The book and the movie both refuted the idea that "politics and sentiment do not mix". It could even be a premise for the entire novel actually. For events after events were shown where their lives were so deeply and emotionally changed and at times uprooted because of some terrible tragedy caused by politics. It is a nice ideal that politics and sentiment do not mix; at times it is probably best that they don't. However, it is foolish to think that they don't, no matter how much you wish they didn't. As long as there are humans involved, so there will also be emotions. Now if it is more of a question of whether or not they do well together, then that is a little more complicated. Sentiment was the driving force behind the Iranians who wanted a drastic change in their government. For not only did they realize politically it was not suitable, but also they saw the affects it had on their family, which were 98% if not all of the time negative. I believe Marji and her mother and grandmother realize this. They probably wish it was not so for the affects were again negative, but it put in Marji the fire that made her speak out against it and be true to herself and her people, as her grandmother always told her to be.
Her family also becomes a safe haven for her to help her cope with the government and all that happens around her. With out them, she would be much more broken then she already had become. I suppose that if there was a way to separate all emotion from any political dealings then that would be the best, but then what kind of politician would you be? How do you decide what to fight for and what is truly right and wrong? It would simply be the best way to not get hurt, which is what her father might have been trying to protect her from. Keeping her from getting emotionally involved, he might have thought, would keep her further from danger. Marji knew the cost of becoming involved with her countries politics, involving herself in the revolutions and speaking out against what she knew to be wrong and so did her mother and grandmother. But ignoring it all would be to turn her back on her family and her country that were very much apart of her.
p.s. quote is by Winston Churchill. I thought it fit since in the book it seemed that by fighting their government and living with that regime the people seemed to be constantly hurt, seeing more than one of their relatives and friends die and having to relive it all. Feeling the emotional pain can certainly be worse than any physical injury. An death to some could even seem like a relief, an escape from their invisible wounds.
I agree with what you interpreted from this story. I think that your emotions are affected by politics. Especially is the case with Marji. Her family life, living arrangement, and schooling were all affected by what was going on in her country. All of these things affect a person emotionally. It is crazy to think no part of sentiment and politics mix at some point.
ReplyDeleteAlso you make a great point about there being no emotion from a politician. There would be no drive for them to fight for soemthing they believe in. I think you are right about Marji's father wanting to protect her, she would turn her back on her family and where she came from though to leave forever.
I think you are correct in your argument that it is impossible to separate emotion from politics. The politics of Iran are a good example of a country who tries to do that though. They do not care that the policies are not fair. They do think of how policy will affect individuals such as forcing women to wear a headscarf and other tactics of the regime. It is strictly a right or wrong and this is how it is done or you will be tortured, imprisoned or killed philosophy. I think Satrapi’s purpose in writing the novel is, to put it very graphically, that there is a wrist attatched to the turquoise bracelet that is sticking out from under the pile of rubble that used to be a building. Her purpose in telling about her childhood is not to make us feel sorry for her but to show that maybe people are not so different. Once we realize this, it becomes a little more difficult to hate. It becomes a little more challenging to bomb a city that is full of people who are actually families not so different from ourselves. I think Satrapi would argue that to mix sentiment with politics is the first step in ending wars.
ReplyDeleteI also think you make a great point that perhaps the father made the statement about sentiment and politics to help protect Marji and his family. This is another way we are shown a family that has similar values towards their children.