THE DOWRY

FROM MARJANE SATRAPI'S "PERSEPOLIS"

 CHAPTER SUMMARY
The year is 1984 and Marji is now 14. Her ever-rebellious nature gets her in a lot of trouble in school:
When her principal tries to take away her jewelry, Marji hits her and summarily gets expelled. She then
moves to a new school, where she continues to speak out against the regime and talk back to her teachers,
to the point where they had to inform her parents. Although her father was proud of her boldness, her
mother feared for her life. She told Marji how the regime takes the virginity of the young girls they arrest
before executing them, because it was prohibited by law to kill a virgin. In exchange for their lives, they
would pay a dowry of $5 to the girls' family. Thankfully, the principal of Marji's school chooses not to write
up a report regarding Marji's belligerence. Nonetheless, her parents eventually decided to send her to
Austria to continue her education; they felt that it was too dangerous of her to remain in Iran. They tell
her that "it's better for you to be far away and happy than close by and miserable", before reminding her to
"never forget who you are". On her last night in Iran, Marji's grandmother gave her some advice, namely
that she should not react to people's cruelty towards her, for "there is nothing worse than bitterness and
vengeance", and that she should always stay true to herself. The chapter ends when Marji is in the airport.
As she's about to leave, she takes one final glance back, to see that her mother had fainted, and that her
father was carrying her out of the airport.
DOWRY
/ˈdaʊ(ə)ri/

noun
1 : the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage
2 : natural talent or gift

WHY IS THE CHAPTER TITLED 'THE DOWRY'?

