Questions answered by Rosanne Rosen, Sr. Vice President of Operations for PTPI
6. Our book club members found several events/topics in the book which gave us pause. What did you find most profound and/or shocking? Will you explain why? Throughout the book, there were many quotes – whether by Nafisi – or by one of the giants of literature. What stood out the most for you and why?
There were several events described in the book which still haunt me. The idea of martyrdom is very difficult for me to understand. On page 208 Nafisi discusses how the Ayatollah Khomeini was determined to capture the holy city of Karbala. Young boys (10 – 16) as well as middle aged and old men were used to clear minefields by walking over them, believing the government propaganda of a heroic and adventurous life in the here and after. I cannot understand the willingness or asking someone to walk through a field of landmines where the result is absolute: death or dismemberment. It’s almost as though I can see the horrifying scene in my mind and am haunted by the vision. How can a child make that decision? What kind of propaganda were they told? Were they forced and faced death either way? Did their families face death if they didn’t walk the minefield? So many questions will always remain unanswered.
There is a section where we learn that young female prisoners are raped before execution because of the fear that virgins could make it to heaven despite their sins. Many of the female prisoners did nothing more than wear their chador wrongly, distribute leaflets on the street, etc. I cannot imagine the humiliation these young women endured prior to the horrifying event of knowing they would be executed. This is a particularly sadistic and cruel punishment these unknown victims endured during their last moments in life.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with so many thought provoking comments and statements. Almost every other page had a sentence or a paragraph which I wanted to underline and begin discussing immediately. There is not one which stands out more than others. One very interesting perspective was on page 274. “Manna used to say that there are two Islamic Republics: the one of words and the one of reality.” I think that statement can transcend borders and nationalities and is the reality for many peoples of the world.
9. Is the dream sometimes better than the reality? (On Page 144 Nafisi, after discussing Gatsby, writes, “Was this not similar to our revolution, which had come in the name of our collective past and had wrecked our lives in the name of a dream?”)
I definitely believe that oftentimes the dream is better than the reality as disappointing and harsh as it sounds. Each of our dreams is different and we each interpret promises, speeches, and goals of a society differently. Our book club discussed what is happening in the United States. For some, the dream of getting President Obama elected was the most powerful thing which has happened in our lives. Everyone has a different interpretation of his first 9 months in office and the reality of the United States today.
I cannot imagine how utterly devastating it must have been to know that all you had worked for, believed in, and strived for had turned into a life much worse than before. My experiences are not on the same level compared to those who lived under such oppressive regimes; however, all dreams are important to the person who owns them – they are personal and have meaning.
I dreamt of the perfect honeymoon on a beautiful beach in a tropical resort. The reality was that the employees went on strike and the local Jamaican police showed up with guns; the gourmet food didn’t exist because the chefs left with the other workers, and the beach wasn’t so white and sandy – a little too rocky to run barefoot through the sand. We still had fun; it just wasn’t like my dream. This example isn’t as dramatic as undergoing a revolution which was certainly eye-opening. Most of us won’t have to experience such a powerful paradigm shift as in Nafisi’s world. One of my mother’s favorite quotes was, “be careful for what you wish for – you just might get it!”
The opinions expressed by PTPI staff and other book club members are entirely their own and are not necessarily the views of People to People International or that of PTPI’s Officers, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.
