The Influences of Marjane's Family on Her Development/Growth

          I think that throughout the book, Marjane is greatly influenced by her family. Even though she is outspoken, headstrong, and does what she wants most of the time, she is still thinking about her family, and they seem to be in her head for most of the book. She is very obviously influenced by her family when she is a little kid (as most young children are). One example is on page 62, when her father tells her off for listening to what the TV says, she holds that almost cynical viewpoint with her, and later tells her friends not to listen to the propaganda on page 111. I think that although it may seem like her family's influence on her diminishes when she moves to Europe, that it does not, and she is still thinking about what they would want as she matures and becomes a young adult. For example on page 197, when she yells at the girls and accepts her Iranian heritage, she is very proud of herself, and is thinking about her family, and what they said and would say. She is also very excited and happy for a long time before and after her mother visits, showing that her parents really mean a lot to her. I think that because her parents are so influential and important to her, they will continue to play a large role in her thoughts and decisions for the rest of the book.