1984 – George Orwell

Chapter 2/8

• Knock on Winston’s Door: Winston hears a knock at the door and fears it’s the Thought Police, but it’s only his neighbor, Mrs. Parsons, asking for help with her plumbing.
• Interaction with the Parsons Children: Winston meets Mrs. Parsons’ children, who are Junior Spies, trained to report any disloyal behavior, even from their parents.
• Children’s Hostility: The Parsons children accuse Winston of being a traitor and spy, showing how deeply indoctrinated the younger generation is by the Party.
• Fear of Children: Winston reflects on how dangerous children are in this society, as they can easily turn against their parents by reporting them to the Thought Police.
• Winston’s Hatred for the Party Intensifies: Winston’s hatred for the Party grows as he sees how it controls and manipulates people, especially children.
• Winston’s Thoughts on His Death: Winston again contemplates his eventual arrest, knowing that writing in the diary is a death sentence.
• The Memory of the Dream: Winston recalls a dream in which O’Brien’s voice says, “We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness,” giving him hope that O’Brien might be on his side.
• Paranoia About Thoughtcrime: Winston becomes increasingly paranoid about committing thoughtcrime and how the Thought Police can catch people through mere facial expressions (facecrime).
• Winston’s Sense of Isolation: Winston feels utterly alone in his rebellion, knowing that any attempt to oppose the Party is futile and will lead to his downfall.

Chapter 3/8

• Winston’s Dream of His Mother: Winston dreams of his mother and sister sinking into the depths of a ship, reflecting on how they died in the purges. He feels guilty, thinking their deaths were a sacrifice for him.
• The Golden Country: Winston dreams of a pastoral, serene landscape where a woman throws off her clothes in a gesture of rebellion, representing freedom and beauty, contrasting with the oppressive world he lives in.
• Physical Jerks: Winston wakes up for the mandatory morning exercises, the Physical Jerks, a form of physical control imposed by the Party.
• Memory of the Past: Winston tries to recall the time before the Party’s rule but struggles because the Party has rewritten history, leaving no trace of the past.
• The Party’s Manipulation of Reality: Winston reflects on how the Party controls reality by erasing and altering historical records, making it impossible to know what is true.
• Doublethink: Winston contemplates the concept of “doublethink,” the ability to hold two contradictory beliefs at the same time, a fundamental aspect of Party indoctrination.
• Winston’s Hatred for Big Brother: He feels an overwhelming hatred for Big Brother but knows he must suppress it.
• Telescreen Monitoring: The telescreen barks at Winston for not performing the exercises correctly, reminding him that he is constantly watched.
• Fragmented Memories: Winston tries to remember his childhood and the early days of the revolution but finds his memories are fragmented, distorted by the Party’s control of information.
• Fear of the Thought Police: The constant fear of being caught by the Thought Police looms in Winston’s mind, as he knows even thinking rebellious thoughts is a crime.

Chapter 4/8

• Winston’s Job at the Ministry of Truth: Winston arrives at work, where his job is to alter historical records and fabricate the Party’s version of the truth.
• The Memory Hole: Winston throws old, altered documents into the Memory Hole, where they are incinerated, effectively erasing the past.
• Falsifying History: Winston fabricates an article about a war hero, Comrade Ogilvy, who never existed, demonstrating the Party’s power to create false history.
• The Party’s Control of Reality: Winston reflects on how the Party controls reality by constantly rewriting history to suit its current needs.
• Newspeak’s Role: Newspeak, the language developed by the Party to limit free thought, plays a crucial role in suppressing rebellion by reducing the range of thoughts people can have.
• Winston’s Daily Routine: The monotony of Winston’s daily work, altering facts and erasing people from existence, highlights the soulless nature of life in Oceania.
• Winston’s Growing Disgust: Winston becomes increasingly disgusted with his work, knowing that it perpetuates the lies of the Party.
• The Party’s Infallibility: Winston is aware that the Party presents itself as infallible by continuously altering the truth so that it is never wrong.
• The Fabrication of Reality: Winston muses on the Party’s ability to create people out of thin air, like Comrade Ogilvy, and to erase real people, making them unpersons.
• Winston’s Quiet Rebellion: Though outwardly he performs his duties, Winston’s inner rebellion grows as he becomes more aware of the Party’s manipulations.

