Persepolis-Die a hero or be alive in jail?

[Alex Steinroeder]

In Persepolis, Marjane is very caught up in the whole idea of
representing a group of people by fighting those who oppress them. She
calls this person a hero or a martyr. Given the circumstances of the
oppression in Iran at the time, would you rather fight for your
beliefs to the point of possible death or would you rather stay out of
it altogether just like Marjane's dad? Her friend Pardisse had her
father killed in the plane missions and according to Pardisse she
would have obviously rather had her dad alive and be viewed as maybe a
coward rather than be a dead hero. Is it selfish to fight if it means
possibly leaving behind a family and children? Or is it selfless to
give yourself up for the cause and fight for your beliefs?

[Lucy Fandel]

this one is difficult because either way the parents are sacrificing
something. If her dad had died fighting, the family would have been
devastated though he may have felt he was creating a better world for
them. By staying at home he could be sure to keep his family intact
and safe, but at the same time he would be living in a place were his
values are being contradicted. From the point of view of the child
loosing her father, his actions may seem selfish but understanding the
full situation shows us that his actions were selfless.

[sophia]

I agree with Lucy. Its almost a lose lose situation. If the father
goes to fight for a better future he risks his life and leaving his
family behind. But if he does not fight then he risks leaving the
country with a future that will not be good for his children. It all
depends on the situation that your family is in. It may be heroic to
die for your country but it can be considered selfish to your family.

[Dominic Ryder]

I think that the answer to this question depends entirely on the
person involved. one person might find it easier to fight for their
contry or beliefs on the battlefront, leaving their friends and family
behind. another might prefer to stay with their family, and protect
and provide for them as best they can. Either choice has its
difficulties, and requires its own type of courage. most of all, I
think that neither is entirely selfless, nor entirely selfish.

[jmcke...@colonial.net]

Given their circumstances, being a living "coward" is the preferable
option. It seems that that culture, or at least that particular
political climate had an over emphasis on being a martyr, or giving
your life up for some cause. This is shown when Marjane visits the
hospital and sees the crowd outside carrying people off as martyrs
when they died of cancer. Combined with the scene of the killed
children with keys around their necks, I can't see how any cause one
is willing to die for is anything more than cultural pressure and
brainwashing. Those who remain unwilling to throw their lives away
just see this fight for what it really is, a facade.

[Phil Lavely]

I couldn't agree more with Jimmy. As he said, the best of example of
the rampant desire to be and celebrate a marty is when dead people
(who have died of cancer), are taken out of the hospital, yet they are
still cheered on and revered. I'm sure some kind of "crowd mind"
physocology is present when everyone is so riled up, and it can be
hard to fight that. They are no just fighting people, they are
fighting crazed individuals that won't allow sense or logic to be
bestowed upon them. This, at least for this circumstance, seems to me
to be a fight to avoid due to the nature. Being a "coward" seems to be
more logical, at least much more so the hostile violence or action.
Beating something peacefully or truly fairly, even politically, is
much stronger than winning by force. There will always be contempt for
the other. I think Jimmy's last sentence is right on, and the best
paraphrase of what's going on.

On Nov 30, 10:56 pm, "jmckenn...@colonial.net"

[richard...@comcast.net]

Although to die for your country is noble, what about the people you
leave behind? Isn't it selfish to leave them alone without anyone to
help them during this time of trouble. For Marjane's dad, it would
make more sense to move to Austria with Marjane and his wife. There
they could all be together and also be safe. Getting your self killed
is not going to affect only yourself but everyone around you, staying
with your family and keeping them safe is being a hero.

[richard...@comcast.net]

I dont think its a lose lose sitution, leaving the country with his
familiy may sacrifice his country, but he's main goal is to protect
his family. He can hope that one day he can return to his country when
things change, one man is not going to change the government and how
its ruled. I think that in the book, Maranje's father made a mistake
by not going with her to Austria.

[Lucas Morrill]

Marjane's father made the wrong decision to stay in Iran. He left is
daughter on her own and did not stand up for what was right. He
should've stayed with her to ensure that she could live her life to
the fullest. Also, he did not stand up for what he thought was right.
In this situation one must show what they truly think about something.
With an unpopular regime a true hero would fight back and ensure that
change would be made rather than send his daughter off to go flee

[chloe]

I agree with Richard, dying won't necessarily prove that anything
different will happen in their government or country. All it is, is a
another dead body that has sacraficed for no reason since not much
will change if everyone that is willing to fight for change would
rather die, then stay alive and fight and watch things change before
them. which is the over all reasoning of becoming a hero, being able
to witness whatever it is, is much more valuable.

On Dec 1, 8:26 am, "richardplehm...@comcast.net"

[Jake White]

Personally I believe that family comes first. I think that if you are
faced with a decision of whether to put your life on the line for a
cause that you believe in or stay at home with your family and stay
safe, you must stay with and support your family. I think it is along
the lines of being selfish to go out and fight for an ideal in which
you believe in and put your life at risk while doing so because if you
are to die you leave your family forever without thinking of how it
hurts them.