Marji and Western CultureOn page 185 of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, the differences between Marji's fundamentalist background and Western culture become quite apparent, as Marji struggles to fit in to the lifestyle of the local Austrian people. After Marji moves to Austria, there is a sudden development in her maturity, as she is removed from her parents and childhood home; however, her experiences of adapting to a society so different from her own highlight the innocence that is still strongly present in her. At the party Julia throws, Marji thinks, “The party wasn't what I imagined. In Iran, at parties, everyone danced and ate. In Vienna people preferred to stand around smoking” (185). This panel and caption reveal a clear divide between young adults growing up in wartime and teenagers in Austria. In Iran, citizens care much more about their lives, because they risk losing it every day and have to face continuous and serious threats. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Meanwhile, in Austria, teenagers have not learned to appreciate their health, loved ones and luxuries. While Persians throw parties to celebrate with families/friends and distract themselves from tragedy during the little bit of free time they can get, Austrians are constantly looking for distractions from what they see as a boring and routine life, leading them to narcotic substances. and “all these public displays of affection” (185). In the image, Marji is sitting in the dark corner of a crowded but empty room, surrounded by smoke, drunk teenagers and couples. His face expresses not just fear, but shock, as he says “I come from a traditionalist country” (165) – this party was a sudden immersion in a culture he had just experienced. The concern in Marji's eyes may also come across as ironic after reading the text further, because the terrified, innocent girl at Julie's party is so far from the drug-dealing, boy-hungry teenager she transforms into. While Marji may seem daunted by the party, this moment, as she sits in the corner of a room full of unfamiliar faces, is one of the few instances where she remains true to herself and her Persian values. He does not succumb to the ways of the reckless Austrian teenagers as he does later in the novel, instead he seems to focus on his origins and the ideas reiterated by his grandmother before leaving..