Contrast-- Black and White

Persepolis I

At a young age Marjane has suffered great loss, and not only loss of a family member. She's lost her parents, her friends, her home, her community; she's lost everything she's ever known. Enduring all of these abnormal struggles and additionally undergoing aging has made dealing with adolescence much more difficult for Marjane. Adolescence is when a teenager discovers their identity and ethnically develops. Being away from her hometown and loved ones makes this search strenuous for herself. 
Marjane has also had a lot of difficulty figuring out who she is. She has a range of friends that could easily be seen as "freaks." She has over the years been involved in many different social groups ranging from punks and eccentrics to eight homosexual roommates. She also goes through a phase where she cuts her hair in many different styles. I believe that this shows her quest to find which identity is truly her. She attempted to assimilate into Western culture but knew that she was too closely tied to her home roots. 

It has been found that, "during adolescence, issues of ethnic and cultural identity assume a greater importance." You can see how at first Marjane is hiding her ethnicity and tells people that she is French. Later in the story, she accepts who she is and shouts to her friends "I AM IRANIAN AND I AM PROUD!" With this you can tell that she has become more in tune with her Iranian culture and has recognized what it means to her. 

Surprisingly, Marjane and I have a lot in common. We have both moved many times and gone form school to school. Although I only moved less than an hour away from my home while Marjane moved from opposite ends of the world, I still went through a similar experience. Moving to a new school can be difficult; cliques have already been formed and you may often feel alone. Marjane goes through this phase and has a hard

time making friends at first. She even talks about how her roommate is the only friend that she has, and then begins to realize how annoying her new friend is. Going through the same thing I can understand how hard it is to make true friends in a new place when you don't really know anyone. 

Marjane has dealt with great adversity throughout her lifetime. Her personal adolescent struggles have not made her journey any easier for her either. Finding herself has been one of the biggest struggles for her to overcome, but her becoming in tact with her culture has helped her to find out. Her Iranian background and beliefs will carry with her throughout her life and will help to shape her to the person she will soon be. 

http://www.classroominterpreting.org/interpreters/children/cognitive/midhigh.asp