the key

The Key

The explanation – It is called the key because poor boys who were picked to fight in the war were given plastic keys painted gold and were told that it was there key to paradise where there was plenty of food, women, and houses made out of gold and diamonds. The boys who they told this to were poor so in some people's minds were less valuable. The boys were "brainwashed" into thinking that dying in the war was honorable and that if they did, what awaited them in the after life was paradise.


Chapter summary – In the chapter “They Key” it starts off with Marji reading the newspaper and seeing the list of all the martyrs. Marji points this out to her mom who waves it aside. It is impossible not to know that hundreds of people are dying because all along the streets there are nuptial chamber. At school, Marji and her class mates must beat themselves with their right hand over their heart in honor of the dead because it is one of their country’s rituals. Many people beat themselves brutally because it is considered a “macho” thing. Marji and her friends begin to make fun of the beatings and other things like when they had to knit hats for the soldiers and when they had to decorate their classroom for the Anniversary of the Revolution. The teacher gets very angry and suspends Marji and her class for a whole week. Everyone’s parents are very mad at the teacher. When Marji and her mother get home, they find their maid, Mrs. Nasrine, very upset. She explains to them that her son has been given a key and is told by his school that if he dies, then the key will get him into paradise where there are woman and money, plenty of food and houses. Marji’s mom offers to talk to Mrs. Nazrine’s son, who believes that the key really is the key to paradise. Right after that, Marji is invited to a party at her friend Peyman’s house. When Marji’s mom does have the talk with him later on, he is completely spaced out and yells that he will marry Marji when her mom is trying to talk to him about his future. That night, Shahab, one of Marji’s cousins, comes to the house. He started his military service right before the war started. Marji’s mother asks about the boys being brought in to fight and Shahab tells them how he sees bus loads full of children coming to fight in the war. They are trained with savage songs and of course, the key to paradise. He says that thousands of kids explode in minefields with the keys to paradise around there necks. While Sahab was talking to Marji’s mom, Marji was at her first party that she had a lot of fun at.

Additional information –
Mrs. Nazrine – Marji’s family maid

Mrs. Nazrine’s son – the boy given the key to paradise.

Peyman – Marji’s friend who is having a party

Shahab – Marji’s cousin who is fighting in the military.

“According to Shiite tradition, when an unmarried man dies, a nuptial chamber is built for him. Thatway, the dead man can symbolically attain carnal knowledge.” - Marji page 94.


The Funny part - I think there are two funny parts. The first funny part in the book is when Marji’s mom, her maid, and her maid’s son were having a serious talk about the key and the son doesn’t understand why it’s bad and yells that he wants to marry Marji and his mom hits him. The other part that I think is funny is when Marji's parents, along with many others, are called in when the girls are acting up and are told that their daughters are being suspended. In his rage, Marji's dad yells to the teacher "If hair is as stimulating as you say, then you need to shave your mustache!" Marji's father Page 98.


The picture – The picture that I think is most significant is the last picture where it shows many young boys getting blown up with the keys that promise them paradise around their neck. To me this picture shows how the young boys were killed in mass numbers but didn't mind dying because the schools had told them that they would enter paradise. the caption for that picture said "The key to paradise was for poor people. Thousands of young kids, promised a better life, exploded on the minefield withtheir keys around their necks."

by Anna Bridgforth