Persepolis 2

The Austrian part of her life came to an end, Marjane returns to Iran and was welcomed by loads of visitors, but still felt lonely. It took longer than expected for her to adapt, with the Iranian streets named after martyrs and being filled with posters of veiled women. (Persepolis 2, pg. 96) Marjane fell into a deep depression, attempted to commit suicide twice but failed on each try.

She then decided to take matters into her own hands, getting a makeover and taking on aerobics. (Persepolis 2, pgs. 119-121) In April 1989, Marjane attended a party where she met Reza, “the man she would marry 2 years later.” (Persepolis 2, pg. 124) In September 1989, Reza and Marjane started college, reminding them that while unmarried, they cannot publicize their relationship at school. (Persepolis 2, pg. 138)

During the regime, laws were strict, and many youths having been imprisoned for it, Marjane and people of her age resisted in subtle ways, such as by wearing make-up, showing their wrists, or listening to Walkman. (Persepolis 2, pg. 148) Even her college arts class no longer allowed nudes to be drawn, and as a result Marjane and her classmates were drawing veiled women. (Persepolis 2, pg. 145). To live a life as normal as possible, they “partied almost every night.” (Persepolis 2, pg. 152)

The Guardians of the Revolution would still sometimes catch them and throw them in jail, but Marjane’s parents would bail them out (so much so that they actually get used to it after a while!).

Sadly, there was one night when things did not go as expected, when the party was busted, the boys got up on the roof to run away and Farzad, one of the boys, fell off one of the buildings and died. (Persepolis 2, pg. 155) In 1994, Marjane and Reza got engaged but within a month their marriage deteriorated. After this episode, Marjane’s dad got her new books and she spent time with an older crowd of people, always aiming to educate herself. (Persepolis 2, pg 173)

Marjane and Reza were approached by their professor for being the top 2 students, and they were assigned a project to work on together.

They were both so into the project that they put their differences aside and didn't “even fight once.” (Persepolis 2, pg. 174) Marjane’s story concludes with her announcing her divorce from Reza to him and to her parents, and her decision to go to France in September ‘94, but this time for good. It was also one of the last few times she got to see her grandmother, who died a few years after. (Persepolis 2, pg. 187)