The Environment In Persepolis

An individual can live anywhere in the world and their surroundings will still affect them in some way. An interesting article on ABC writes about how surroundings affect the way an individual thinks and feels. The article presents information and evidence on how different environments at a young life can lead to distinct adult life. Neuroscientist who is currently working at Canada University, Ellard states “Some of our responses to our surroundings are influenced by experience, knowledge and culture (Ellard 1). Ellard took part in many innovating experiments where physical geography has proven to be vital in how an individual responds to a specific surrounding. Ellard concludes by saying humans will always want to achieve a feeling of protection.

Although both novels write about the importance the environment plays in an individual’s life, they both take place at different times and focus on distinctive cultures which eventually leads to different impacts. Ceremony takes place after World War II and primarily focuses on the indigenous culture squaring off against the European culture following Tayo’s journey, who is mixed race and suffers from post traumatic stress. Persepolis takes place during the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and follows Marji’s early adult life and transition to adulthood. Both authors use brilliant technique to build up the climax of the story and make sure the change is apparent in both main characters, Tayo and Marji. Throughout Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko, Marji and Tayo face cultural and geographical obstacles that distinctly shape their moral traits. Due to each characters’ changed viewpoints and self-identity, it becomes clear to readers that different surroundings can produce diverse effects on an

They blamed themselves for losing the new feeling; they never talked about it, but they blamed themselves just like they blamed themselves for losing the land the white people took. They never thought to blame the white people for any of it; they wanted white people for their friends. They never saw that it was the white people who gave them that feeling and it was the white people who took it away again when the war was over” (Silko 39).

Additionally, in Persepolis Marji has a hard time adapting to the new violent environment due to the war. She tries to gain all kinds of information through different sources like books and comes to a conclusion, “But in fact it was really our own who had attacked us” (Satrapi 39). The circumstances of surroundings are different for Tayo and Marji. Tayo who has returned from the war does not agree with the opinions of Native Americans. Tayo wonders why Native Americans blame themselves for Europeans taking land and changing the culture. This leads Tayo to build up a certain hatred towards Europeans because Tayo thought when he was working in the army, many Europeans would show gratitude