pp.18 to 19
1a
What activities are Marjane’s parents involved in before the overthrow of the Shah?
2a
What does Marjane’s father begin to explain to her?
3a
Why were the British interested in Iran at this time?
1b
How do Marjane’s parents feel when they return home from demonstrations?
2b
What does he say about the accuracy of her textbooks?
3b
What was the original idea behind the republic some revolutionaries supported?
1c
Why are Marjane’s parents too tired to play Monopoly with her?
2c
Bonus
3c
What different political influences are mentioned (e.g., Gandhi, Atatürk), and why are they included?
1d
What shocking statement does Marjane make about the Shah?
2d
How did Reza Shah originally come to power?
3d
How does the chapter show that political ideas can be interpreted differently by different people?
How
How does Marjane’s understanding of politics differ from her father’s explanation at the beginning?
How
How does her father challenge her belief system?
1e
How does her father respond to her claim about the Shah being chosen by God?
2e
What role did the British play in Reza Shah’s rise to power?
3e
What does the term “illiterate low-ranking officer” suggest about Reza Shah?
Why
Why does Marjane initially believe the Shah was chosen by God?
Effect
What effect does this conversation have on Marjane’s trust in authority?