The Wine by Marion

The significance of the title of my chapter is that wine was at the time an illegal substance to posses. It was a big deal to have wine or alcohol in your home and an even bigger offense to consume it. Wine was a forbidden substance so it was a big deal that Marjane’s parents and friends had parties where they drank it, and an Uncle who illegally made it. If Marjane’s parents had been caught in possession of alcohol they would have been either beaten or executed. It was difficult for these adults to give up drinking wine, a habit I'm sure they enjoy and had spent their adult life doing. I think another significance of the title "The Wine" is in the fact that because it was illegal to posses wine/ alcohol Marjane's parents were breaking a rule and going against the revolutionaries and their patrol. This alludes to the fact that Marjane's parents were rebelling against the revolutionaries and they did not live by their standards and rules.

In my chosen chapter titled “The Wine” the beginning pages explain how the town Marjane lived in with her family (Tehran) became a target for bombers. Whenever there was a bomb threat sirens would go and all off the occupants of her housing building had to run down to the dark basement. There they would stay with their neighbors until they felt it was safe. After the moment of panic over the possibility of being bombed passed, the possibility that someone else they knew may have fallen victim to the Iraqi bombs would launch them into a new moment of panic. Everyone would call everyone they could think of to make sure no one was killed, but even after the initial panic faded away life was different. Marjane’s mother had to put black curtains up so the neighbors wouldn’t turn them in for their "parties on Thursdays and card games on Mondays". The curtains were important to shield Marjane and her family's illegal actions from their across the street neighbors who had become very “devoted to the new regime”. If their neighbors alerted the revolution patrol they might come to the house like they did to Marjane’s friend Tinoosh’s dad's house and find their illegal objects and substances. When the revolutionary patrolmen searched Tinoosh's house “they found records and video-cassettes … a deck of cards, a chess set. In other words, everything that’s banned.” It is at this point in the chapter that we learn that Marjane’s parents and some of their friends throw parties with music and drinking that is strictly forbidden (illegal). The major part of the chapter starts when Marjane and her family are at her Uncle’s house celebrating the birth of her cousin, as Marjane narrates, “We had everything, well, everything that was forbidden. Even Alcohol, gallons of it.” During this party for Marjane’s newborn cousin sirens begin to go off. Everyone is frightened and after that Marjane and her family head home. On the way home a revolutionary patroler stops their car and asks her dad to step out of the vehicle. The patrolman is suspicious that they have been drinking so they follow Marjane and her family home. When they get home Marjane and her Grandmother try to sneak off into the house in order to flush all the alcohol down the toilet but, the revolutionary catches them and questions them , they tell a lie that Marjane’s Grandmother has to go take her Diabetes medication so he lets them go. The chapter concludes with a section that explains that the revolutionary patrol was able to be bribed with money and after that left the family alone.

There were only a few unfamiliar terms and names in my chapter. One of the new terms was”Zarb”. It explains in that section that the Zarb is a type of drum that Marjane’s father plays well. There were also a few minor characters that were introduced such as Marjane’s friend Tinoosh, and Tinoosh’s father, and her Uncle who is able to make wine in his basement. Two other minor characters only mentioned in this chapter are Marjane’s Aunt and Marjane’s Aunt’s new born baby.

There are many humorous parts and illustrations that are humorous in my chapter and the book Persepolis. Many of these passages in Persepolis lend themselves towards a dark humor that can be interpreted to be quite sad; one of these passages in my chapter is on page 107 at the party celebrating her Aunt’s new baby. During this passage sirens begin to go off and Marjane’s Aunt panics, drops her baby into Marjane’s surprised arms, and takes off running to the basement. The funny part about this passage is the quote that goes with an illustration of Marjane frowning and holding the baby. This illustration is narrated with the words, “Since that day I’ve had doubts about the so-called “maternal instinct.”” This passage is funny because of Marjane’s blunt thoughts but also sad because the newborn’s mother was so quick to abandon him/her. Another funny passage comes on the page before page 107 is the box that depicts Mrs. Nasrine, Marjane’s Uncle’s cleaning lady, crushing grapes in the bathtub. While she is doing this she is saying “God Forgive Me! God Forgive Me!” It is the illustration that makes this box hilarious. Marjane Satrapi does a good job of displaying ridiculous events through simple illustration.

The most significant picture in my chapter, “The Wine”, is the picture on the top of page 106. This picture shows a group of people dancing (Marjane’s father, and Grandmother) included, a waiter passing around drinks, and it is implied that there is some type of music being played. This is a significant picture because it shows a group of people doing all of the things strictly illegalized by the revolutionary patrol and movement. These illegal things are all shown here is the main thing this chapter revolves around, which is why I feel this picture is so significant. Also depicted in this illustration is Marjane’s father wearing a western tie which, as we learn a few pages later, the revolutionary patrol looks down upon all things “western” or associated with the “western world”. By being able to pick out all of these things that are either against the law or looked down upon we can assume that the people in the picture are not for the revolutionary movement, and are even a little rebellious against it. I believe that the narration of this picture explains the whole reason for this chapter and all these illegal things Marjane’s family is doing. As the narration states, “In spite of all the dangers, the parties went on, “Without them it wouldn’t be psychologically bearable.” Some said.” This quote explains how important it was for these people to hold on to their former life and their previous lifestyle in order for them to make it from day to day.