Chapter 5/8

• Lunch with Colleagues: Winston has lunch in the Ministry’s cafeteria with colleagues, including Syme, a Newspeak specialist, and Parsons, his neighbor.
• Syme’s Role in Newspeak: Syme explains his work on the latest edition of the Newspeak dictionary, which aims to reduce the number of words in the language and eliminate subversive thoughts.
• The Dangers of Newspeak: Winston realizes that Syme is too intelligent and outspoken, and will likely be vaporized because he understands too much about the Party’s true intentions.
• The Party’s Control of Language: Syme enthusiastically describes how Newspeak will eventually make thoughtcrime impossible by removing the words necessary to express rebellion.
• Parsons’ Enthusiasm for the Party: Parsons, a loyal and ignorant Party member, praises his children for their zeal in denouncing unorthodox behavior, showcasing the Party’s control over the younger generation.
• Food as a Symbol of Control: The cafeteria serves bland, synthetic food, symbolizing the lack of pleasure or individuality allowed in Oceania.
• The Joy of Party Doctrine: Winston is disgusted by the enthusiasm of Party loyalists like Syme and Parsons, who fully believe in the Party’s doctrines without questioning them.
• Telescreen Announcements: During lunch, the telescreens announce a victory in the war, further illustrating the constant manipulation of information to maintain the illusion of success and control.
• Julia’s Presence: Winston notices Julia sitting nearby and feels a renewed sense of distrust and loathing toward her, suspecting she might be a spy.
• Fear of Vaporization: Winston becomes increasingly aware that those who think critically, like Syme, will eventually be vaporized, deepening his own fear of being caught.

Chapter 6/8

• Winston’s Encounter with Prostitution: Winston recalls a past encounter with a prostitute, reflecting on the Party’s control over sexual behavior and its efforts to eradicate pleasure from sex.
• The Party’s Control of Relationships: The Party seeks to eliminate emotional connections between individuals, particularly in marriages, in order to direct all loyalty towards Big Brother.
• Winston’s Marriage: Winston remembers his failed marriage to Katharine, a woman completely indoctrinated by the Party. Their marriage fell apart because Katharine saw sex solely as a duty to the Party.
• Sex as Rebellion: Winston recognizes that even the act of desiring someone is an act of rebellion in a society where sexual pleasure is forbidden.
• The Party’s View on Sex: The Party views sex as a means for procreation only, not for personal enjoyment or intimacy, because strong personal bonds might lead to rebellion.
• Winston’s Loneliness: He reflects on his isolation and lack of meaningful relationships in a society where true connection is impossible.
• Hatred for the Party: Winston’s hatred for the Party intensifies as he recalls the Party’s intrusion into every aspect of life, even personal relationships.
• Thoughtcrime and Fear: Winston becomes more aware of how dangerous his thoughts about sex and rebellion are in the eyes of the Party.
• The Prole Woman: He fantasizes about the proles, imagining that they might still have some semblance of humanity and freedom in their lives.
• Hope in the Proles: Winston believes that if there is hope for overthrowing the Party, it lies in the proles, who are not as closely monitored as Party members.

Chapter 7/8

• Winston’s Belief in the Proles: Winston writes in his diary that if there is hope for rebellion, it lies in the proles, who make up 85% of Oceania’s population and are not as strictly controlled as Party members.
• The Party’s Control Over Reality: Winston reflects on the Party’s ability to alter historical records and create a false reality, making it impossible to trust even one’s own memory.
• The Confession of Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford: Winston recalls a moment when he found concrete evidence (a photograph) proving the Party’s manipulation of history, only to have it disappear into the Memory Hole.
• Winston’s Despair: He realizes that the Party’s control over reality is so complete that no one will ever know the truth about the past or present.
• Winston’s Diary Entry: He writes, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows,” expressing his desire for objective truth.
• The Role of Doublethink: Winston considers how the Party uses doublethink to force citizens to accept contradictions, such as believing two plus two equals five if the Party says so.
• Julia’s Suspicion: Winston continues to feel suspicious and hostile toward Julia, whom he believes is spying on him for the Thought Police.
• Winston’s Inner Conflict: He feels trapped between his desire for rebellion and his fear of the Party, knowing that he is powerless to change the system.
• Fear of Betrayal: Winston becomes increasingly paranoid that his thoughts will betray him and that he will eventually be caught by the Thought Police.
• Winston’s Sense of Doom: He becomes resigned to the fact that his fate is sealed, and it is only a matter of time before the Party catches him for thoughtcrime.

