Quote 21
We had demonstrated on the very day we shouldn't have: on "Black Friday." That day there were so many killed in one of the neighborhoods that a rumor spread that Israeli soldiers were responsible for the slaughter. But in fact it was really our own who had attacked us. (5.46-5.47)
This is a complicated quote to unpack. When Marji says it was their own who attacked them, she's referring to two things: (1) The scandal surrounding the attack that was blamed on Israeli soldiers, and (2) the people who slapped them for protesting on that day. Politically, Iran is still conflicted, and plagued by people attacking their own.
Quote 22
"I was 18 years old when my Uncle Fereydoon and his friends proclaimed the independence of the Iranian province of Azerbaijan." (8.9)
Freedom always comes at a price. Uncle Fereydoon is killed and, although it takes many years, Uncle Anoosh, who tells Marji this story, is also killed after being branded a traitor to Iran. They don't really care for freedom there, in case you haven't realized that yet.
Quote 23
"Don't tell anyone that I'm back. I don't want to see people!" (29.34)
Marjane is afraid of seeing her friends for a couple of reasons: (1) There's that whole "inability to admit her shame" thing—living homeless in Vienna isn't something you proudly tell people about; and (2) she's probably afraid that she won't be able to relate to them anymore. They've been stuck in Iran for years—what could they have in common at this point?
Quote 24
I was very scared. It was the end of my career. (27.23)
Being from Iran, Marjane is accustomed to living with fear. That's just how they roll there. As a result, even though she's scared of getting expelled for drug use… she doesn't curb her drug use any. At least she stops dealing, though—that's a step, we guess.
Quote 25
I thought my father was dead. That they had shot him. (4.23)
Living under the regime, Marji gets scared simply when her father is late coming home from work. In Iran, he might not be late because of work, or because of a traffic jam—he might be late because he's dead, shot in the streets by soldiers. That's scarier than rush-hour traffic in Boston.
Quote 26
Since the night of September 9, 1994, I only saw [Grandma] again once, during the Iranian New Year in March 1995. She died January 4, 1996… Freedom had a price. (38.88)
Death is irreversible. Marjane will always live (well, until she dies) with the fact that she left Iran for her own freedom, and that means she barely got to see her grandmother again. What's that? Oh, we have a speck of dirt in our eye. That's all, we swear. *sniffle*
Quote 27
After the death of Neda Baba-Levy, my life took a new turn. In 1984, I was fourteen and a rebel. Nothing scared me anymore. (19.1)
Now that Marji has practically looked death in the face, she's realized that she has to live her life to its fullest. She harnesses her grief into energy used to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. After all, she's kind of survived being killed in a way. That's a liberating feeling, because what else could be scarier than that?
Quote 28
"I don't want to die!" (18.6)
This is the only time Marji explicitly expresses this. The closer the bombs get to home, the more the reality sets in: Marji and her family could actually die. It's easy for them to think that it won't happen to them when the bombs are farther away.
Quote 29
Where was my mother to stroke my hair? Where was my grandmother to tell me that lovers, I would have had them by the dozen? Where was my father to punish this boy who dared hurt his daughter? Where? (28.8)
Marjane realizes that she never has related to any of the friends she has in Vienna, that she never opened up to any of them, so now they cannot support her. In order to get the support she needs, Marjane has to return to Iran and to her family.
Quote 30
In my culture, parents were sacred. We at least owed them an answer. (23.8)
Marjane is shocked at the way Julie treats her mother—she doesn't even answer her sometimes. Why do you think the attitude toward family is so different in Vienna than it is in Iran?
Quote 31
"Get real. Up to a certain age, you need your parents, then later, they need you." (16.9)
This is something Marji says—and believes—as a headstrong fourteen-year-old. She's right, up to a point. She'll later learn that she will always need her parents, and they will always need her.
Quote 32
Her mother had already abandoned her. Since that day, I've had doubts about the so-called "maternal instinct." (14.25-14.26)
This little aside says a lot about Marji and her observation skills. Her aunt, who had just had a baby, leaves Marji's small cousin in Marji's arms and runs. This woman decides to save herself over her baby, causing Marji to draw the conclusion that the "maternal instinct" isn't universal, and some women will save themselves first. This isn't a strange conclusion for Marji to make, particularly since she lives in a society where neighbors will turn in neighbors for being different. "Saving yourself first" is a big part of the culture in Iran, unfortunately.
Quote 33
My grandpa was a prince. (3.34)
Marjane's grandpa may have been a prince, but she's no Disney princess. Instead of prancing around in a gown and singing to blue jays, she is conflicted about so many things: class differences, culture differences, ideological differences… many of these come from being in a family whose status and history are both at odds with what they truly believe in.
Quote 34
Only my grandmother knew about my book. (1.31)
Marji is referring to a holy (well, holy-ish) book that she's writing herself. Marji's grandmother is the person in her family whom she is the closest to. Maybe this is because she tells her, "I'll be your first disciple" (1.31). She always believes in Marji, even at a very young age.
Quote 35
A few months later, I learned […] that the Mullah who had interviewed me had really appreciated my honesty. Apparently, he'd even said that I was the only one who didn't lie. I was lucky. I had stumbled on a true religious man. (32.62)
There aren't many true religious men in Iran. Most of them use religion as a means to power, but the man in charge of admitting Marjane to college truly believes, and he appreciates Marjane's true belief as well.
Quote 36
Each time that I asked my mother to pray for me, my wish was granted. (27.4)
This passage marks the first time in a while that Marjane has mentioned God. We have to ask: Does she only have faith in God when he's doing something for her? What kind of way is that to treat a friend?
Quote 37
It was a miracle. (14.43)
Marji says this after a soldier sympathizes with her grandmother when Grandma lies and says she has diabetes. He sympathizes with her because his mother has diabetes too. Is this a miracle, as Marji (who is strong in faith) believes, or is it just coincidence?
Quote 38
The only place I felt safe was in the arms of my friend. (7.45)
This quote is accompanied by an illustration of Marji in the arms of God. Or it could be Karl Marx, because she thinks Marx looks like God. But we're pretty sure it's God. Even though Marji isn't religious in the way that Iran wants her to be religious, she takes solace in her personal faith.
Quote 39
That night [God] didn't come. (2.43)
Why doesn't God come to Marjane the night she decides to be a revolutionary? Is it because he doesn't agree with violence? Or is he just catching up on Breaking Bad?
Quote 40
That same night, Ali had a big party at his house. I never drank so much in my life. (35.85)
Alcohol is both a form of defiance and a way to cope. Marjane drinks because the government doesn't want her to drink, so her raised wine bottle is like a big ol' middle finger to the government. She also drinks because a friend just died, though, which is something she wants to forget, if just for a little while.