Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return

In Persepolis 1, it ends with Marjane departing at the airport for Vienna, leaving her parents behind. Persepolis 2 continues her journey when she is at Vienna. According to the plan, she will be living with her mother's friend, Zozo, however, as Zozo's life has gotten worse than it used to in Iran, now that she's working as a hair dresser while her husband is unemployed (whom used to be a CEO), Marjane's present is not very welcomed. As unexpected it is to Marjane, Zozo arranges for her to be at a boarding school, run by nuns, just 10 days after her arrival in Vienna.
Then, she attends school, where she found herself friendless and an complete outsider, since she arrives in the middle of the trimester, groups of friends have already formed.
 After a while, she did make some friends, who were fascinated by the idea that "she's been through war".

 Soon, she reaches puberty, and experiences many physical and psychological changes. In addition, being in Austria, she also faces many vast differences in term of cultural and traditional beliefs.

She turns into a punk, which is not allowed in Iran.

                  She smokes.

She sees and knows about  things that are considered completely outrageous in her country.

She soon finds herself in her first relationship.
Then the second.
After 4 years of struggle in Austria, and occasionally mistreated in term of ethnicity. Marjane goes back to where her heart most longs for, Iran, home where the loved ones are. There, she continues her journey as she grows.














Connection with Persepolis 1:
This book goes deeper in the cultural and traditional values that Marjane has learned at home before leaving for Vienna as depicted in Persepolis 1. It shows her perspective as a more matured Marjane now thinking and applying all these traditions into her new life. The lifestyle in Austria though gives her total freedom to be herself, at the same time makes her question her real identity, and whether or not to keep her cultural values and beliefs that she once stood for.