Marji's Austrian Adventure In Persepolis: A Coming-Of-Age Tale

In the autobiographical graphic novel series *Persepolis*, Marjane Marji Satrapi is sent to Vienna, Austria, by her parents, who fear for her safety amidst the Iran-Iraq war and the repressive fundamentalist Islamic regime in Iran. Marji's story in Vienna begins at a boarding house run by nuns, where she is enrolled at the Lycée Français de Vienne. She faces challenges in adjusting to her new life in Vienna, including difficulties in communicating with her Austrian roommate, Lucia, and feeling out of place among her peers at school. However, she eventually finds a group of friends and is invited by Lucia to spend Christmas with her family in the Tyrol region in the Alps along the Austrian-Italian border.

Marji's initial struggles to fit in with Austrian culture

In the autobiographical graphic novel, 'Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood', fourteen-year-old Marjane "Marji" Satrapi leaves Tehran for Vienna, Austria, due to the ongoing Iran-Iraq war and the repressive fundamentalist Islamic regime in Iran. Marji's initial experiences in Austria are marked by a struggle to fit in with Austrian culture, which is very different from the traditionalist Iranian culture she grew up in.

Marji is supposed to stay with the family of her mother's best friend, Zozo, but it soon becomes clear that Zozo does not want her in her home. Marji's short stay with Zozo's family is marked by tension and a sense of displacement. She finds Zozo's daughter, Shirin, vapid and self-absorbed, and is put off by the constant arguing between Zozo and her husband, Houshang. After ten days, Zozo sends Marji to a boarding house run by nuns.

At the boarding house, Marji experiences a new kind of freedom, doing her own groceries and laundry, but also faces challenges due to the language barrier. Her roommate, Lucia, is an Austrian girl who does not speak French, just as Marji doesn't speak German. Despite the language barrier, they try to get acquainted, exchanging gifts and spending time together. However, Marji struggles to adjust to the communal living arrangements and feels a sense of isolation.

At school, Marji initially has no friends, as she enrolled mid-year and cliques have already formed. She gains some popularity due to her academic abilities and talent for drawing caricatures of teachers, but still feels like an outsider. Her biggest breakthrough comes when she is befriended by Julie, an eighteen-year-old French girl who is impressed by Marji's experiences of war. Julie introduces Marji to her eccentric group of friends, and Marji finally finds a sense of belonging.

However, as Christmas vacation approaches, Marji feels left out as her friends make their travel plans. Sensing her unhappiness, Lucia invites Marji to spend Christmas with her family in the Tyrol region along the Austrian-Italian border. Marji has a wonderful time with Lucia's family, who show a genuine interest in her and make her feel welcomed and cared for.

In conclusion, Marji's initial struggles to fit in with Austrian culture are characterised by a sense of displacement and isolation. She faces challenges due to language barriers, cultural differences, and the tension between her traditionalist Iranian background and the very Western city of Vienna. However, she eventually finds a sense of belonging through her new friends and the warmth of Lucia's family.

Marji's experience at the boarding house

In 'Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood', Marjane "Marji" Satrapi is sent to Vienna, Austria, by her parents, who feel that it has become too dangerous for her to remain in Iran due to the ongoing war with Iraq and the repressive fundamentalist Islamic regime. Marji is supposed to stay with the family of her mother's best friend, Zozo, but Zozo is clearly unhappy about this arrangement. After a short stay with Zozo's family, Marji is moved to a boarding house run by nuns.

Marji struggles to adjust to her new life at the boarding house. She is awoken every morning by Lucia's hairdryer and has trouble fitting in at school, where she has no friends. However, she eventually gains popularity due to her mathematical abilities and talent for drawing caricatures of teachers. Marji also befriends Julie, an older French girl who is impressed by Marji's experiences of war. Julie introduces Marji to her eccentric group of friends, and Marji finally finds a sense of belonging in Vienna.

As Christmas vacation approaches, Marji feels left out as her friends discuss their travel plans, while she has nowhere to go. Lucia kindly invites Marji to spend the holidays with her family in the Tyrol region in the Alps along the Austrian-Italian border. Marji has a wonderful time, enjoying the kindness and attention of Lucia's family. She grows close to them and comes to think of Lucia as a sister.

Marji's relationship with her host family

In the autobiographical graphic novel, "Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood", Marjane "Marji" Satrapi leaves her family in Iran and travels to Vienna, Austria. This decision is made by her parents, who feel that their daughter will be safer in Vienna than in Iran, which is under a repressive regime and at war with Iraq.