A dowry of $5 was given to Niloufar's family before her execution. This dowry is a
constant reminder of the ever-present danger young girls face in Iran, representing
how little one's life is valued in Iran and how prone they are to death. It is the core
reason why Marji had to move abroad in the first place, and presents a good
transition to the next volume of Persepolis.
page 143*
The principal is symbolic to the Islamic Revolution and its oppressive
nature. The forceful taking of Marji's jewelry portrays the removal of
Iranian people's identities and making them uniform
The stripping of Marji's jewelry also connotes to the loss of her
childish optimism and innocence. This is also supported by the text "I
was 14 and a rebel"
In the first panel, the girls are grouped together, forming a sort of
pattern which shows how they are united in standing against the
regime and the ideologies that are forced upon them
Panel 2-3 and 4-6 makes use of the action-to-action transition to
highlight the despotic nature of the principal and the anger Marji is
feeling at being treated in such a way. Both wear similar expressions
of loathing, but this dislike stems for 2 completely different sources
The absence of text / lack of voices in panel 6 draws attention to the
violence of the action, and the tense, shocked silence that follows
Marji's sudden outburst
The white background in this entire page alludes to how the Islamic
Revolution upholds an artificial image of purity and virtue, when in
reality, they are hypocrites
page 144
The religion teacher symbolises the people of Iran who have
successfully been brainwashed by the regime. These are the people
who perceive the lies of the Islamic Revolution as truth
Marji is the most salient feature in panel 2, even though she is placed
in the background. This shifts reader's focus towards Marji and what
she has to say
The girls' expressions in panel 1 are that of disdain, showing how they
disagree with the ideologies forced upon them, which contrasts with
their content expressions in panel 3, in which Marji was standing up
against the regime
"We've gone from 3000 prisoners under the Shah to 300,000 under
your regime" underlines the hypocrisy of the Islamic Revolution by
pointing out how Iran has been regressing under the regime's control
Panel 4-5 utilizes the action-to-action transition to gradually build up
the tension of Marji's speech by emphasising the seriousness of her
tone and highlighting her grave expression
The repetition of 'clap!' in panel 6 is an onomatopoeia that symbolises
unity among the girls. It is a show of support towards Marji's
proclamation.
page 145
The black background represents the ever-present danger looming
above everyone within the country. Even in the safety of one's house,
it is still there; inescapable. It highlights the huge risk Marji and her
family undertook by actively speaking out against the regime
The emanata used in panel 2 portrays the shock Marji's mother felt
upon hearing of Marji's defiance, while the speech bubble in panel 3
emphasises the anger that followed, emotions which contrasts with
the proud (and then confused) expressions on both Marji and her
dad's faces
Panel 4-7 uses the moment-to-moment transition and the gradual
zooming in of the scene to build up the tension of the Marji's mother's
story. Readers can see the subtle shift from shock to horror in Marji's
expression
Marji's parents wearing a white shirt symbolises how they are the
only beacon of truth and rightness that Marji can completely rely on
Panel 8-9 uses the action-to-action transition to highlight the
conflicting emotions of Marji's mother, how she is angry at her
daughter but that deep down, she truly cares for Marji
9 uniform panels to 'speed up' time and show how the happenings
throughout this page occured within a few seconds only
page 146
Moment-to-moment transition used in panels 2-3 to give a 'slow-mo'
effect and dramatise the words of Marji's father
The dowry represents how little the regime cares for the lives of
Iranians, showing how every single life is at stake. No one is safe.
The wide angle shot utilized in panel 5 portrays Marji's dawning
realisation, as she finally sees the magnitude of danger she is in. She
comes to realise that the regime is much bigger than she is
The couch is a symbol of comfort and stability. Marji leans on it as
she takes in this horrifying revelation, a subtle action that signifies
the seeking of warmth and balance amid chaos
Again, the black background in this page connotes to the darkness
that has seeped into Marji's family; the regime has sunk its claws into
the comfort of her home
The girl on the right in panel 6 is Niloufar, and her presence is eerie,
almost like a ghost haunting Marji in her sleep. Niloufar is a symbol
of the regime's violence.
"To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society" : a way for
the regime to manipulate people into sacrificing their lives for the
sake of the country
page 147
The partially white background in panels 1 and 2 symbolise change
and light amid the darkness. The principal chose not to send in a
report of Marji's obstinance, and Marji was told that she's better off
moving out of the country. She gets to live another day and has a
brighter future ahead of her
The expressions on Marji and her parents in panel 3 are that of
unhappiness, showing readers how neither one of them wanted Marji
to leave
"But I don't speak German!" is an excuse to cover up Marji's fear.
Throughout the book we see how Marji is courageous to the point of
insanity, which makes this declaration seem slightly out of character
Moment-to-moment transitions from panels 5-7 creates a smooth
flow of time that highlights every individual's expressions
The empty black background in panels 3-7 represents the shock
Marji is feeling. It is as though her surroundings are no longer a part
of the equation, insignificant after the groundbreaking news she
received, and the focus of the scene shifts only to the conservation
and the subjects
page 148
Marji's expression in panel 1 is that of anticipation, which is
contrasting to her previous state of mind. The way her father
presents the situation is an attempt to lighten the mood and appeal
to Marji
Panels 2 to 3 uses the moment-to-moment transition to show the
sudden contrast in the mood. In panel 2, Marji's words and position
