Veil
Marjane’s mother proclaims, “how good it feels to walk without a veil on my head, without the worry of being arrested over two locks of hair." In Iran the veil is an exemplification of decorum. However, in Austria, it is not obligatory for a woman to conceal her hair using a veil.
Prayer
Prayer is a motif for miracles in Marjane’s life. Marjane writes, “Each time that I asked my mother to pray for me, my wish was granted.” For example, she credits her accomplishment in the French Baccalaureate to the marvel of prayer because her engrossment in drugs obstructed her studies.
Vegetable
A vegetative state denotes the degenerative ramifications of drugs. The prospect of being a vegetable jolts Marjane but it does not put her off from consuming the drugs.
Virgin
Iranians regard virginity with great esteem, as it epitomizes spotlessness. Virgins are more valued than the women/girls who are not virgins.
Martyr
When Marjane returns to Iran, she notices “The sixty-five-foot-high murals presenting martyrs adorned with slogans honouring them, slogans like’ The Martyr is the heart of History’ or I hope to be a martyr Myself’ or ‘A martyr lives forever.” The motif of the martyr pays reverence to the combatants whose lives terminated in war. Furthermore, the motif is used to rationalize war so that the remaining relatives of the deceased soldiers can find solace that the deceased took part in a commendable endeavor that bestowed martyrdom upon them.
The pill
Julia uses the pill (which represents contraception) to circumvent pregnancy as she indulges in coitus often. According to Julia, her buttocks burgeon as a result of the systematic utilization of the pill.
Sadam
Sadam is the poster child of war. He is drawn in in the Iran versus Iraq war and the Iraq versus Kuwait War.
Oil
Oil is a potent causative force in the war. Marjane’s mother proclaims, “Personally, I hate Saddam and I have no sympathy for the Kuwaitis, But I hate just as much the cynicism of the allies who call themselves ‘liberators’ while they’re there for the oil.” Oil is a material supply for economies. Consequently, some nations involve themselves in the war to sway oil dynamics.
