R.I.P Uncle Anoosh

Appears in 2 stories in Persepolis 2, "Moscow", and "The Sheep", Anoosh is one of Marjane's dad's brothers. Out of all 5 uncles that Marjane has, Anoosh is the only one that she has never met, until his return from Russia.
Always fascinated by the idea of a hero whom has been in prison, Marjane is overjoyed when she learns that her uncle Anoosh had been in jail for 9 years.
Telling it as bedtime story, Anoosh begins the story of his life starting when he was 18 and leaving his parents to be with his uncle, Fereydoon, who self proclaimed to be the minister of a new republic. Fereydoon was soon arrested, and Anoosh was on the run since. He finally went to Moscow, became a student, got his doctorate, even got married and had 2 children. Insinuating that his wife separated him from his children, he attempted to get home by disguising himself in order to pass the airport. However, he was recognized and arrested. Then goes 9 years of being imprisoned. 

uncle Anoosh gives Marjane a swan he made from bead when he was in prison

Soon after the reunion with his family, Anoosh is arrested again.
In prison, Anoosh was granted 1 visit, and he wished to see little Marjane. In this visit, he gives her a second bead swan, "it's the uncle of the first one", he tells her.


















 That's the last time Marjane ever sees her beloved uncle; he was executed soon after, as a Russian spy.

I too, had an uncle who was imprisoned for years, it was not because he was accused a communist like Anoosh was, it was the communists he was against and it was them who arrested him.This happened way before I was born. When I was born, he was already released. As I remember, he did not look very healthy, always had a gloomy expression on his face, and rarely went out of his room. It was a dark room, with a heavy smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke.
However, I enjoyed being around him. His face lightened up a bit when he saw me though. He would always buy me candies and told me stories of when he was young and ambitious, or we would make car models out of his cigarette boxes.
One chilly winter day when I was with mom at home, we had a phone call. She bursted into tears, put on a jacket, put me in a jacket, and we headed to my uncle's house. He passed away that very day. I was nine.