ooze a sense of lightheartedness, making her seem very carefree.
There is a sudden shift in tone in panel 3, where Marji's parents very
seriously declare their love for her
"It's better for you to be far away and happy than close by and
miserable." : a clear choice has to be made; Marji can't have both. A
turning point for her, because she realises that her moving abroad is
going to be a reality
The wide shot in panel 5 represents comfort, stability, and intimacy.
The black background shows how in this moment, nothing matters
except the 3 of them together
Marji's father's words in panel 6 has a sense of urgency and farewell.
It is in panel 7 that it hits Marji that she might not be coming back to
Iran again.
page 149*
The emanata in panel 1 is that of a teardrop, clearly displaying
Marji's sadness at the thought of leaving her parents
The entire panel is predominantly black to signify the dimness of
Marji's spirit. The most salient feature is the bright moon which is
also the only source of light in the scene, symbolising hope amid
desperation and darkness. Marji wonders if there really is a brighter
future for her in Vienna.
The first two panels on top are primarily black, while the bottom 5
panels are mostly white. This shows how Marji progresses from
denial and self-pity to acceptance.
The use of an action-to-action transition in panels 3-7 shows the
most important things that remind Marji of home.
Panel 6 is the largest, showing how the simple act of giving away her
posters, which are her pride and joy, actually mean a lot to Marji and
her friends
The shadows in panel 7 is bigger than the subjects, foreshadowing
upcoming darkness and separation
"I never realized how much they loved me. And I understood how
important they were to me." In life, people tend to take things for
granted until it's taken away from them
page 150*
Panel 1 has an entirely white background, alike to an intermission, in
which Marji allows herself one moment to disconnect from the reality
of things and soak in the familiarity of her grandmother's presence
The jasmine flowers are a representation of culture and relaxation. It
seems insignificant and almost silly, but these little things cannot be
found in Vienna. It will always remain synonymous to home.
Panels 3-5 make use of the moment-to-moment transition to depict
how Marji is engraving every small detail of this conversation into
her head for her to revisit when she is in Vienna.
The wide shot in panel 6 represents the vastness of the world and the
many experiences of Marji's grandmother. It validates her advice by
highlighting her old age and how, as a woman who has lived life on
Earth for a long time, her advice should be taken into account
The emanata in the last panel emphasises Marji's sadness and
feelings of nostalgia. 'I smelled my grandma's bosom' is a way to
underline how these minuscule details that Marji has always taken
for granted actual holds a lot of significance
page 151*
The background in panel 1 is predominantly white, implying how the
bedroom is Marji's comfort zone. The sliver of black outside the door
represents unfamiliarity and change, and that's where Marji is headed
In panel 2, Marji looks into a mirror while saying "I will always be true
to myself". The mirror symbolises self-reflection and originality. Marji
sees herself as she is, and this is how she hopes to remain after her
time in Austria. However, it's a juxtaposition to the reality of things in
Persepolis 2
Panel 3-4 uses the subject-to-subject transition to highlight how the
room's focus shifts to Marji and her grandmother's farewell. The
white background represents the peace and happiness Marji feels
around her grandmother, and how in this moment, nothing else
mattered except the two of them
The predominantly black background in panel 4 indicates how Marji
has left the comfort of her home and is headed towards something
new. Marji and her parents all have sombre expressions, and the
teardrop emanata on her father's face is a reflection of his emotions.
Out of context, "Here we are!" exudes anticipation, but the black
background reflects Marji and her parents' inner feelings and how
they actually aren't looking forward to it
page 152
The moment-to-moment transition utilized throughout the majority
of the page slows down time and highlights the subtle shift in each
individual's expressions. It shows how time seems to stop in Marji's
world, and how Marji is trying to capture every single moment and
engrave it forever in her head.
The graphic weight in the last panel shows the contrast between the
people and the background, highlighting how Marji is on her way to
something new
The absence of text in panel 6 represents a tense silence filled with
unspoken words. There are many things Marji and her parents want
to say, but there isn't enough time to say it all
The background in this page is predominantly white, a symbol of
mourning in Middle Eastern culture
page 153
The graphic weight in the third and largest panel shows the contrast
between Marji's father's strongly haunted expression and the pale,
lifeless one of her mother. These 2 expressions show entirely different
emotions, but they both come from the same source: Marji's depature
The blankness and emptiness in panel 2 represents Marji's loneliness
and how she already feels disconnected from the world she has
always known
Marji looking back in panel 3 connotes to her still holding on to the
past and not being able to let go. She is depicted as small and
helpless to the suffering of her parents. The people between them are
a representation of a physical barrier separating Marji and her
parents.
Marji's parents always put on a brave front, but the moment they
think Marji isn't looking their armor cracks and their true emotions
come out
The graphic weight also adds tension to the scene, dramatising the
ending of Persepolis 1, before it transitions to the next book
 KEY THEMES
REBELLION
Marji stands up against her principal and teachers, who are
representative of the Islamic Revolution and their ideologies

COMING OF AGE
Marji moving to Austria is the start of something new, where she will
encounter many new challenges that differ from what she is used to in Iran

WAR
The war is represented through the dowry in this chapter,
and how little the lives or Iranians are valued