Mental Defense Barriers

A major theme in Persepolis is conflict and how conflicts progresses by getting worse before it gets better.  Examples of this is when the kids in the beginning of the book don’t want to wear their head scarves but are forced to; Marji’s relationship with god getting worse and worse; the revolution of the country; there are many more examples of the progression of conflict and the origin of these conflicts in the book. The initial reason there is a conflict in the book is due to human nature; because humans have a natural lack of faith/ trust the kids don’t have any good reason to wear the veils so they creating a conflict.  If everyone just trusted the leader and did as he said there would be no rebellion or revolution or war. However, because they don’t agree either side of the conflicting forces will go to great extents to get what they want and/or to test/prove the opposing side wrong. Although the rebels like Marij’s parents are portrayed as good they are creating an equally bad side of the conflict.  But this is human nature and the reason both sides are so stubborn is because they have both put up a mental defense against any attack or motion from the opposing side and the only way these conflicts would be resolved is if both sides open their minds and agree on a middle ground without throwing knives at each other to prove a point.