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AlexaHansonWagner
BrandonAlva
English1100
7March2016
WarofReligion
ThebooksPersepolisandMaus,aretwononfictionbookswherewarstakeplace,both
surroundingdisagreementsinreligion.PersepolisistoldbyMarjaneaboutherlifeduringthe
IslamicRevolution.Duringthewar,herfaithchangesdrasticallyasitisenforcedbyherschool
butalsochangedbyeventswithherfamily.MausisabookwrittenaboutVladekslifeduring
WorldWarII.AsamemberoftheJewishFaith,heisconstantlythreatenedbythehardshipsof
thewartowardsJews,causinghimtorelymoreonhimselfratherthanhisfaithtosurvive.Both
VladekandMarjanearesufferingthroughthewarbecauseoftheirfaith,inturnthismakesit
difficultforthemtobelieveinsomethingwhentheirpainonlyincreases,resultingintheirfaith
decreasing.
ThereisreallyonlyonesceneinMausinwhichVladeksrelationshipwithGodis
acknowledged.Duringthisscene(Maus57),Vladekissleepinginaprisonercampwhereheis
heldhostagebytheNazis.Whilehesleeps,hedreamsofhisdeadgrandfatherwhocomestotell
himthathewillbereleasedfromthecamponParshasTruma.Afterhisdreamheapproachesa
Rabai,askinghimwhenthenextParshasTrumawillbe.Itseemsasthoughthispartially
increaseshisfaithbecauseheisthenfocusedonthatupcomingdate.Otherpartsofthebookthat
suggestthathebelievesinhisfaitharemomentswhenheisgiventheoptiontobetrayhisown

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people,buthedoesnt.Thismaybejustbecauseheisstandingupforpeoplewhoareinthesame
situationashehis,butitalsocomesoffasawayforhimtostickupforhisownfaith.
TherearemanyscenesinPersepolisinwhichMarjanesfaithisclearlyrepresented.
Constantlythroughoutthebeginningofthebook,MarjanetalkswithGod.Asalittlegirl,she
believesthatsomedayshewillbeaprofit,soshetalkstoGodaboutwhatshewilldoasaprofit
andhowshewantstobecomeprofit.Shediscusseswithhergrandmothertherulesshewillput
intoplaceastheprophet.Sheknowsthatshemustkeepthisgoalofhersasecretbecausemany
peopleinvolvedinherlifedonotunderstandherreasoningforwantingtobeaprophetandalso
thinkitsridiculous.AfterthissheonlyspeakstoGodaboutherplanswhoseemstofully
supportherandpersuadeherashecallsherhisCelestialLight.Asayounggirl,herfaithin
Godandherselfseemstodictateeverythingshedoes.HerschoolalsobelievesinGod,soshe
beginstofollowanddothethingstheyteachbecauseshethinksthattheyareteachingGods
words.Whenherparents,whomshealsolooksupogreatly,tellherthattheteachingsofher
schoolarefalse,shebecomesconfusedastowhosheshouldlistento,thusbeginningthedecline
ofherfaith.
ThereisaninstanceinPersepolisinwhichMarjanesuncleisexecutedforbeinga
RussianSpy.Thisuncleofhersisarolemodelforherintherevolution,shethinksofhimasone
ofthefewheroesinherfamily.Whenshehearsofhisarrestanddeath,itcauseshertobeangry
withGod.Sheyellsathim,Shutupyou!Getoutofmylife!Ineverwanttoseeyouagain!
ThisisthelasttimesheeverspeakstoGod,andthetruedeclineofherfaithinhim,andher
pathwaytobecomeaprofithasbroken.Thenextpageshowsherfloatinginspace,Godless,

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andpathless,asthoughsheislost.Thisofcourseiscompletelyunderstandablethatshefeels
thiswayasshehasjustgivenuponahugepartofherlife
EventhoughVladeksdeclineinhisfaithisntasevidentasMarjanes,itisstillpartially
clearthatheisntasactiveinhisfaithashewasbefore.Itseemsasthoughinthebeginningof
thebookheatleastidentifiesasaJewbecauseifhedidnotthenhewouldnothavetogointo
hidingwiththerestofhisfamily,buthissonwhoisinterviewinghim,seemstohaveno
relationshipwithhisfathersfaith,asthoughitwasanignoredpartofhislifeuntilnow.Onthe
samepageasVladeksdreamwithhisgrandfather,VladekssonaskshimwhatParshasTruma
is,thisonlyprovesevenmorethatVladekssonhasverylittleknowledgeoftheJewishfaith.
ThisimpliesthatVladekwasnotveryactive,ifatall,inhisbeliefsafterthewar.Thiscouldbe
becausehewasconstantlypunishedforthem.HowevertheJewishfaithmusthavebeenpartof
hissonslifeatleastpartiallybecauseinthebookheisstillportrayedasamouse,which
indicatesthatheisJewish.