Chapter 8/8

• Winston walks through the Prole district: He explores the area where the Proles live, noting that they are largely free from the Party’s strict surveillance.
• Reflection on the Proles’ potential: Winston believes that if there is any hope of rebellion against the Party, it lies with the Proles, but they are largely ignorant and indifferent.
• Observation of the Proles’ lifestyle: He observes that the Proles live more relaxed lives, preoccupied with trivial matters like the lottery, and are not a threat to the Party.
• Attempt to learn about the past: Winston talks to an old man in a pub, hoping to learn whether life was better before the Party’s control, but the man’s memories are unclear and useless.
• Visit to Mr. Charrington’s shop: Winston returns to the junk shop where he bought his diary and strikes up a conversation with the shop owner, Mr. Charrington.
• Discovery of a private room: Mr. Charrington shows Winston an upstairs room with no telescreen, offering a rare sense of privacy.
• The glass paperweight: Winston buys a glass paperweight from the shop, seeing it as a beautiful object from the past, symbolizing a connection to a world before the Party.
• Fantasy of rebellion: He fantasizes about renting the room for private activities that could go undetected by the Party, reflecting his desire for rebellion.
• Encounter with Julia: As Winston leaves the shop, he sees Julia, the dark-haired girl from the Ministry, and becomes paranoid, believing she might be spying on him.
• Growing paranoia: Winston’s fear intensifies, thinking that Julia could be following him or planning to report him to the Thought Police.

Comparative Essays

1. Gender Roles and Feminism

Hedda Gabler:

• Hedda despises her role as a wife and feels trapped by societal expectations for women.
• She envies the freedom men like Lovborg possess, reflecting gender inequality.
• Hedda fears motherhood, seeing it as another form of confinement imposed on women.
• Thea’s character represents a more traditional female role, contrasting Hedda’s rebellion.
• Judge Brack’s sexual manipulation of Hedda underscores male dominance in her society.
• Hedda tries to exert power by manipulating others but is trapped by her gender role.
• She resents being defined by her marriage to Tesman and feels no agency.
• Hedda sees Lovborg’s downfall as a twisted form of liberation, something unattainable for her as a woman.
• Hedda’s desire for control manifests as destructive behavior, a reaction to her powerlessness.
• Her final act of suicide can be viewed as her ultimate escape from gender constraints.
• The societal expectation that women should find fulfillment in domestic life leaves Hedda unsatisfied.
• Hedda manipulates Thea, reflecting how women sometimes internalize and reinforce societal misogyny.
• Lovborg’s connection to Thea threatens Hedda’s sense of power, showing how men often overshadow women.
• Hedda feels inferior in intellectual conversations dominated by men.
• The men around her, such as Tesman and Brack, view Hedda as an object of desire rather than an equal partner.
• Hedda’s rejection of domesticity contrasts sharply with Aunt Julle’s embrace of traditional female roles.
• Hedda’s social status and beauty offer her limited power, but she’s ultimately constrained by gender norms.
• Hedda’s manipulation of Lovborg’s fate reflects her frustration with being unable to control her own destiny.
• The societal pressure to become a mother is symbolized by Hedda’s anxiety over the idea of pregnancy.
• Hedda’s yearning for freedom is expressed in her fascination with male characters who seem to have more choices in life.

