I think that Marjane is definitely going to be deeply affected by what she has been through as a child for the rest of her life. She will never forget the sadness she felt when her friends were killed, or when they were imprisoned and taken away. But I also think that she is going to be a more content and happy for the rest of her life. What I Mean is that she will appreciate the having a “choice” in the matter of whether she wanted to wear a scarf or not, or having the freedom to play cards without hiding from the neighbors, drinking and smoking with friends, basically things we take for granted because she knew she would be put in jail for or worse if she did or did not do them. So in that way I think Marjane is going to make the best of her time in Turkey, going to school, missing her parents and enjoying life, but I am certain that she is not aware of how lucky she is to be safe and sound in Turkey, many kids her age and their parents were not so lucky. I predict that Marjane’s parents will not live to see the end of the revolution and that Marjane will go back to Turkey to start her life as a young woman. If I was in Marjane's position , I think I would not have the same kind of courage this little girl did . The places she acted defiantly like mocking her teachers and riling up her fellow students, I would stay silent and follow the rules for fear of putting my self at risk/ harm and also my parents . I would probably show my defiance inside closed doors, specifically in my room , decorating it with posters and listening to music like Marjane does. Throughout the book , we see these scenes where Marjane is talking to other children, what I find fascinating about these scenes is that Marjane is always the one who is leading these scenes, like everyone is answering her questions and they are all listening to her, and whatever she hears, she first goes and confirms with her parents whether she should believe this or not. If I was in that position , I would probably believe anything my friends told me and probably not discuss anything with my parents.
I completely agree with your reaction towards Marjanes behavior. She is very strong opinionated and courageous in what she beliefs and she expresses them freely without thinking about the consequences. Now, because of it she is separated from her parents.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is an interesting post. I do think you make a good point that Marjane pushes the limits here much farther than the average person would. I agree with you that when I was child, I never would have considered acting out in this way. I think I was so sheltered that I just didn't even consider talking back or going against what was expected of me. I lived in a very strict household and I really didn't think there was any other option. Marjane just seems to be losing her childhood so quickly because of the situation around her and who knows how we would have reacted if we were exposed to these scary and confusing situations as a child? On the other hand, I know that as a teenager, I was exposed to many scary situations and my reaction to those situations were more inline with Marjane's experience. Fear wasn't something that resonated as deeply as me then as it does now. Interesting ideas here. Thanks!
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