One of the Predominant themes that Marjane Satrapi explores in Persepolis is the extent to which humans are driven by fear. Satrapi implies that humans will do almost anything if motivated by fear. Self (and sometimes family) preservation is the primary instinct of the human race.
On page 5 of the novel, Marjane's mother has her picture taken while demonstrating. This picture is published in an Iranian magazine. Marjane's mother, out of fear of the repressive regime, changes her appearance so as not to be recognized.
On page 140, Marjane hears that a bomb hit her street. She forgets about anything she was doing and immediately runs to her house. Out of fear for her family, Marjanes completely disregards her own safety.
On page 153, Marjane's family sends her off to study in Vienna, Austria. They do this out of fear for her safety. They feel that Iran is no longer safe and seek to keep her away from all the violence and death.
All of these are examples of how human actions and interactions are profoundly influenced by fear.
Another fascinating theme is the one Raymond wrote about. For more information, See Raymond's post (it is enlightening).
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