Persepolis:

• Marjane rebels against the gender expectations imposed by the Iranian regime, especially the compulsory hijab.
• She grows up witnessing the repression of women’s rights after the Islamic Revolution.
• Marjane’s grandmother serves as a role model for female strength and resilience.
• Marjane defies social norms by embracing Western culture, despite the regime’s restrictions.
• Her mother’s resistance to the regime demonstrates women’s quiet acts of defiance.
• Marjane’s education, which is denied to many girls in Iran, is a form of feminist empowerment.
• Her decision to leave Iran is partly driven by the desire for gender equality.
• Marjane’s relationship with men reflects both the societal expectations of women and her defiance of those norms.
• She critiques how the Iranian regime uses religion to control women’s bodies and choices.
• Marjane’s rebellious nature is evident in her refusal to conform to the regime’s oppressive gender laws.
• The veil becomes a symbol of her forced identity, representing the broader oppression of women.
• Marjane’s journey of self-discovery is marked by her constant battle against patriarchal expectations.
• Her relationship with her father illustrates the tension between traditional male authority and Marjane’s feminist ideals.
• The regime’s punishment of women for “indecency” reflects its desire to control female autonomy.
• Marjane’s return to Iran forces her to re-adapt to the gendered restrictions she once escaped.
• The freedom Marjane experiences abroad starkly contrasts with the limitations placed on women in Iran.
• The rebellious women Marjane meets in Iran, like those at university, continue the feminist struggle.
• Her art and storytelling become acts of feminist resistance against a regime that seeks to silence women.
• Marjane’s critique of marriage reflects her discomfort with traditional gender roles.
• Her independence and refusal to be defined by a man challenge the cultural norms she was raised in.

2. Freedom vs. Confinement

Hedda Gabler:

• Hedda feels confined by her marriage and social position, yearning for freedom.
• The setting of the Tesman household represents Hedda’s emotional and psychological imprisonment.
• Hedda’s desire for power over Lovborg’s fate shows her craving for control over her own life.
• She views her future child as another form of confinement, limiting her freedom.
• Hedda’s fascination with death reflects her belief that only in death can she be free.
• She manipulates others in a desperate attempt to assert some control in her confined world.
• Lovborg’s ability to live freely as a man contrasts with Hedda’s entrapment by societal norms.
• Judge Brack’s control over Hedda symbolizes her lack of autonomy within her society.
• Hedda’s inability to escape her domestic life drives her toward destructive actions.
• The house’s physical confines reflect the limitations placed on Hedda’s personal freedom.
• Hedda’s longing for freedom is expressed through her fascination with Lovborg’s more liberated lifestyle.
• The manuscript becomes a symbol of intellectual freedom, which Hedda destroys out of jealousy and confinement.
• Hedda’s interactions with Brack reveal her limited social and emotional freedom.
• Thea’s ability to leave her husband contrasts with Hedda’s inability to leave her own circumstances.
• Hedda’s manipulative nature stems from her sense of confinement and lack of agency.
• Her marriage to Tesman is a cage that stifles her desires for a more adventurous life.
• Hedda’s final act of suicide is her ultimate escape from the societal chains that bind her.
• The cultural expectations of 19th-century women limit Hedda’s freedom in intellectual and social arenas.
• Hedda resents being relegated to the domestic sphere, seeking a sense of control over her surroundings.
• Hedda’s destructive tendencies are fueled by the internal conflict between her desire for freedom and the restrictions placed upon her.

Persepolis:

• Marjane experiences confinement under the Iranian regime’s oppressive rules, especially regarding women’s dress and behavior.
• The veil is a constant symbol of her lack of freedom in Iran.
• Marjane’s education abroad represents a temporary escape from the societal constraints of Iran.
• Her return to Iran highlights the tension between personal freedom and societal confinement.
• Marjane’s ability to express herself through art becomes a form of mental freedom, even when physically confined.
• The strict rules governing women’s behavior in public represent the regime’s control over female bodies.
• Marjane’s decision to leave Iran is driven by her desire for intellectual and personal freedom.
• The revolution initially promises freedom but leads to even greater confinement for women.
• The public punishments for women who defy the dress code demonstrate the harsh restrictions on freedom.
• Marjane’s rebellious nature reflects her internal struggle against the confinement imposed by her culture.
• Her family’s history of political dissent serves as a reminder of the long-standing fight for freedom in Iran.
• Marjane’s experiences abroad expose her to new forms of freedom, making her return to Iran more difficult.
• The strict censorship in Iran limits Marjane’s ability to fully express herself.
• Marjane’s grandmother encourages her to maintain her sense of freedom despite societal pressures.
• The fear of being caught by the morality police limits Marjane’s behavior in public.
• Marjane’s emotional freedom is often at odds with the cultural and political confinement she faces.
• The duality of public and private life in Iran forces Marjane to live in constant tension between freedom and repression.
• Marjane’s departure from Iran is a final act of seeking personal freedom, though it comes with a sense of loss.
• The regime’s manipulation of religion as a tool for control confines Marjane’s spiritual and intellectual freedom.
• Marjane’s identity is shaped by the conflict between her desire for autonomy and the societal rules that seek to define her.

3. Power and Manipulation

Hedda Gabler:

• Hedda uses manipulation as a tool to exert power in her otherwise powerless existence.
• She manipulates Lovborg into drinking, pushing him toward his downfall.
• Hedda attempts to control Tesman by withholding affection and feigning interest in his work.
• Her burning of Lovborg’s manuscript is an act of power over his intellectual legacy.
• Judge Brack’s blackmail gives him power over Hedda, showing her vulnerability.
• Hedda manipulates Thea by playing on her insecurities about Lovborg.
• Hedda’s use of her father’s pistols symbolizes her desire for control over life and death.
• Lovborg’s romanticized view of Hedda gives her emotional power over him.
• Hedda’s manipulation of events reflects her frustration with being controlled by society’s rules.
• Tesman’s obliviousness to Hedda’s unhappiness allows her to manipulate him without consequence.
• Hedda tries to manipulate the future by influencing Lovborg’s decisions and Thea’s emotions.
• Brack’s sexual advances are a form of manipulation that ultimately traps Hedda.
• Hedda’s control over Lovborg’s fate is a substitute for the control she lacks over her own life.
• She destroys Lovborg’s manuscript out of jealousy and the desire to wield power over something she cannot create herself.
• Hedda’s manipulation of others stems from her internalized need for control in a male-dominated society.
• Lovborg’s tragic end is partly a result of Hedda’s manipulative influence, showing her destructive power.
• Brack’s ability to blackmail Hedda underscores the societal power imbalance between men and women.
• Hedda’s use of manipulation is ultimately self-destructive, leading to her own demise.
• Her desire to control others is a reflection of her own lack of personal freedom.
• Hedda’s manipulative actions are motivated by her dissatisfaction with her limited role as a woman.

Persepolis:

• Marjane manipulates her appearance to conform to the regime’s dress code while maintaining her personal identity in private.
• The regime’s manipulation of religious laws allows them to control the population, especially women.
• Marjane’s manipulation of her teachers in school shows her resilience against authoritarian control.
• Her family uses bribery and connections to manipulate the system and avoid punishment.
• The regime manipulates history and education to indoctrinate the youth.
• Marjane’s decision to lie about her Western behaviors in Iran is a form of manipulation for survival.
• The regime manipulates women’s behavior through fear, especially with the morality police.
• Marjane manipulates her classmates’ perception of her by pretending to conform to social norms.
• Her manipulation of her identity, by appearing devout in public but rebellious in private, shows the double life many Iranians lead.
• Marjane’s decision to leave Iran is an act of taking power over her own life, escaping manipulation by the regime.
• The regime’s use of fear to control the populace is a constant source of manipulation in Persepolis.
• Marjane manipulates the truth when recounting stories of her rebellious acts to her grandmother, seeking approval.
• Her family manipulates the system to avoid conscription and persecution during the war.
• The regime’s manipulation of women’s bodies, through laws about dress and behavior, is a central theme.
• Marjane’s manipulation of her appearance in Europe shows her struggle to balance personal freedom with societal expectations.
• The regime manipulates the media to maintain control over the narrative of the revolution.
• Marjane’s manipulation of authority figures in her school shows her ability to navigate oppressive systems.
• The Iranian regime manipulates the religious devotion of the people to justify its authoritarian rule.
• Marjane’s manipulation of her own identity, from rebellious child to political exile, reflects her need for survival in a repressive society.
• The regime manipulates public fear to enforce strict societal control, especially over women.

