction of an older voice reflecting on a younger one. In this, the author/filmmaker became a character or internal lecturer (Gray 2010:63). Satrapi chooses to promote her own point of view, during a time of reflection and reconstruction.

The narrative convention of upmost importance to literary theory is the formulation of subjectivities, both of the individual and the state (Gray 2010:63). The trailer to Persepolis opens with Marji saying “my ties to Iran have always been and will always be profound.” The film follows Marji’s development of a self-conscious individual awareness of the self (Gray 2010:63) and her simultaneous awareness of her relationship to Iran. Initially, the audience can view Marji’s maturing as a young woman. In a comical dance sequence to “Eye of the Tiger” Marji becomes and empowered subject with the will to fight back against the gender roles expected of her in Iran.

Eventually, when the revolution enters a state of war, Marji’s parents force her to immigrate and go to school in France. When her parents are saying good bye at the airport her father tells her to “never forget who you are and where you come from.” As she continues to mature into a young woman, she also begins to grapple with her identity as an Iranian woman in an unfamiliar nation. During a scene where Marji has met a potential love interest, she tells the man that she is French and denies her identity as an Iranian.

Literary theory also considers the concept of diegesis and the subject. Diegesis is how the audience becomes involved with the “world of the film.” An audience may gain an understanding of the diegesis, or feel involved within the “world of the film” through the subjective portrayal of characters, actions and events. Satrapi makes this possible with a thorough set up of the time, place and events which lead up to the Iranian revolution and the Islamic Republic and the Shah. However, most importantly Satrapi illustrates Marji’s complexity as a character and her development as she matures.