Marji is supposed to stay with the family of Zozo, her mother's best friend. However, when Marji arrives, it becomes clear that Zozo does not want her in her home. Marji's short stay with Zozo's family is marked by her inability to relate to Zozo's daughter, Shirin, and her discomfort at witnessing the constant arguing between Zozo and her husband, Houshang.

After 10 days, Zozo moves Marji to a boarding house run by nuns, where she knows no one and feels alone. Marji's displacement to the boarding house is the first of many challenges she faces during her four years in Vienna. Despite the initial language barrier with her roommate, Lucia, and the challenges of communal living, Marji is invited by Lucia to spend Christmas with her family in the Tyrol region in the Alps. Marji has a wonderful time and is touched by the kindness and attentiveness of Lucia's family.

Marji's Austrian identity crisis

In the autobiographical graphic novel series *Persepolis*, Marjane "Marji" Satrapi is sent to Vienna, Austria, by her parents, who fear for her safety amidst the Iran-Iraq war and the oppressive fundamentalist Islamic regime in Iran. Marji's Iranian identity is challenged and transformed during her time in Austria, as she grapples with feelings of displacement, culture shock, and a sense of not belonging.

Marji's Displacement and Culture Shock

Marji's displacement begins even before she leaves Iran, as her parents assure her that she will be staying with the family of her mother's best friend, Zozo, in Vienna. However, upon her arrival, Marji is met with indifference by Zozo, who soon moves her to a Catholic boarding house run by nuns. Marji's Iranian identity is immediately questioned by one of the nuns, who frowns upon learning that Marji has no religion. The communal living arrangements and language barriers further contribute to Marji's sense of displacement and isolation.

Navigating a New Culture

Marji's introduction to Western culture is marked by a series of contrasts and challenges to her Iranian identity. She is awed by the well-stocked shelves and products like scented detergent in Austrian supermarkets, a stark difference from war-torn Iran. She also struggles to communicate with her Austrian roommate, Lucia, due to the language barrier. Despite these difficulties, Marji finds solace in Lucia's family, who invite her to spend Christmas in the Tyrol region. Marji is touched by their kindness and declares that she now considers Lucia her sister.

Clash with Authority and Expulsion

Marji's Iranian identity is further challenged when she clashes with the mother superior at the boarding house. The nun makes xenophobic comments against Marji, insulting her Iranian heritage, to which Marji responds by questioning the nun's virtue. This altercation leads to Marji's expulsion from the boarding house, highlighting the tension between her Iranian identity and the xenophobic attitudes she encounters in Austria.

Impact on Marji's Psyche

The challenges Marji faces in navigating her Iranian identity in a foreign land take a toll on her mental health. She adopts Western ways, including drug use and changes in appearance, to fit in with her peers. However, she worries about losing her Iranian identity and undergoes a physical and ideological transformation. Marji's time in Austria is marked by a downward spiral that eventually leads to her living on the streets and a deep depression that follows her back to Iran.

Marji's return to Iran

In 1988, four years after Marjane "Marji" Satrapi left Iran, she returns to Tehran. The war with Iraq has ended, but the fundamentalist Islamic regime continues to oppress Iranians with strict social and religious rules. Marji is still recovering from her breakdown in Vienna, and tries to keep a low profile. However, her parents, family, and friends coax her back into social interactions.

Marji's relationship with her parents has matured, and she still relies on them for advice, emotional support, and financial support. Her close relationship with her grandmother also resumes, although there is a period when her grandmother won't speak to her after Marji commits a selfish act that offends her. Marji feels guilty about having fled Iran while others faced the war, and so doesn't mention her problems in Vienna. She is keenly aware that Iran has changed for the worse, and that people are too tired and fearful to stand up to the authorities.

Marji has difficulty tolerating her old friends, who seem vapid and obsessed with Western superficialities. Women have it particularly bad in Iran, and are obliged to hide themselves both physically and intellectually. Marji's mother persuades her to seek help from a psychoanalyst, and one eventually suggests that she take medication for her depression. However, the antidepressants make her feel more hopeless, and she attempts suicide. When she survives, she decides to make big changes in her life, taking up aerobics and feeling vital for the first time in years. She goes to a party where she meets Reza, an ex-soldier and artist. They eventually marry, but their relationship is not a compatible one, and they argue endlessly. They stay together unhappily for a few years, but eventually divorce. Marji decides to leave Iran and is accepted into an arts program in Strasbourg, France. She spends her final months in Iran with her mother, father, and grandmother, cherishing the time she has left in the country she instinctively loves.

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