4. Rebellion and Resistance

Hedda Gabler:

• Hedda’s manipulation of others is a subtle form of rebellion against the constraints of her life.
• Her refusal to conform to the domestic role expected of her reflects her resistance to societal norms.
• Hedda’s fascination with Lovborg’s wild lifestyle shows her desire to break free from societal rules.
• Her destruction of the manuscript is an act of rebellion against intellectual confinement.
• Hedda’s relationship with Brack is marked by resistance to his sexual advances, though ultimately unsuccessful.
• Her refusal to engage in motherhood is a form of resistance against traditional female roles.
• Hedda’s manipulation of Thea is a rebellion against the notion that women should support each other in male-dominated society.
• Her suicide is a final act of rebellion, choosing death over continued subjugation.
• Hedda’s defiance of social expectations makes her a complex figure of resistance.
• Hedda’s lack of interest in her husband’s career reflects her rejection of the conventional role of the supportive wife.
• Her interactions with Lovborg are motivated by her desire to disrupt the lives of those around her.
• Hedda rebels against the idea of being a passive observer of life by actively influencing others’ destinies.
• She views Thea’s success in supporting Lovborg as a threat and responds with rebellious acts of destruction.
• Hedda’s refusal to show Tesman affection is a subtle rebellion against the expectation of wifely devotion.
• Her cold demeanor and manipulation of Brack show her resistance to male control.
• Hedda’s disinterest in conventional social gatherings reflects her disdain for the social expectations of women.
• Her manipulation of Lovborg’s fate is an attempt to rebel against her own lack of control over her life.
• Hedda’s destruction of the manuscript is a symbolic act of rebellion against male intellectual dominance.
• Her fascination with death reflects her belief that it is the only way to truly escape societal constraints.
• Hedda’s actions throughout the play reflect a quiet rebellion against the confining roles prescribed to her as a woman.

Persepolis:

• Marjane’s refusal to wear the veil correctly is a small act of rebellion against the regime’s oppressive rules.
• Her embracing of Western music and culture reflects her resistance to the cultural restrictions in Iran.
• Marjane’s family participates in political protests, showing their active resistance against the government.
• Marjane’s outspokenness in school is a form of rebellion against the indoctrination of youth.
• Her decision to study abroad is an act of resistance against the intellectual confinement in Iran.
• Marjane’s parents support her rebellion, encouraging her to resist the regime’s authoritarian rule.
• Her embrace of punk culture while in Austria reflects her desire to rebel against societal norms in both Iran and Europe.
• Marjane’s decision to smoke cigarettes is a personal rebellion against the expectations placed upon her as a young Iranian woman.
• Her grandmother’s stories of rebellion against the Shah’s regime inspire Marjane’s own resistance.
• Marjane’s critique of the Iranian regime in her graphic novel is a powerful act of rebellion through art.
• Her defiance of the morality police is a direct act of rebellion against the regime’s control over women’s behavior.
• Marjane’s rejection of arranged marriage is a resistance to the traditional gender roles enforced in her society.
• Her critique of religion as a tool of oppression is a central form of rebellion in her narrative.
• Marjane’s friendships with rebellious women in Iran highlight the collective resistance of Iranian women against the regime.
• Her decision to leave Iran is an ultimate act of rebellion, refusing to live under the regime’s control.
• Marjane’s criticism of the war and the regime’s propaganda reveals her resistance to the state’s manipulation of its citizens.
• Her decision to wear makeup and jeans, despite the risk of punishment, is an act of resistance against the dress code.
• Marjane’s questioning of authority figures in her school shows her rebellious spirit from a young age.
• Her graphic novel itself is a rebellious act, exposing the brutality of the Iranian regime to a global audience.
• Marjane’s ultimate embrace of her dual identity—both Iranian and Western—reflects her resistance to being defined by any single culture or set of norms.

