MaggieMurphy

IBEnglishCreativeAssignment
December22,2015

Hishandsworkedquicklywiththebread,kneadingandshapingit,makingtheordinary
objectsomethingentirelynew.Hehadseenhismotherdothismanytimesinhischildhoodhome.
Hewouldstandnexttothecabinetsinhiskitchen,hisheadbarelybrushingthecountertop.He
wouldwatchfrombelowasthesliceofbreadwastransformedintoadelicateswan,from
somethingnormaltosomethingextraordinary.Orsohethoughtatthatage.HisMomwouldbend
downtohisheightandplacethebreadswanintohishands.Aslongasyoubelieveinmiracles,
youwillbeexceedinthisworld,shewhisperedintohisear.Heusedtoplacesomuchfaithin
thatphrase.Helefteverythingheknewbehindtopursueamiracle.Andlookwhereitgothim.In
aconcretebox,confinedfromtheoutsideworldhewastryingtorevolutionize.Anooshfinished
thebreadswan,setitbeneathhisbed,andslippedintoarestlesssleep.

Satrapi,yourebeingreleased,arethewordsAnooshawoketothenextmorning.
Thoughtsandtheoriescollidedinhishead.Aretheygoingtokillme?AmIactuallybeing
released?Isanewgovernmentincontrol?Thedoortohiscellclickedopen,andathickmanwith
alargebeardappearedoutsidehisdoor.Didyouhearme?Doyouwanttorotinheretherestof
yourlife?Letsgo!thewardenurged.Anooshgatheredthefewbelongingsthathestillhadand
begantomakehiswayoutintotheworld.

ThebusslowedtoastopinfrontofthehousethatwassofamiliartoAnoosh.Itwasthe
placethatAnooshgrewup,theplacethathewasbanishedfrom.Hecouldfeelhisfatherswords
piercingthebackofhishead,Myson,atraitor!Goawayandjoinupwithmyidioticbrother!
Youllbothendupbeingexecuted!Doyouhearme?Executed!(Satrapi55/4).Thosewordswere
engravedinhismemory,aninfectionsoembeddedithadbecomeincurable.Anooshstoodup
fromhisseatonthebusanddescendedthestepstothestreet.Hesawthecarsofhissiblingsline
thedrivewayofthehouse.Wouldhebeforgivenbyhisfamily?Wouldhebedisowned?Hisfeet
startedtomaketheirwayupthewalk,buttherestofhisbodywasreluctanttofollow.Thedoor
learedahead,itspresencebothintimidatingandinviting.Hishandreachedouttoknock.Slowly,
thedooropened.Beforehimappearedhisentirefamily,allwearingsmilesofexcitement.My
boyishome,hismotherexclaimed,wrappingherarmsaroundhisneckandsobbingintohis
shoulder.Oh,howhemissedtheembraceofsomeonewholovedhimunconditionally.Anooshfelt
tearsonhischeeks,fusingwiththetearsofhismothers.Shetookhisfaceinherhandsandsaid,
Welcomehome,mylove.

Anooshmaderoundstoallhissiblings,givinghugsandexchangingstories,buttheone
personhewantedtotalktomostwashisbrotherEbi.Outofallofhisfamily,Ebiandhimhadthe
mostincommon.Whentheywereyounger,theysharedanadmirationfortheiruncleFereydoon.
Ebiandhimwouldsharetheirideasaboutthecorruptgovernmentandtheirdistasteforthe
Shah.Eventually,Ebisettleddownwithhisfamily,whileAnooshcontinuedtocraverevolution.
Butthebondbetweenthemwasneverbroken.

Anoosh!Howareyoumybrother,Ebiannounced,armsheldoutforanembrace.
Imdoingwell.Howareyou?HowisTaji?
Tajiisgreat.NowthattheShahhasbeenoverthrown,ourfamilyisbetterthanever.
Didntyouhaveadaughter?Whatishername?Anooshquestioned.
HernameisMarji.Sheisquitethecharacter.Youhavetocomeoverandmeether.She
wouldloveyou!
Iwouldbedelighted,Anooshresponded.
Howaboutdinnertonight?Ebiasked.
Soundslikeaplan.

AnooshfollowedEbiupthestepstohishome.HelivedinanicepartofIran,drovea
Cadillac,andseemedtobehappywithhislife.Ebiopenedthedoorandsteppedintohishouse,
waitingforAnooshtofollow.Tajiwasinthelivingroom,sittingonachairthatresembleda
throne.
Hello,Ebi.HowisAnoosh?shequestioned.
Whydontyouaskhimyourself?Ebireplied.Atthis,TajiturnedherheadtoseeAnoosh
andEbistandinginthedoorway.
Oh,Anoosh,hello!Shestooduptogivehimahug.Howareyou?Ihaventseenyouin
ages!
Imfine,howareyou?
Imgreat.Areyoustayingfordinner?
IbelieveIam.
Great,Illsetthetableforonemore.Dinnersalmostready.Marji,dinner!Hesatdownat
thetable,withthesmellofhomecookedfoodwaftingtowardshisnose.
Thankyouforinvitingmefordinner,Ebi.Ireallydoappreciateit.
Oh,itsnoproblem.Werehappytohaveyouhere,reassuredEbi.
WhereisMarji?Icalledhertocomedownfiveminutesago,Tajicomplained.Rightas
shefinishedhersentence,ayounggirl,lookingtobeaboutten,randownthestairsandzoomed
intothekitchen.
Hi,areyouAnoosh?questionedMarji.
YesIam.AndyoumustbeMarji,respondedAnoosh.
YesIam!Shejumpedintotheopenseatatthetable,smilingupatAnoosh.Whydont
youcomeandlivewithus?(Satrapi54/5).
Suchasweetchild!Illsleepheretonightandtellyoustories(Satrapi54/6)Anoosh
responded,happytohavehadthepleasureofmeetingsuchacompellinglittlegirl.

