After reading these pages I'm a little confused as to what the point of the book is. The first set of pages were about how the narrator dealt with the social and political changes in her country as she was growing up. I guess I thought that there would be more of a plot in this novel. I've come to the conclusion however that this novel will just explain the Islamic Revolution in Iran from the view point of this young child. I guess I don't really understand why the author choose to write this book, at least not yet.
The revolution really intensifies during these pages. In the previous set of pages there were minor changes such as the veil. Those changes weren't really followed because nobody was enforcing them. That all changes though.
Marjane explains that the Shah eventually gives into the protesters and gives up his office. At first he attempted to just appoint another leader and kind of take a back seat. This plan didn't work because he couldn't find anybody that he deemed acceptable. Because of this he is forced to leave and a new party steps into lead the country. This new party is not quite what the protesters were hoping for. It's strange because the protesters definitely dislike the Shah and want him gone, but they haven't really thought about who is going to replace them. The new political party really plays up nationalism and religion. They believe that the one unifying force in the country is their Islamic religion. They set laws into place that include a strict dress code and no revolutionaries. The protesters did not want laws that were that extreme. It's kind of ironic that they got rid of one ruling party just to have another ruling party take over that they are unhappy with.
Like the other protesters Marjane's parents are unhappy with the new political rulers. Since Marjane is so young and looks up to her parents these new rulers have a big impact on her also. The biggest effect on her is the veil. She is now forced to wear one or risk being attacked. One day her mother was in the streets and was not wearing the proper dress code. A group of men came up to her and said that she should be raped and tossed in the trash for not conforming to the dress code. This really upsets her and likewise upsets Marjane. She does not understand why they must dress like that.
As I read further into this novel it became evident that Marjane's family believes in religion, but does not practice it. Marjane starts off the book with many religious references such as saying she "was born with religion" and that she wanted to be a prophet. She never really tells her parents about her feelings though. Maybe she thinks they will not want her to get that involved with religion.
Another important outcome of the new ruling leaders is that school is stopped for two years. This is apparently done so that the books can be rewritten. It also has the effect of separating "thinkers" such as the people who would attend the universities. These are the people who are most likely to oppose the new government. The fact that they can't meet or that it is harder to meet in large numbers means that it is harder to form a strong group to revolt against the new power.
Marjane learns a lot about revolutionaries during these chapters also. Her parents kind of explain to her why these people do what they do. She also learns about one of her uncles who has been in prison for his actions against the government. Anoosh really teaches Marjane a lot in the short time he stays with her and her family. He tells her all sorts of stories that she really enjoys. Eventually he leaves and is recaptured and is executed. Marjane takes this very hard. In one set of graphics she is shown talking to God and telling him that she doesn't want him in her life anymore because of what has happened to Anoosh. This continues the long and changing relationship she has with God throughout the novel.
The last important event that happens as a result of the new government is the United States Embassy is taken over by the protesters. This has a big impact on Marjane because this means that she can not get a visa to leave the country. Some of her friends has left before the take over and had moved to the United States. One of her friends was a boy she liked and she really wants to move to the United States so she can be with him again. However the takeover prevents this possibly and makes her sad.
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