The Wine Chapter is all about having fun for Marjane and her entire family including her uncle, and her grandmother. It was her uncle who invited the family to the Party so as to “celebrate the Birth of Marjane’s cousin”. Everyone was there to entertain and amuse him or herself. And since they were all in a tough time because of the changes that were taking place in Iran such as the Revolution and the war between Iran and Iraq that came after it, this Birth Day Party was a much needed panacea because it obvious gave every participant of this Party a short moment to forget what was happening around them, the scenes of blood, pain and killings. Even thought the Party may have been short, it was certainly a moment of pleasure, a moment of joy and a moment where everybody had experienced a peace of mind. In an effort to draw the readers’ attention on the importance of parties like this, Marjane said that, “without them it wouldn’t be psychologically bearable “ (106).
As a reader, I could picture myself how hard and unbearable it’s to live in a life that doesn’t have the essential ingredients that makes one forget all these drastic changes such as witnessing some of your own relatives get tortured and executed them later on. This particular scene best illustrates the conflicting sides between the government’s unbreakable rules and its own peoples’ immortal desire to go against those rules. It also symbolically brings in front of the reader an illustrative picture between life and death, which might construe some of the facts faced by the family of Marjane and her other relatives. I could easily see this picture myself without any barrier as I read the Wine Chapter. In addition to this, I do think this section is central to this novel because the whole novel’s purpose was to convey a message to its reader, and it’s this very message what allows the reader to easily dissect, understand and discern the sort of conflict between the then government of Iran and some of its people who were against some of its rules. The family of Marjane was a prime example of such people.
Apparently, this Birth Day Party was for them like a miracle. A remedy that was meant to heal their wounded minds and psychological illnesses. Unfortunately, this healing miracle didn’t last that long. In fact, the consequences they received as soon as the Party came to an end was much more painful than the short time they had enjoyed with it. In a way, drinking an alcohol was “strictly forbidden” in the eyes of the Iranian government at the time (105), yet Marjane’s uncle intentionally broke this law when he had chosen to held a Birth Day Party and invited his close relative to come and celebrate with him thereby putting at risky everyone’s life, the life of Marjane’s father in particular. He was almost got killed by one of the Guardians of Iran when Marjane and her family were pulled over on their way home. The Guardians suspected that he may have been drunk because of his breath. Marjane's father completely denied this accusation, however (108). But the Guardians refused to believe his denial, and were so tough on him. Even one of them, seeing and depicting Marjane father’s tie as a “Westernized piece of trash” went on to the extent where he pointed his gun at the throat of Marjane’s father (108).
Perhaps, if it were not Marjane’s mother who beseeched the Guardian with her angelic voice to let her husband go, he would have been killed at the spot without any hesitation because it’s a well known fact that almost all soldiers have no mercy at all. It’s especially so when soldiers get the feeling that someone is guilty of something they see it to be wrong, and this was exactly what Marjane’s father was going through. Not only the Gurdians inflicted fear in the hearts of this family, but they also threaten to do further investigate by going to Marjane’s home and search alcohol related stuff (109). The Guardians intended to come to Marjane family’s home and search. Meticulously Marjane’s father was able to spare himself and the family from another dreadfully fearful event because truthfully the Guardians were merely greedy soldiers who needed some bribery, and they disappeared after they found themselves with some cash (110).
Dear my classmate, I like your writing, there are many rules which everybody should obey that in any country.In Iran also Alcohol is forbidden which not good for your health, they should respect their country rules, but they did not.
ReplyDeleteon the other hand, I believe freedom for people is the key in any country,even if it is a risk and not good for their health. I would like to tell you Marjan family was not the usual family in Iran on that time, They did not think the same as all ordinary people did.Thanks
It would be unbearable to live without the life's main essentials. It would personally drive me into insanity if I was forced to stay home at all times and not go out. On the other hand, I think that if a country does not allow certain things, such as alcohol, then the citizens need to respect that law. In US, there are many illegal drugs that are banned, and a person can get arrested for possessing those drugs; likewise, Iran also practiced the same law. Just because it was alcohol that was banned does not mean that people have the right to break the law. There is a reason things such as drugs and alcohol are not allowed. Also, in this chapter, I found the new mother to be very wretched when she gave away her new-born child to protect herself. A mother does everything for her child, and to see that she was willing to protect herself over her child was very sad.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you dear Abdirizak and thanks for your post.My friend Parvaneh is right that "there are many rules which everybody should obey that in any country",but not when everything is forbidden. At that time drinking alcohol was forbidden,reading secular books was forbidden,playing music instrument was forbidden,Having music instrument at home was forbidden,even listening music was forbidden, music and dancing in the wedding party was forbidden,wearing necklace was forbidden,being mixed men and women in the parties and wedding ceremony was forbidden, having satellite dish in our home was forbidden,going outside for two opposite sex who were not married was forbidden,(and if they were arrested they would forced to be married),walking a group of single young men in the park and street was forbidden(so they preferred stay at home and gradually they proceed toward drugs),and many other forbidden activities.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately in my country ,Iran, the religious government monopolized the country such that the other people with different belief were not considered as the normal and usual usual families.The government had made such deeply split within people that the families who were agree with the regime even were not aware what was happening to the radical families like Marzipan's family.Actually, as you see in this book the families like Marjane's always had to pretend they agree with the government because of the danger of having the opposing belief.I never intend blame the people.All of them are from one nature.All of them without considering whether they were religious or nonreligious people, they revolt against Shah with their unity. it was the government' key to continue to govern. This split sometimes influenced within a singular family so deeply that a member of family would report another member to the government.
The more press down the spring, the more potential save in it.