Culture shock
Austrian culture confounds Marjane as it is alien. For example, Momo’s kiss is a shock to Marjane in view of the reality that she has never been kissed by anyone. Besides, Marjane and Julie’s dialogues before slumbering are a causative factor in Marjane’s culture shock. For example, when Julie acknowledges that she has already had sexual intercourse with approximately eighteen males, Marjane is discomfited because, in Iran, “even when you had sex before marriage you hid it.” Julie’s sex- related deliberations make Marjane to question whether she is anomalous for being a virgin at her age. Generally, Marjane falls from innocence due to the cultural shakeup that she comes upon in Austria.
Assimilation
Marjane’s is hankering to blend in. She writes, “this cretin Momo wasn’t altogether wrong, I needed to fit in, and for that I needed to educate myself.” Marjane’s limited familiarity of Bakunin , makes her incongruous when her associates are discoursing about anarchists. Consequently, she resolves to read more about Bakunin so that she can be at par with her friends. Reading is a tactic to accelerate her acclimatization to Austria. However, after all the reading, Marjane determines that, “reading wasn’t enough. To fit in, I still had a long way to go.” Also, Julie inspires Marjane’s look as “she did my (Marjane’s) hair and drew on a thick line of black eyeliner that, from then on, became my usual make up.” Evidently, applying makeup makes Marjane to feel stunning and it adds to her endeavour of measuring up to the Austrian lifestyle. Additionally, Marjane’s conception of sex, which proliferates when she eavesdrops on Julie and Wolfy having sex after a party, plays a part in her acclimatization journey.
War
Marjane’s Persepolis 2 takes place in the backdrop of war in Iran. Marjane observes, “this entire war was just a big step to destroy both the Iranian and the Iraqi armies. The former was the most powerful in the Middle East in 1980, and the latter represented a real danger to Israel.” Marjane’s reflection hints at the covert trigger of the war and the foremost participants. The war is marred by violence and aerial bombardments which means that there is no amity in Iran. Besides, Israel’s participation in the war makes reference to the contest for political hegemony in the Middle East. Also, Marjane comments on the war between Iraq and Kuwait that transpired in 1991 which elicited fright in Iran and Europe.
Drugs
Marjane’s engrossment in drugs skyrockets when Markus comes in her life. She writes, “Markus and I didn’t know where to go. We often ended up in his car where, we smoked joints to distract ourselves.” Markus shows Marjane how to procure the drugs from the Café Camera. Marjane writes, “Markus was proud of me. So proud that he told the whole school that his girlfriend had contacts at the café camera. This is how, for love, I began my career as a Drug dealer.” Marjane obtained the drugs to validate her adoration for Markus. Marjane’s gullibility made her to deduce that purchasing the drugs on behalf of her boyfriend was the same as love.
Intersection of art, culture, and religion
At the Iranian university, Islamic religion encumbers artists from take full advantage of their talent (artistry). To illustrate, the ‘anatomy professor’ lets the art students know, “in the past, we drew nudes, but things have changed. Your model will be covered.” Calling for the students to obscure their models results in representations that are overshadowed by veils and long dresses which makes it problematic to distinguish the body parts. As a result, the building of realism is curtailed. What is more, the female artists are forbidden from drawing males nudes. The irrational religious and cultural canons are limiting to the arts student; thus, their work is highly structured which is injurious to the innovation.
Homosexuality
When Marjane shifts to Wohngemeinschaft apartments she encounters, “eight housemates...all were homosexuals.” When Marjane’s mother visits, she is apprehensive that all her roommates are men. Her disquiet is due to the postulation that all men are heterosexual; thus, Marjane would be in jeopardy since she is the only lady in the apartments. Additionally, Marjane’s boyfriend, Enrique, comes clean that he is gay. The concession shudders Marjane to the degree that she asserts, “It was unconceivable, first my eight housemates and now my boyfriend. To think that all the men I knew found love amongst themselves.” Marjane’s happenstance with homosexuals decelerates down her endeavors to conform in terms of sexuality.
