Download Introduction to Persepolis

INTRODUCTION TO
PERSEPOLIS
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Disclaimer
East and West
History of Iran
Islam
Key Themes
General Disclaimer
Countries, cultures and religions are complex
and multifaceted. As the world gets more and
more interconnected, we can’t afford to be lazy
when it comes to understanding people
different from ourselves.
The goal of this presentation is to help you
understand what the characters in Persepolis are
talking about, not to “explain away” the realities
of their lives.
The East
The East refers to countries:
• on the Asian continent
• (from Turkey to China)
• that were NOT influenced by Ancient Greece
or Christianity.
• Common Names:
– in eastern Asia = the Far East
– in western Asia = the Middle East
The Middle East
Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Israel, The Gaza Strip,
Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen,
Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco
(Afghanistan, Pakistan)
The West
The West refers to countries:
• in Europe and North and South America
– especially countries like Britain, Germany France
and the USA
• whose mainstream cultural heritage comes
from Greek, Roman and Christian traditions
The West
The East vs. The West
The terms “East” and
“West”…
• have been common
for centuries
• are a convenient
way to group
cultures
• are often used as
stereotypes
Iran
 Tehran
IRAN
IRAQ
 ancient city
of Persepolis
SAUDI
ARABIA
Iran
The country that is now Iran used to be the
Persian Empire:
• founded by Cyrus the Great in 500 BC
• (at the time) was the largest empire in history
• an advanced and accomplished civilization
• conquered by Alexander the Great in 330 BC
Persepolis
• capital of
Persian Empire
• founded by king
Cyrus the Great
• a symbol of past
greatness of Iran
Background Knowledge: Islam
• Islam is the second largest religion in the world.
• People who believe in Islam are called Muslims.
• Muslims believe God (called Allah) spoke to the
prophet Muhammad so that he could write The
Qur’an, their bible.
• Muslims believe that a pure life (according to
the Five Pillars of Islam) is the path to heaven.
Background Knowledge: Sha’ria
Law
• the application of Islamic teachings to civil
laws and government is called Sha’ria
• when the author refers to “fundamentalists,”
she is referring to Muslims who want to make
Sha’ria the official law of Iran.
Class System
- wealth vs. poverty
- education vs. ignorance
Growing Up
- establishing identity in one’s family
- in one’s society
Restrictive Government
- the freedom to choose beliefs
- access to information
Marginalization (Being an Outsider)
- not feeling like you truly fit into a group
Themes
Check for understanding
1. The primary difference between the East and
West is
a. Western culture heavily influenced by Greco
Roman or Judeo Christian values.
b. Eastern culture is mostly Asian and there are very
few Caucasians.
c. Western culture is on one side of the globe and
Eastern culture is on the other side of the globe.
d. There is little to no difference.
Check for understanding
2. Geographically, Iran is located between:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Morocco and Spain
Iraq and Afghanistan
Sudan and Saudi Arabia
Turkey and Turkmenistan
Check for understanding
3. Who is the author of Persepolis?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Sasheer Zamata
Malala Yousafzai
Marjane Satrapi
Kareena Kapoor
Check for understanding
4. What is the meaning of the title Persepolis?
a. City of purses
b. Persepolis is the name of an ancient city
that was once the Capital of the ancient
Persian Empire that is now in ruins.