It’s possible that Zozo might not be as evil as Marjane initially thought, given that she hands over the money so readily. This offers hope that Marjane’s Iranian community is still there for her, if she only asks for help and guidance. Indeed, Mom and Dad’s willingness to let Marjane come home is more proof of this. Having this small comfort, though, isn’t enough to soothe Marjane’s fear and shame. Marjane knows she became a “vegetable” in Vienna and she feels like she failed—but she also doesn’t give herself enough credit. She suffered during her time in Vienna and while she did make some poor choices of her own, she also faced horrible sexism and bigotry beyond her control.