Persepolis VS Streetcar

Question 1

POWER & OPPRESSION in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 1

Stanley’s power is both physical (brute strength, violence) and psychological (exposing Blanche’s past, gaslighting). His final dominance is shown when he forces Blanche’s institutionalization (symbolized by destroying the paper lantern).

Question 2

POWER & OPPRESSION in Persepolis

Answer 2

The Iranian regime enforces power via strict laws, fear, and public executions (e.g., Anoosh’s execution). Women’s oppression is symbolized by the mandatory veil and pervasive surveillance.

Question 3

Comparison of POWER & OPPRESSION

Answer 3

In Streetcar, power is immediate, personal, and brutal; in Persepolis, it is systematic, state-imposed, and psychologically pervasive.

Question 4

CONTROL & SOCIAL ORDER in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 4

Social norms enforce strict gender roles and class expectations, isolating Blanche and confining Stella. Society’s judgment and gossip intensify the personal downfall.

Question 5

CONTROL & SOCIAL ORDER in Persepolis

Answer 5

The state controls citizens through political and religious laws, propaganda, and class-based oppression (e.g., golden keys for poor boys). Conformity is enforced by fear and severe punishment.

Question 6

Comparison of CONTROL & SOCIAL ORDER

Answer 6

Both texts show external forces (societal norms vs. state ideology) imposing rigid control, limiting personal freedom.

Question 7

IDENTITY & SELF-PRESERVATION in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 7

Blanche constructs a fragile, illusory identity based on old Southern gentility to hide her trauma. Her self-preservation depends on maintaining a persona that ultimately cannot withstand harsh reality.

Question 8

IDENTITY & SELF-PRESERVATION in Persepolis

Answer 8

Marjane’s identity is fluid—she continually reinvents herself to survive between Iranian traditions and Western influences. Her self-protection is shown in her deliberate changes in appearance and behavior.

Question 9

Comparison of IDENTITY & SELF-PRESERVATION

Answer 9

Both protagonists reconstruct their identities for protection: Blanche clings to outdated illusions, while Marjane adapts dynamically to conflicting worlds.

Question 10

SOCIETY AND FITTING IN in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 10

Blanche is alienated from a modern society that no longer values the genteel ideals she represents. Social scrutiny and judgment further isolate her.

Question 11

SOCIETY AND FITTING IN in Persepolis

Answer 11

Marjane struggles to belong in both Vienna and a repressive Iran, caught between two incompatible cultures. Attempts to fit in intensify her internal conflict.

Question 12

Comparison of SOCIETY AND FITTING IN

Answer 12

Both characters are forced into extreme isolation by societal expectations and a failure to reconcile past identities with present norms.

Question 13

DESIRE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 13

Blanche’s desperate yearning for love and acceptance drives her to build elaborate fantasies that ultimately shatter. Her unchecked desire leads to mental collapse and ruin.

Question 14

DESIRE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES in Persepolis

Answer 14

Marjane’s youthful exploration of romantic and sexual desire offers moments of liberation but ends in betrayal and disillusionment. The cost of desire is personal loss and compromised values.

Question 15

Comparison of DESIRE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Answer 15

In both texts, desire is double-edged—promising escape and validation while resulting in devastation.

Question 16

ROLE OF WOMEN in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 16

Female characters (like Blanche and Stella) are constrained by patriarchal norms that lead to abuse and devaluation. The ideal of feminine purity and submission is central to their social roles.

Question 17

ROLE OF WOMEN in Persepolis

Answer 17

Women are controlled by state mandates (e.g., the veil) and strict social codes limiting freedom. Marjane’s journey reflects a struggle against both cultural and politically imposed gender roles.

Question 18

Comparison of ROLE OF WOMEN

Answer 18

Both texts reveal how women are oppressed—whether by interpersonal abuse and societal judgment or by state-driven control.

Question 19

PAST VS. PRESENT (TRUTH VS. ILLUSION) in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 19

Blanche is haunted by her idealized past that clashes with a brutal present; her life becomes a battle between truth and illusion. Her self-deception leads to isolation and ultimately collapse.

Question 20

PAST VS. PRESENT (TRUTH VS. ILLUSION) in Persepolis

Answer 20

Marjane’s personal history collides with the harsh reality of a repressive present, forcing her to navigate between nostalgia and harsh truth. The constant tension between memory and reality is central.

Question 21

Comparison of PAST VS. PRESENT (TRUTH VS. ILLUSION)

Answer 21

Both protagonists suffer from a conflict between past and present—Blanche is trapped in her illusion, while Marjane negotiates between cherished memories and painful reality.

Question 22

REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 22

Blanche’s resistance is quiet and internal—she tries to maintain her dignity despite overwhelming external forces (like Stanley). Stanley’s brutality exemplifies the crushing nature of authority.

Question 23

REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY in Persepolis

Answer 23

Marjane openly rebels against state oppression—challenging dress codes, propaganda, and state mandates. Her rebellion is both personal and political, even though it comes at a high personal cost.

Question 24

Comparison of REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY

Answer 24

Both texts show rebellion against authority: in Streetcar, it is internal and largely futile; in Persepolis, it is overt and defining despite its expense.

