Theme- Faith- based religion

Charles Pollack

9/25/2011

Eng 1B

Week Three- Prompt #1

         I am picking the theme of faith-based religion.  The Islamic Revolution is a fundamentalist movement based on religion. Impacted at the very beginning of the story, Marjane confesses confusion and demonstrates the modern and the religious aspect of family doctrine and the fundamentalist doctrine.  The picture shows half of her in the avant-garde and the other half of her shows the veil (6).  Marjane goes on to say she is religious since birth and her belief that she is a prophet.  At this point in the story the word prophet, I beleive, is somebody who claims to interpret or transmit the commands of a deity.  The pictures of several prophets, images that seem to suggest Mohammad and Jesus Christ among others, emphasize this point (6). Her belief in God and the goodness of Him reveals this to her in this form of faith before the Revolution, which takes place in the next 4 years of her life at the age of ten.

        Religion has affected Marjane’s family. Her mother and father are idealists; they are against the fundamentalist doctrine. Her mother opposes the fundamentalist doctrine by demonstrating (5). The father has a Cadillac, a symbol of capitalism (6). They hide evidence of thier idealism, from the fundamentalist regime, by hanging up black curtains. This keeps the prying eyes, of the fundamentalist regime, from looking into their world (105). 

      Another idea of Marjane, I believe, is how she juxtaposes the religious aspect of the word prophet, to mean, "somebody who advocates a cause or idea"(online English Dictionary). She uses this example in the following statements, “…our maid did not eat with us.”, and “…my father had a Cadillac.” and “…grandmother’s knees always ached” (6). She writes, in her Holy book, rules that advocate just causes.  At this point of the story, her belief in religion or the word prophet, has more to do with the meaning of doing good for others, then the actual interpretation or transmittal of commands from God. She then goes on to have discussions with God seeking justification to begin her calling as a prophet (8).

         The opening chapter is an example of symbolism, The Veil. This symbol conveys internal and external statements. The religious aspect was to keep the hair covered from men's eyes (74). This is a religious external statement. I believe the internal statement is the representation of the veil itself in Marjane’s life. While she is in the public view, she must conform to the religious standard. In her home, she can take this veil off and her life is very non-conformist. She becomes like her parents, the symbolic idealist. Actually a rebellion in itself. 

 The theme of religion throughout this book is complex. It is not so much religion itself but, by the symbolism of living two different lives in and out of the fundamentalist view. She acknowledges God in her life, and then denounces Him. She reads Marxist views in the comic titled, Dialectic Materialism (12) and again Marjane’s views are conflicted by the reality of the world she lives in. It is a conflict of faith.

          I believe that the religious theme is central to the character through out the book. From the beginning of the Islamic fundamentalists, the Marxist views of her family to having to leave the country because of the religious conflicts between the two ideals.

Character Description

Charles Pollack

9/18/2011

Eng 1B

At the very beginning, we come to understand Marjane’s internal convictions and the parent’s life style. Marjane writes, “…I WAS VERY RELIGIOUS…WE WERE VERY MODERN AND AVANT-GARDE”(6). Marjane reemphasizes her conviction with this statement, “I WAS BORN WITH RELIGION”(6). At this point of the story, the word religion is juxtaposed between her belief concerning the existence and nature of a deity which includes the involvement in human life and the other side is, strongly–held beliefs, values and attitudes that she lives by. In one picture people are kneeling down toward what appears to be worshipping a deity, “…I WAS THE LAST PROPHET…” (6), the very next two pictures shows what appears to be Jesus Christ, Mohammad and several other prophets. The last three passages represent the other side of a prophet of somebody who advocates a cause or idea by stating, “I WANTED TO BE A PROPHET…BECAUSE OUR MAID DID NOT EAT WITH US.”, “BECAUSE MY FATHER HAD A CADILLAC.”, “…ABOVE ALL… MY GRANDMOTHER’S KNEES ALWAYS ACHED” (6). Marjane demonstrates the prophet advocate by concluding the passage, “DON’T WORRY, SOON YOU WON’T HAVE ANY MORE PAIN. YOU’LL SEE” (emphasis added) (6). 

The passages quoted above, helped me to understand her thinking and her beliefs that started at an early age. She is sponge-like in absorbing information and perceptions about her culture and of people around her. The New York Times Book Review, on the back cover of the book, mentions “…insouciant wit.” Textually, insouciant can describe Marjane’s way of thinking. One example she describes, her Holy book with rules. She demonstrates by writing these rules, “…THESE THREE RULES: BEHAVE WELL, SPEAK WELL, ACT WELL” (7). Then she writes these rules, “…SIX: EVERY-BODY SHOULD HAVE A CAR…SEVEN: ALL MAIDS SHOULD EAT AT THE TABLE…EIGHT: NO OLD PERSON SHOULD SUFFER” (7). She is beginning at this point to be more of an idealist, like her parents.

