Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return

by

Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return: The Convocation Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Marjane starts school in September of 1989. She’s very excited. On the way to school, she and Reza discuss whether they can tell anyone they’re dating. Reza insists they can’t; they’ll both be kicked out. Marjane tells the reader that Reza is exaggerating, but only a little—the university does separate men from women, though people still try to flirt from across the room. As Marjane sits in on her first art history class, she realizes that many of her classmates took the prep courses together. In his lecture, the male professor insists that Arab art and architecture is actually “art of the Islamic empire.” Marjane finds it funny that the new regime is just as senselessly patriotic as the old one.
Possibly because Marjane has spent more time in Europe (where she wasn’t hearing and internalizing Iranian propaganda), it’s easier for her to recognize the current regime’s hypocrisy. Marjane’s perspective situates her as an outsider, even as she seems to integrate into the student body. Meanwhile, Marjane also makes it clear that the regime’s controls aren’t as effective as the regime thinks they are. For instance, men and women still flirt with each other, even if they’re not supposed to.
Themes
Identity, Culture, and Self-Expression Theme Icon
Gender and Oppression Theme Icon
Over lunch, Marjane gets to know her female classmates. She thinks they’re very funny until they say that Reza is cute. Two classmates though, Shouka and Niyoosha, introduce themselves. Niyoosha teases Marjane about having lived abroad—she can tell Marjane hasn’t been in Iran long by the way she wears her veil. To the reader, Marjane explains that arranging one’s veil is a science. She also shares that two years after this moment, Niyoosha’s future husband forbade her from spending time with Marjane—in his eyes, Marjane is amoral.
Making friends with Shouka and Niyoosha helps Marjane feel more at home while she’s at school. Even if she can’t admit that she and Reza are together, she can still find a sense of belonging among other classmates. The fact that Marjane struggles to wear her veil suggests that she’s still an outsider and that she still chafes under the regime’s rules.
Themes
Identity, Culture, and Self-Expression Theme Icon
Gender and Oppression Theme Icon
At this time, women gain a bit more freedom every year. Veils slowly shorten and women show increasingly more hair. Marjane learns to tell what a woman looks like under her veil, and she can tell how progressive women are by how much skin they show. When she gets home after her first day, Marjane is thrilled that her grandmother is there. Her grandmother gives Marjane a gift: a cotton headscarf so she doesn’t get too hot. Marjane thinks at first that her grandmother forgave her, but her grandmother hasn’t.
Marjane and her classmates resist in some of the only ways they can. They technically follow the rules, but only enough to avoid negative attention. Even if Marjane’s grandmother is disgusted with Marjane’s actions, she still cares about her granddaughter. She understands that being disappointed is enough—she doesn’t have to neglect Marjane to make her point.
Themes
Growing Up and Growing Old Theme Icon
Identity, Culture, and Self-Expression Theme Icon
Gender and Oppression Theme Icon
A week later, Marjane’s new friends trick her into admitting she’s dating Reza. The director interrupts their conversation, however, to announce a required meeting at the main campus for all students. The main campus is far more repressive than the art college; for instance, there are separate staircases for men and women at the auditorium. One of Marjane’s friends explains that this is so male students can’t ogle female students’ bottoms as they climb stairs. When all the students are seated, a man lectures them on their “moral and religious conduct.” He says that they must honor the martyrs. Women must do this by wearing longer headscarves, narrower pants, and by not wearing makeup.
As Marjane describes the art campus versus the main campus, it becomes clear that the art school is a bubble of progressivism in Tehran. Though the art department technically follows the rules by separating male and female students, Marjane also probably feels more at home there than she does elsewhere on campus. It’s telling that the speaker supposedly addresses all students—but he narrows in on how women dress. His goal seems to control women, not just honor the martyrs.
Themes
Gender and Oppression Theme Icon
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When the speaker takes questions, Marjane stands up and notes that art students need to be able to move around. It’s much harder to move freely in a long headscarf. Further, she points out that wide trousers obscure a woman’s shape better than narrower ones—but wide trousers are in style right now. Marjane asks if their religion is just against fashion. Then, she says that the male students can wear tight clothes that excite women, and yet those male students supposedly lose control over a bit less headscarf. After the lecture, the Islamic Commission of the university summons Marjane.
Again, possibly because Marjane has more practice thinking critically than her peers, she feels more comfortable pointing out the hypocrisy in the speaker’s message. However, while she may be able to get away with speaking out in the privacy of her home or in Vienna, Tehran isn’t as forgiving. Marjane could suffer violence or death for speaking out too boldly—and other women presumably choose to stay silent to stay safe.
Themes
Identity, Culture, and Self-Expression Theme Icon
Gender and Oppression Theme Icon
Marjane speaks with the man who administered her entrance exam. He tells her that the veil is a necessary part of their religion but asks her to design uniforms for the art college. Marjane’s design has a shorter headscarf and wide trousers. After this, Marjane and her grandmother make up. Marjane’s grandmother reminds Marjane that fear turns people into cowards without consciences. With this, Marjane regains her dignity and is happy with herself for the first time in a long time.
Even though Marjane believes that this man’s views on women are still oppressive, he’s still willing to treat Marjane like a human being as they talk. Tasking her with designing new uniforms helps Marjane feel useful and as though she’s able to rebel safely. Making up with her grandmother thanks to this also helps Marjane feel like she can fit in in Iran.
Themes
Growing Up and Growing Old Theme Icon
Identity, Culture, and Self-Expression Theme Icon
Gender and Oppression Theme Icon
Quotes