Question 25

ROLE OF FAMILY in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 25

Family history (e.g., Blanche’s ruined heritage) and relationships (e.g., Stella’s dependency on Stanley) are sources of shame and conflict. Familial bonds often reinforce oppressive societal norms.

Question 26

ROLE OF FAMILY in Persepolis

Answer 26

Marjane’s family offers unconditional support and maintains strong cultural connections amid external chaos. Family acts as a sanctuary, even as political forces threaten to break it apart.

Question 27

Comparison of ROLE OF FAMILY

Answer 27

In Streetcar, family intensifies personal tragedy; in Persepolis, it provides stability and love despite external oppression.

Question 28

GENDERED PURITY in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 28

The ideal of feminine purity condemns Blanche—her reputation depends on an unattainable sexual virtue. Social control over women isolates and devalues them.

Question 29

GENDERED PURITY in Persepolis

Answer 29

The mandatory veil and strict dress codes enforce a public image of feminine purity that limits freedom. Women are expected to conform to rigid standards, with deviations harshly judged.

Question 30

Comparison of GENDERED PURITY

Answer 30

Both texts show how purity ideals are weaponized to control women—destroying Blanche’s potential in Streetcar and curtailing Marjane’s expression in Persepolis.

Question 31

EXILE AND DISPLACEMENT in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 31

Blanche is exiled from a lost era of Southern gentility and feels adrift in a modern, hostile world. Her internal displacement deepens her isolation and despair.

Question 32

EXILE AND DISPLACEMENT in Persepolis

Answer 32

Marjane experiences both literal and metaphorical exile—first in Vienna and then in a changed Iran where she doesn’t belong. Displacement shapes her identity and deepens her internal conflict.

Question 33

Comparison of EXILE AND DISPLACEMENT

Answer 33

Both characters are marked by a profound sense of displacement—Blanche from her past and Marjane between two worlds—intensifying their isolation.

Question 34

LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 34

Romantic relationships are marred by abuse, power imbalances, and harsh judgment—Blanche’s search for love is exploited and crushed. Intimacy is overshadowed by the threat of control and violence.

Question 35

LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS in Persepolis

Answer 35

Marjane’s relationships, from early infatuations to her troubled marriage, reflect her struggle for connection amid political and cultural repression. Love is a battleground between personal desire and external pressures.

Question 36

Comparison of LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS

Answer 36

Both texts portray love as fraught and dangerous—offering brief solace but ultimately compromised by overwhelming forces.

Question 37

SYMBOLISM OF CLOTHING in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 37

Clothing indicates social status and identity—Blanche’s refined wardrobe contrasts with working-class attire. Moments of undressing reveal vulnerability and the stripping away of illusion.

Question 38

SYMBOLISM OF CLOTHING in Persepolis

Answer 38

The veil is the central symbol—representing state control over women’s bodies and the conflict between conformity and self-expression. Changes in clothing mirror Marjane’s evolving identity.

Question 39

Comparison of SYMBOLISM OF CLOTHING

Answer 39

In both texts, attire serves as a powerful symbol: in Streetcar it underscores class and fragility, while in Persepolis it becomes a marker of oppression and resistance.

Question 40

ABUSE AND VIOLENCE in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 40

Violence is overt—physical assaults, rape, and psychological cruelty (especially by Stanley) dominate relationships. This brutality is both personal and emblematic of broader societal decay.

Question 41

ABUSE AND VIOLENCE in Persepolis

Answer 41

Violence is systemic and state-driven—through public executions, arrests, and a climate of constant fear. The psychological impact of violence is deep and pervasive.

Question 42

Comparison of ABUSE AND VIOLENCE

Answer 42

Both texts depict violence as a central force: Streetcar shows direct, intimate abuse; Persepolis portrays institutional violence that saturates everyday life.

Question 43

ISOLATION AND LONELINESS in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 43

Blanche’s emotional isolation is acute—her inability to reconcile her idealized past with the present leaves her utterly alone. The confined setting and sparse dialogue reinforce her loneliness.

Question 44

ISOLATION AND LONELINESS in Persepolis

Answer 44

Marjane experiences profound loneliness both in exile (Vienna) and at home in Iran, where she is misunderstood. Visual elements like empty panels and muted expressions capture her isolation.

Question 45

Comparison of ISOLATION AND LONELINESS

Answer 45

Both characters endure profound isolation—Blanche through self-imposed walls of guilt and illusion, Marjane through the combined pain of cultural and political estrangement.

Question 46

HOPE VS. DESPAIR in A Streetcar Named Desire

Answer 46

Moments of hope (small intimacies, brief kindness) are continually crushed by abuse and rejection. The promise of a better future remains unattainable in a decaying society.

Question 47

HOPE VS. DESPAIR in Persepolis

Answer 47

Marjane oscillates between fleeting optimism (creative expression, familial love) and pervasive despair from political oppression and personal loss. Even during acts of rebellion, the weight of trauma drives her toward melancholy.

Question 48

Comparison of HOPE VS. DESPAIR

Answer 48

Both works are defined by the tension between hope and despair—with momentary resilience ultimately overpowered by external forces.