The Complete Persepolis Quotes

“It's fear that makes us lose our conscience. It's also what transforms us into cowards.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“The regime had understood that one person leaving her house while asking herself:
Are my trousers long enough?
Is my veil in place?
Can my make-up be seen?
Are they going to whip me?

No longer asks herself:
Where is my freedom of thought?
Where is my freedom of speech?
My life, is it liveable?
What's going on in the political prisons?”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“When we're afraid, we lose all sense of analysis and reflection. Our fear paralyzes us. Besides, fear has always been the driving force behind all dictators' repression.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“I have always thought that if women's hair posed so many problems, God would certainly have made us bald.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“In every religion, you find the same extremists.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Anyway, that's how it is! Either they obey the law, or they're expelled!! And make sure they wear their veils correctly..." - "If hair is as stimulating as you say, then you need to shave your moustache!" My father actually said that.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“People don't know anymore why we've had eight years of war. Why their children have died...This entire war was just a big setup 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. The West sold weapons to both camps and we, we were stupid enough to enter into this cynical game...eight years of war for nothing! So now the state names streets after martyrs to flatter the families of the victims. In this way, perhaps, they'll find some meaning in all this absurdity.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Where are you going on vacation?”
“Nowhere. I’m going to read. I love reading.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“I learned that you should always shout louder than your aggressor.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“War always takes you by surprise.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Rule number six: Everybody should have a car
Rule number seven: All maids should eat at the table with the others
Rule number eight: No old person should have to suffer

Grandmother: In that case, I'll be your first disciple.
Persepolis: Really?
Grandmother: But tell me how you'll arrange for old people not to suffer?
Persepolis: It will simply be forbidden.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“I wanted to be an educated, liberated woman. And if the pursuit of knowledge meant getting cancer, so be it.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“I wanted to be justice, love and the wrath of God all in one”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“I rushed to the living room to protect myself from I don't know what, behind my best friend, a book.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“The Germans sell chemical weapons to Iran and Iraq. The wounded are then sent to Germany to be treated. Veritable human guinea pigs.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“The Shah stayed on the throne until 1979, when he fled Iran to escape the Islamic revolution.
Since then, this old and great civilization has been discussed mostly in connection with fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism. As an Iranian who has lived more than half of my life in Iran, I know that this image is far from the truth. This is why writing "Persepolis" was so important to me. I believe that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists. I also don't want those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suffered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten.
One can forgive but one should never forget.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Don't let it get to you, mom! The Western media also fights against us. That's where our reputation as fundamentalists and terrorists comes from."
"You're right. Between one's fanaticism and the other's disdain, it's hard to know which side to choose. Personally, I hate Saddam and I have no sympathy for the Kuwaitism but I hate just as much the cynicism of the allies who call themselves "liberators" while they're there for the oil."
"Exactly. Just look at Afghanistan! They fought there for ten years. There were 900,000 dead and today the country is still in chaos. No one lifted a finger! Because Afghanistan is poor! The worst is that the intervention in Kuwait is done in the name of the human rights! Which rights? Which humans?"
At the time, this kind of analysis wasn't commonplace. After our own war, we were happy that Iraq got itself attacked and delighted that it wasn't happening in our country. We were finally able to sleep peacefully without fear of missiles... We no longed needed to line up with our food ration coupon...the rest mattered little. And then, there wasn't any more opposition. The protesters had been executed. Or had fled the country any way possible. The regime had absolute power...and most people , in search of a cloud of happiness, had forgotten their political conscience.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“And so I was lost, without any bearings... what could be worse than that?”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“To educate myself, I had to understand everything. Starting with myself, me, Marji, the woman.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Non si ha il diritto di autocompatirsi finché i propri problemi sono ancora accettabili... E quando invece non lo sono più, il solo modo di sopportare l'insopportabile è di riderci sopra.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Despite the doctor’s orders, I bought myself several cartons of cigarettes (…) I think that I preferred to put myself in serious danger rather than confront my shame. My shame at not having become someone, the shame of not having made my parents proud after all the sacrifices they had made for me. The shame of having become a mediocre nihilist.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“En la vida encontrarás muchos imbéciles. Si te hieren, piensa que es su estupidez la que les empuja a hacerte daño. Así evitarás responder a su maldad. Porque no hay nada peor en el mundo que el rencor y la venganza... Mantén siempre tu dignidad, tu integridad y la fidelidad a ti misma (p.159)”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE LIVED BADLY”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“With this first cigarette, I kissed childhood goodbye. Now I was a grown-up.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Guns may shoot and knives may carve, but we won't wear your silly scarves!”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“Chouka era muy divertida. Por desgracia, cuando dos años más tarde se casó, su esposo le prohibió verme. Para él, yo era una persona amoral”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“500 turmans for the live and virginity of an innocent girl.”
― Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis

“I read “The Second Sex.”
Simone explained that if women peed standing up, their perception of life would change.
So I tried. It ran lightly down my left leg. It was a little disgusting.
Seated, it was much simpler. And as an Iranian woman, before learning to urinate like a man, I needed to learn to become a liberated and emancipated woman.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis

“It’s wonderful to have international friends.”
― Marjane Satrapi, The Complete Persepolis