Character Knowledge
Who is the protagonist of A Streetcar Named Desire?
Blanche DuBois
Which revolution forms the backdrop of Persepolis?
The Iranian Revolution
Which theme is central to both texts?
Identity (also acceptable: power, oppression, illusion vs reality)
What does the streetcar named "Desire" symbolize?
Human desire that drives characters toward their fate.
How do both works explore the consequences of resisting dominant ideologies?
Resistance results in isolation, punishment, emotional suffering, or loss.
Who narrates Persepolis?
Marjane (Marji) Satrapi
What major conflict influences everyday life during much of Persepolis?
The Iran-Iraq War
In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche's lies mainly represent what?
Her attempt to escape reality/protect herself.
What recurring item symbolizes enforced religious conformity in Persepolis?
The veil
How do both authors show that appearance can hide reality?
Blanche hides behind lies, makeup, and dim lighting; in Persepolis, public appearances often conceal private beliefs and resistance.
Which character in A Streetcar Named Desire is caught between loyalty to her husband and loyalty to her sister?
Stella Kowalski
What postwar American social change is represented through Stanley Kowalski?
The rise of the working class/New America after WWII
What does Marji's decision to leave Iran symbolize?
The loss of innocence and sacrifice of personal identity/family for freedom.
Why does Blanche avoid bright light?
It hides her age and symbolizes her rejection of reality.
How does each author portray the idea of "home"?
Blanche associates home with Belle Reve and a lost past, while Marji's idea of home changes as she struggles between Iran and Europe.
Who sends Blanche to the mental institution at the end of the play?
Stella, with the doctor and matron (influenced by Stanley)
Why does Blanche lose Belle Reve?
The family estate is lost because of debt and financial decline.
Why does Stella choose Stanley over Blanche?
She chooses emotional security and the life she has built rather than accepting Blanche's accusations.
What does Belle Reve symbolize?
The decline of the Old South and Blanche's lost identity.
What is one way both authors show that the past continues to affect the present?
Blanche is haunted by her past, while Marji's childhood experiences and Iran's political history shape her identity.
Which family member in Persepolis most strongly introduces Marji to political activism and revolutionary ideals?
Her uncle Anoosh
How does the political climate in Persepolis directly affect Marji's education?
Schools become segregated by gender, religious ideology is imposed, and Western influences are banned.
How do both works portray the consequences of oppressive power?
Individuals lose identity, freedom, relationships, or mental stability under systems of domination.
How does Satrapi use black-and-white artwork symbolically?
To emphasize moral conflict, oppression, memory, and emotional intensity.
What major contrast between the endings of both works would make a strong comparative argument?
Blanche's story ends with defeat and institutionalization, whereas Marji's ends with separation from her homeland but continued growth and self-discovery, suggesting resilience rather than complete defeat.