Day 2: Chris

Hafizah Response:

In the book " The Complete Persepolis" the main character Marjane is seen as an outsider from the very beginning of the book. On page 3 there is a class picture and Marjane is cut out of the picture. As the reader learns more about her they discover that she is in a fact an outsider in school and an insider at home. On page 8 Marjane declares her destiny as a prophet which does nothing but make her more of an outsider to the kids and now teachers at school. The reader sees Marjane most comfortable when she is at home having conversations with God. At home is where she lets loose and all her dreams of becoming seem like a close reality, but sadly that is not the case. In a way I was the same as Marjane in school. I was more of a outsider/insider seeing as a lot of people wanted to hang with me, but I would often refuse because their ideas of fun weren't at all to me. At home and around my neighborhood it was about the same, all my neighbors do is hang outside and drink among other things and they never understood why I didn't follow suit. The times I feel like an insider are when I'm with my family and friends, since we all have a lot in common. Only with them am I most comfortable since there isn't any pressure to do anything I normally wouldn't. This is the same with Marjane also, her parents show nothing but support for what she wants to do they just want her to know how hard and almost impossible her dream can be to accomplish. She also shows a very close relationship to her grandmother as well and that's who knows everything first when it comes to Marjane.


Izzy Response:

Marjane is influenced by everyone around her like a typical child, which often leaves her very confused. However, it never deters her from her dream of becoming a prophet. On page 19 she finds out that everything she learns in school is not fact. Marjane finds out that God did not pick the current King and the reader can tell it bothers her to discover that she was lied to. After learning this it seems she is driven to learn more about the history of her country and why things are the way they are. Unlike Marjane I myself don't care too much about my environment and at the same time I don't want to work to improve it. Why? Because there's nothing good where I live and I try my best to stayed uninfluenced by my surroundings since nothing good can come of it. I feel my family plays an important role in making me the way I am. I know that I pick up a little something from everyone I hang around whether its slang or the way they act after awhile it just becomes apart of me. That is why I pride myself on making sure I choose the right friends, because in the end they do reflect who you are as a person. I believe this holds true to Marjane as well seeing as her only close friends seem to be God, her grandmother and parents. These are the people the reader sees her interact with the most and over time you see their influence over here from protesting to just believing most of what they they have to say. If she keeps it up I think she will turn out fine and the same goes for me as well.