Marjane Satrapi

Grew Up… in Tehran, Iran. Marjane had a relatively happy childhood. Her mother and father were intelligent, well-read and well-respected. However, when the Islamic Revolution started, their family’s peace was shattered.

Living… in changing times. Free-sprited Marjane hates having to wear her veil, and she hates the repressive girl’s school that she has to attend. Breaking the rules can have terrible consequences – but when the people in charge change so often, it’s hard to tell what the rules are, or which cause you are supposed to be supporting.

Profession… student. Marjane doesn’t care for the religious education that she is receiving and instead tries to educate herself. Her favorite books include a comics version of Dialectical Materialism, and books by Descartes and Marx, among others.

Interests… socialism and rock and roll. Marjane wants to rebel against the oppression of the current government, but it’s too dangerous to do it openly. So she does it at home, blasting her illegally-obtained cassettes and hanging posters on her wall.

Relationship Status… single. Marjane’s still young, and it’s not like there’s a lot of opportunity for flirting in her religious single-sex school.

Challenge… to survive growing up in a war zone. The government is in constant chaos, and bombs are dropping on Iran. Her family and friends are not safe. How is she supposed to become a strong, independent adult if she can never express herself?

Personality… bold, blunt, and curious, Marjane is never one to follow the rules just because someone told her to. She eagerly absorbs all the knowledge she can, and listens carefully to the wisdom her parents dispense, even if she doesn’t understand it completely yet.