Persepolis Chapter 9 Summary

The Sheep

  • While Uncle Anoosh stays with the family, Marji listens to all the political discussion and tries to follow along. It's a little like watching foreign television without the subtitles: she can get the gist of things, but not the specifics.
  • As the Islamic Revolution takes power, people flee Iran in droves, including Marji's friends and many of her family members.
  • Her family stays, even though all the former revolutionaries who were freed, including Uncle Anoosh, are enemies of the government again.
  • One day, Marji comes home from school to find Anoosh gone. Her parents tell her that Anoosh had to leave in a hurry.
  • Then Marji's dad comes clean: Anoosh was arrested.
  • He's allowed to talk to one person in prison, and he wants to talk to Marji.
  • He tells her, "You are the little girl I always wanted to have" (9.52), and he gives her a swan he made to match one he gave her earlier. He then calls her the "star of [his] life" (9.55). It's a really sweet exchange, which is good, because it's the last time she sees him.
  • He is later executed.
  • She tells God, "get out of my life" (9.59). She's so lost, she feels like she's lost in space.