Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis introduces the Islamic veil as an attempt by the Iranian government to control women. Islamic radicals promised safety and protection to those who respected their rules. Rebels who refused to wear headscarves were threatened with beatings, rape or death. These modern women who fought against religious oppression met the minimum requirements of government rules to live safely in a hostile environment. Being forced to wear the veil, the Islamic government's control pushes her people into rebellion. The reform of the country of Iran towards Islam caused unrest among the people because the drastic changes imposed on the people were not easily accepted. One of the most notable changes was that women were forced to wear veils as a religious requirement. A change in government to a religion is difficult to overcome because not everyone agrees with the changes and many people want to keep things as they are. This transition to Islam is difficult for Marjane and the other children, as she explains: “We didn't really like wearing the headscarf, especially because we didn't understand why we had to do it” (3). Marjane's family serves as an example that there are families in Iran who do not strictly follow the Islamic religion and do not understand why they are forced to follow the rules imposed by the government. Although many people did not believe the government's proposition that women's hair excites men, they still had to wear veils to live safely. Marjane states, “I think the reason we were so rebellious was that our generation had known secular schools” (98). The constant struggle of transitioning to religious schools was difficult for Iranian children because they were already... middle of paper ......es Marjane by a worried young girl with a round, innocent face the front of the book a a young, veilless and rebellious woman dressed all in black and smoking a cigarette. The war taught Marjane to be tough, and she proved it by not wearing a headscarf and a cigarette in her hand to calm her nerves. Persepolis shows the damage caused by a country at war through the imposition of religion on its people. Religious disagreements, death, stress, and early maturity drive people to riots. Satrapi shares her experiences so that the difficulties she has experienced are understood by people of other cultures and do not have to be endured by others. Works Cited Naghibi, Nima, and Andrew O'Malley. “Strange the Familiar: “East” and “West” in Satrapi's Persepolis.” English studies in Canada. 2005. Network. February 28, 2015.Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003. Print.