Comments on: Discussion Questions 8 and 10 for Reading Lolita in Tehran http://blog.ptpi.org/2009/10/19/discussion-questions-6-and-8-for-reading-lolita-in-tehran/ The PTPI Blog aims to provide a place to share our members' stories. They inspire us and they will inspire others. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:39:56 +0000 hourly 1 By: Debra Sullivan http://blog.ptpi.org/2009/10/19/discussion-questions-6-and-8-for-reading-lolita-in-tehran/comment-page-1/#comment-21910 Debra Sullivan Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:02:40 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=363#comment-21910 I have to say I agree with some of the posts here. I have not read many of the books that are dealt with in this book. I now plan on reading some of them as my interest is piqued. I am not quite done with the book, but some thoughts have come up while I was reading. The chapter that dealt with the students parroting back her lectures struck me as very similar to an experience I had with a student from Hong Kong studying at the university near me. I was telling her about asking my 4th graders their opinions on animals in captivity or in the wild and she just stared back. I asked why and was told they also are taught to memorize from an early age and they are not allowed to have opinions, their teachers just lecture to them. I told her I found that sad, having been raised to have opinions about things from my parents. I also believe having taught almost 20 years at 1st through 8th grades, that often times students learn things from their peers that they don't quite understand from their teachers. I was also amazed to think in a country like Iran and their "official" speak of the woman's place in society, that they seem to encourage women to get higher level degrees and to teach. As long as it is what "they" want them to teach I guess. I think I was also surprised at how easily they can travel to other countries without any kind of official hassle. I would think they would be worried if someone went to visit another country they would be worried that they would not come back to Iran after seeing life on the other side of the fence. I believe the professor must be an amazing woman to have held these clandestine meetings in her home, knowing what punishments she could face. I am not sure any of us that have been born in the U.S. would be able to say what we might have done in that same situation. It is one thing to be told by my father that I can not get my ears pierced and have to wait until I am 18 to do it without his permission, while it is totally different to be told by your government to do or not to do something. Those are just some of the many thoughts that have been going through my head as I am reading the book. It is an excellent book and I have already suggested it to people. Many of my friends aren't as globally crazy or aware and wanting to know about other countries and cultures as I am. I have to say I agree with some of the posts here. I have not read many of the books that are dealt with in this book. I now plan on reading some of them as my interest is piqued. I am not quite done with the book, but some thoughts have come up while I was reading. The chapter that dealt with the students parroting back her lectures struck me as very similar to an experience I had with a student from Hong Kong studying at the university near me. I was telling her about asking my 4th graders their opinions on animals in captivity or in the wild and she just stared back. I asked why and was told they also are taught to memorize from an early age and they are not allowed to have opinions, their teachers just lecture to them. I told her I found that sad, having been raised to have opinions about things from my parents. I also believe having taught almost 20 years at 1st through 8th grades, that often times students learn things from their peers that they don’t quite understand from their teachers.

I was also amazed to think in a country like Iran and their “official” speak of the woman’s place in society, that they seem to encourage women to get higher level degrees and to teach. As long as it is what “they” want them to teach I guess.

I think I was also surprised at how easily they can travel to other countries without any kind of official hassle. I would think they would be worried if someone went to visit another country they would be worried that they would not come back to Iran after seeing life on the other side of the fence.

I believe the professor must be an amazing woman to have held these clandestine meetings in her home, knowing what punishments she could face. I am not sure any of us that have been born in the U.S. would be able to say what we might have done in that same situation. It is one thing to be told by my father that I can not get my ears pierced and have to wait until I am 18 to do it without his permission, while it is totally different to be told by your government to do or not to do something.

Those are just some of the many thoughts that have been going through my head as I am reading the book. It is an excellent book and I have already suggested it to people. Many of my friends aren’t as globally crazy or aware and wanting to know about other countries and cultures as I am.

]]> By: Jill Helsel (PTPI Staff) http://blog.ptpi.org/2009/10/19/discussion-questions-6-and-8-for-reading-lolita-in-tehran/comment-page-1/#comment-13697 Jill Helsel (PTPI Staff) Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:11:47 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=363#comment-13697 In Kristine’s post, she shared a quote from Edmund Burk which addresses the subject of fear. I enjoyed reading this quote and felt that it very accurately describes the environment in which Nafisi and her students were living. I believe it is true that fear often robs an individual, and sometimes an entire society, of their ability to think clearly and act with reason. Fear is definitely one of the most powerful weapons in the world and in this sense, it is very frightening. I have great respect for individuals who find the courage and willpower to speak out in the midst of this type of fear and stand up for something they believe in. The fact that Nafisi and her students were willing to participate in their book club each week, knowing the risks involved, is very admirable. In Kristine’s post, she shared a quote from Edmund Burk which addresses the subject of fear. I enjoyed reading this quote and felt that it very accurately describes the environment in which Nafisi and her students were living. I believe it is true that fear often robs an individual, and sometimes an entire society, of their ability to think clearly and act with reason. Fear is definitely one of the most powerful weapons in the world and in this sense, it is very frightening. I have great respect for individuals who find the courage and willpower to speak out in the midst of this type of fear and stand up for something they believe in. The fact that Nafisi and her students were willing to participate in their book club each week, knowing the risks involved, is very admirable.

]]> By: Rosanne Rosen (PTPI Staff) http://blog.ptpi.org/2009/10/19/discussion-questions-6-and-8-for-reading-lolita-in-tehran/comment-page-1/#comment-12755 Rosanne Rosen (PTPI Staff) Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:15:38 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=363#comment-12755 Kristine's comments are very good. I think I was surprised to learn about the depths of the propaganda and the hatred for the West. It made me very sad to realize for how long this perception of the West has been villified. Hatred becomes such a learned trait -- passed down to generations. It makes PTPI's goals of Peace through Understanding all the more important. We must break down barriers of miscommunication. There's a paragraph in the book when Nafisi describes that the posters at the university were more about the way to think and behave rather than about upcoming events, programs or lectures. Kristine’s comments are very good. I think I was surprised to learn about the depths of the propaganda and the hatred for the West. It made me very sad to realize for how long this perception of the West has been villified. Hatred becomes such a learned trait — passed down to generations. It makes PTPI’s goals of Peace through Understanding all the more important. We must break down barriers of miscommunication. There’s a paragraph in the book when Nafisi describes that the posters at the university were more about the way to think and behave rather than about upcoming events, programs or lectures.

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