The Veil/The Bicycle
What country does the graphic novel take place in?
Why does Marj love the king?
What was the only food available to Marj's grandmother?
Bread.
Who is Mehri?
Maid to Marj and her family.
What happens to Shah in "The Party"?
He steps down from power.
What changes occur early on in Marj's school?
Girls must where veils and girls and boys are separated into different classes.
Who convinced Marj to love the king?
The school through government propaganda.
What does Marj's father take pictures of?
Describe the relationship between Mehri and Marj?
They are close, Mehri is like an older sister to Marj, Mehri trusts Marj to write letters for her.
What political system did the Shah try to instill prior to his removal?
Democracy and he tried out many prime ministers.
What happens at the movie theater? Why is it important?
The theater was burned down by the government and it was important because it was one of the first acts of violence committed.
How was Marj's grandfather treated in prison?
He was tortured by filling his cell with water for many hours.
Why are the actions taken by Marj's father in this chapter dangerous?
It is dangerous for him because his actions are illegal and the situations he is around usually become violent.
Why is Mehri's flirting not allowed?
She is of a lower social class than the boy and therefore not socially allowed to pursue him.
Why do Marj and friends look for a boy named Ramin?
Ramin's father was apart of a police force that killed many people.
What does 2500 years of tyranny and submission refer to?
It references old rulers and conquerors of Iran throughout history.
Who did the previous Shah overthrown in order to become the new monarch.
Marj's great grandfather.
What were the adults doing that confused Marj?
They laughed at dead bodies, death, cancer, murder. All negative things.
Go to a protest of the government.
Ramin tries to defend the actions of his father. How does Ramin justify his actions?
He claims that his father was killing communists which doesn't count as killing real people casue they're evil.
How is the Islamic Revolution like a bicycle as described in the chapter?
"When the wheels don't turn it falls." Meaning that people must participate to keep the revolution going.
Who installed the previous Shah into power and why?
The British placed the Shah in power to extract cheap oil from Iran and instill pro-Western ideas.
There is a widow who's husband dies and they use his image as a martyr, what is weird about this? How does the widow respond afterwards?
The husband did not die due to the revolution, thus not making him a true martyr. The widow then joins in protesting her husband's death.
How does Marj's mother respond to the actions of Marj and Mehri? What happened during the event that Marj and Mehri attended?
Her mother slaps both girls. The event was later called "Black Friday" because many people were killed on that day of protest.
Marj faces several contradictions in life after the Shah is overthrown? What are some of the contradictions she observes?
Marj was once told that the Shah was chosen by God, but now she must rip his face out of textbooks.