Anooshkepthispromise,andspentthenightathisbrothershouse.HetoldMarjithe
storyofhowhebecameimprisoned,abouthiswifeandchildren,andhiscommunisticbeliefs.She
absorbedeachwordthatfellfromAnooshsmouth.JustbeforeAnooshputMarjitobed,he
rememberedhisoneacquisitionfromprison.
Here,takethisswanImadeinprison.Outofbread(Satrapi61/2),Anooshoffered.
Pleasantdreams(Satrapi61/3).AnooshretreatedtotheroomthatEbidesignatedfromhim,
andcollapsedontothebed.Heknewthatpleasantdreamswouldnotarrivetohimtonight,but

attemptedtofallasleepanyway,knowingthathislifeherewastemporary,andneverwantingto
wasteamomentofit.

Slowlybutsurely,thingsbegantoworseninIran.Peoplethatwerepreviouslyjailed
begantosuccumbtoexecutionbythenewgovernmentregime.Manystartedleavingthecountry,
findingsafetyinforeignplaces.Anooshanticipatedhisinevitableexecution.Thedreadedday
finallyarrived.Aknocksoundedatthedoor.Anooshplacedhishandonthedoorhandleand
turnedit.
AreyouAnooshSatrapi,amandressedinblackquestioned.
Yes,Iam.
Weareheretoarrestyouinthenameofdivinejustice!Anooshcomplied,lettingthem
handcuffhimandshovehimintotheircar.Theyrevvedtheengineandbegantodriveaway.
Anooshwatchedhistemporaryhomefadeawaybehindhim,hisonlyregretnotgettingachance
tosaygoodbyetohisMarji.

Throughhalfshuteyes,Anooshsawapieceofbreadslipthroughthecrackinthedoor.
Hewasnthungryandhecouldntsleep.Theonlythinghecouldthinkaboutwashisimminent
death.Hepickedupthebread,andbegankneadingandtwistingit.Earlierintheday,theguards
offeredhimonetenminutevisit.Hisguestwouldbearrivingsoon,andafterthat,hisexecution.
Anooshsighed,formingthebreadintoanotherswan,thensetitunderhisbed.Heheardthe
doorsoftheprisonopeningandclosing,andknewitwasalmosttime.Thedoortohiscellrotated,
andintheopeningstoodMarji.ShewalkedovertoAnoosh,lookingaslovelyasever.Theflowers
ofherdressbroughtlighttotheroom.Anooshreachedhisarmsouttohisniece,beyond
delightedtoseeher.
Whatabeautifuldress!Whatabeautifulgirl!(Satrapi69/1)Anooshgushed.Hepulled
Marjiintohisarmsandsatheronhislap.Youknowyouhavehonoredmewithyourvisit?You
arethelittlegirlIalwayswantedtohave(Satrapi69/23).TearsbegantoleakfromMarjiseyes,
downhercheeksandontotheflowersofherdress.Anooshwipedthemaway,andreachedunder
hisbedtowherehissecondbreadcreationresided.Here!Imadeyouanotherbreadswan!Its
theuncleofthefirstone(Satrapi69/5).Marjiacceptedtheswanintohersmallhands.Shewas
tryingtobestrong,butlookedsofragileandoutofplaceintheconcretebox.Anooshgathered
herintohisarmsagain.Starofmylife(Satrapi69/6),hewhisperedintoherear.
Timesup,theguardshoutedintothecell.Marjilookedintoheruncleseyes.Hekissed
herontheforehead,andsetherontoherfeet.
Goodbye,Marji,Anooshsaid.Herfeetstartedmovingtowardsthedoor.Sheturnedto
lookbackatAnooshwithredrimmedeyes,breadswaninhand.
Goodbye,UncleAnoosh.Herfacewasthelastthinghesawbeforethecelldoorclosed
behindher.

ThesisStatement:
Marjisconceptionofaheroallows

Anooshtoinspireherwithhis
determination,whichencouragesMarjitobecomeaheadstrongindividualandtakeadvantageof
herfutureinanenvironmentthatsuppressesopportunities.

ThematicStatement:
ThecharacterofAnooshinMarjaneSatrapis
TheCompletePersepolis
demonstratestoreadersthepricethatrevolutionarieshadtopayinthecorruptstateofIran,and
howdespitetheseeminglymeaninglessinfluencethesedeathshad,thehopeoffreewillthey
createdinspiredmany.