5. Social and Political Context

Hedda Gabler:

• The play reflects 19th-century European societal expectations for women, particularly regarding marriage and motherhood.
• Hedda’s aristocratic background contrasts with her current financial insecurity, highlighting the social hierarchy of the time.
• The social context of the time limits Hedda’s opportunities for self-expression outside of marriage.
• The academic world, represented by Tesman and Lovborg, is male-dominated, excluding Hedda.
• Judge Brack’s power over Hedda reflects the broader social power men held over women in this period.
• The pressure on Tesman to succeed academically and financially reflects societal expectations of men as providers.
• Hedda’s manipulation of social norms, such as marriage, shows her rejection of the roles expected of her.
• The expectations of women in the domestic sphere confine Hedda to a life she finds unfulfilling.
• The social stigma surrounding divorce or infidelity prevents Hedda from leaving Tesman.
• The play’s setting in a bourgeois household reflects the limited scope of women’s influence in society.
• Hedda’s aristocratic upbringing gives her a sense of superiority but also isolates her from the more dynamic intellectual world.
• The academic rivalry between Tesman and Lovborg highlights the importance of intellectual achievement in their social world.
• Hedda’s desire for a more adventurous life contrasts with the conventional domesticity expected of women in her time.
• The play critiques the limited roles available to women in 19th-century society.
• Hedda’s manipulations are partly driven by her frustration with the lack of opportunities for women outside marriage.
• The expectations placed on Tesman to succeed academically reflect the societal value placed on male achievement.
• Hedda’s interactions with Brack reveal the power imbalance between men and women in their social sphere.
• The play’s focus on domestic life reflects the limited public roles available to women in the 19th century.
• Hedda’s aristocratic background gives her a sense of entitlement, but it also isolates her from the changing social world.
• The play critiques the bourgeois values of 19th-century European society, particularly the limitations placed on women.

Persepolis:

• The Iranian Revolution of 1979 serves as the backdrop for Marjane’s childhood, reflecting the drastic social changes in Iran.
• The imposition of the hijab is symbolic of the regime’s control over women’s bodies and their freedom.
• Marjane’s family’s leftist political beliefs contrast with the conservative religious ideology of the new regime.
• The war between Iran and Iraq further restricts personal freedoms, especially for women.
• The shift from the Shah’s rule to the Islamic Republic represents a drastic social and political upheaval in Marjane’s life.
• The regime’s censorship of media and arts reflects the broader repression of intellectual freedom.
• Marjane’s experiences abroad highlight the differences between Western freedoms and the restrictions in post-revolutionary Iran.
• The contrast between Marjane’s life in Austria and her return to Iran reflects the tensions between personal freedom and political repression.
• The regime’s use of religion to justify its authoritarian rule is a central theme in Persepolis.
• Marjane’s family’s history of political activism highlights the longstanding resistance to both the Shah’s rule and the Islamic Republic.
• The use of fear and punishment to enforce societal norms in Iran reflects the regime’s control over the population.
• The war with Iraq exacerbates the regime’s control, using nationalism and fear to further restrict freedoms.
• The cultural revolution in Iran suppresses individual expression, particularly for women, through dress codes and behavior laws.
• Marjane’s education abroad exposes her to different political ideologies, contrasting with the authoritarianism of the Iranian regime.
• The political repression in Iran forces many intellectuals and artists to flee, highlighting the regime’s impact on culture.
• Marjane’s critique of the regime’s use of martyrdom and propaganda reflects the manipulation of national identity.
• The duality of public and private life in Iran reflects the broader societal repression, where people must conform in public but resist in private.
• Marjane’s rebellion against the regime’s restrictions reflects the broader resistance of Iranian youth to theocratic control.
• The regime’s control over women’s dress and behavior is a central aspect of its political repression.
• Marjane’s family’s participation in political protests reflects the ongoing resistance to authoritarian rule in Iran.