When asked about what she will be when she grows up, Marjane declares, to  her classmates and her teacher, “I’LL BE A PROPHET”(8). However, to her parents she flatly states, “I WANT TO BE A DOCTOR”(9). I believe the reality or the conflict she internalizes, goes back to the start of the Revolution. Wearing the Veil, changing schools, and the demonstrations was her external conflict.The contradiction came after a journalist took a photograph of her mother demonstrating. She states, “I WAS REALLY PROUD OF HER”(5). Then the photo appeared in an Iranian magazine, “… MY MOTHER WAS REALLY SCARED” (5). Her mother than changed her appearance. She believed her mother had the right to demonstrate but when exposed to the reality of the situation, it was not OK!

Clearly, she was confused at this point. She writes, “MY FAITH WAS NOT UNSHAKABLE” (10). She begins to externalize the situation by her own demonstrations. By becoming a revolutionary, she can be involved in concrete actions. She explains, ‘THE YEAR OF THE REVOLUTION I HAD TO TAKE ACTION…” (10).

Persepolis

Week one

Prompt #3

Persepolis

Page 12- In this passage Marjane writes  “…comic book entitled “Dialectic Materialism”. The philosophy of this concept is Marxism. For this 10 year old to understand the world around her and develop critical thinking and philosophical ideas was hard for me to comprehend. The cultural changes in her country, ”The Revolution” , changed her way of thinking. She was given the opportunity to be enlightened by reading books about social events from around the world. The difficulty, for me, is understanding the meanings or my lack of knowledge of Marxism. I need to broaden that statement by saying my knowledge is limited only by my lack of knowledge. Marjane was brought up with ideals, philosophy, and religion. Researching Dialectic Materialism and Marxism, I gained insight or more knowledge about what Marjane was reading. I understand dialectic materialism in it’s simplest form- Dialectical materialism, to use the words of the Russian Marxist Plekhanov, is more than an outlook, it is a "philosophy of action." The way others view world  and society is extraordinary. I do have more questions than answers. Marjanes’ country is in turmoil and her parents are demonstrating in sometimes violent outcomes. Is her parents influencing her? What about her faith in God? At one point she states, “My faith was not unshakable” (10). Yet Marxism does allow religion.The Bible states, The New King James Version in the Book of Hebrews Chapter 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Perhaps “seeing” the effects of the Revolution in her country might have shaken her faith. She even started to compare, between the two, God and Karl Marx. Obviously she embraced her parents’ action of demonstrating. I  question her action about demonstrating. Seems to me she changed from being a passive prophet to active participant in the Revolution.

I am.....

I am blessed! My name is Charles Pollack, Chuck for short. I am starting my 51st year here

Mitad Del Mundo-Ecuador

 on earth. I have four grown children and seven grandchildren. I grew up with three younger brothers. My mother, who is alive and well in Arizona, is an awesome woman. I talk to her once a week. My career has been in manufacturing and production (sheet metal) for the last twenty years. I have produced, or supported, the making of fifty thousand slot machines. I would like to be working with people instead of directing them what to do so; I am embarking on an education to achieve a degree in manufacturing engineering. This is my second semester at SJCC. What a blast! Last time I went to college was in 1978 for only one semester. I blew that opportunity. I am very fortunate to be here. I understand how important an education is and to do my best in this school. I believe that the seat I occupy should have been for a student that deserves to be in this chair. This past summer I became life licensed in the state of California. I can sell financial products like term life insurance, debt watchers fast pay, and also auto and home insurance. Licensed for investments by the beginning of 2012, is my next goal. I represent a company whose mission is to show and help families become income protected, debt free and financially independent. I am a Christian who is active in and out of my church. I believe He opened the door for me to be at school. If I offend you with a reference of my Lord and Savior, forgive me. “He does”! I am here to serve and to help. That is who I am. I really enjoyed taking English 1A last semester. Ms. Knapp is a great teacher. Each step was challenging but it was worth every minute. What an awesome journey. Speaking of journeys, I was able to enjoy my 50^th birthday in Ecuador. The picture on the right is Mitad Del Mundo: The middle of the World! The monument site is supposedly the middle or equator. Ecuador is an awesome Latin American country. I enjoy listening to various music genres. The iPod is a constant for me. I download music from many genres. I really enjoy contemporary smooth jazz. Throw in some oldies from the 60’s, a little bit of Praise and Worship music, some Latino oldies and contemporary Latino artists like Don Omar and Shakira and I am happy. I am shy man who loves to listen to people. Working on my leadership skills has given me the confidence to lead people to succeed.  It is not always easy. I have made plenty of mistakes in my life. Two failed marriages are two too many. I have also had many blessings. The births of my children were happy times. The births of my grandchildren are awesome events. I saw two of my grandsons being born. Seeing my children giving birth to new life is priceless. I wish they were closer to me. I am sad they live so far away. One daughter lives in Hawaii. The other three children live in Arizona. We all make decisions in life and go forward. My prayers go out to all the students and teachers in school. I ask for clarity, strength and wisdom for all.