Alternative Viewpoint: The Negative Connotation of the Hijab within Persepolis

In 2003, Marjane Satrapi published her graphic novel The Complete Persepolis, an autobiography about her coming-of-age during the Islamic Revolution. A key turning point in the novel is when the young Satrapi is suddenly required to wear the hijab, whereas before she went freely about the town with her hair uncovered. Satrapi hates the hijab and tries to evade it whenever possible. Although the Islamic Revolution was a return to more fundamental, conservative values, it took place during the latter half of the twentieth century, a time of progression and Westernization, thus creating tension between the fundamentalists and the modernists. One sees this tension within Persepolis: for instance, Satrapi contrasts the fundamentalist woman (who is completely covered and veiled) and the modern woman, who dresses conservatively and wears the hijab but lets a few strands of hair show to demonstrate her opposition to the revolution (Satrapi 75). Satrapi sees the hijab as a sign of feminine oppression. She also mocks the reasoning behind it in the novel. “’Women’s hair emanates rays that excite men. That’s why women should cover their hair! If in fact it is really more civilized to go without the veil, then animals are more civilized than we are.’ ‘Incredible! They think all men are perverts!’” (Satrapi 74). Because this novel was the summer reading requirement before arriving at Wheaton, and because Wheaton hosted Satrapi herself as a guest speaker, I assume that the College endorsed the negative view of the hijab. I feel that by accepting Satrapi’s vision of it, the College dismissed the hijab’s importance as a social and cultural mechanism. But Satrapi is one individual; there are millions of women content to wear the hijab, who accept what it stands for and the methods behind it. Upon researching and fieldwork (such as my interviews with Rasheeda), I am finding that I can in fact justify the wearing of the hijab, a topic I shall explore in future posts.