Read “The Key,” “The Wine,” and “The Cigarette”

During Reading:
As you read the next three chapters (p. 94-117), list keywords that describe Marji’s life in Iran. Find words that
describe what she SEES, HEARS, TOUCHES, and TASTES, and list them in the chart below (or on your own
piece of paper).

Marji Sees Marji Hears Marji Touches / Feels Marji Tastes

People in boxes Violence Tears Cigarette

(metaphorically)

Analysis Questions
Answer each of the following questions to dig deeper into the text and its images. Answer in complete
sentences.

“The Key”

1. What might be the purpose of publishing Iran’s “martyrs”?

By having the faces of death in everyone’s faces could possibly make them feel bad that they are not going to
war to fight for their country. It might make other people go to war because of it.

2. What is the significance of the painted key that is given to the boys?

To trick the young boys to want to go to war and fight for their country.

3. Fundamentalism
a. What is Marjane saying about fundamentalism when she describes what is happening with Mrs.
Nasrine’s son?

They are promoting great and wonderful things to children if they die and/or go to war to fight for their country.

b. How do you know?

They were telling the young boys that that with this key, when they die they will go some place great with food,
woman, and fun things.

“The Wine”

4. Why are all of the things that Marjane mentions (alcohol, music, cards, etc.) forbidden?

When your country is based around religion, what you can and can’t do I feel like would obviously be
what the religion puts out. It’s ​their ​(religious people, not say that they are bad at all) rules, it’s ​their
thought, and now it’s ​their c​ ountry.
“The Cigarette”

5. Propaganda
a. What does the slogan, “To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society” mean?

It’s saying if you die for your country you are just adding to the life of society.

b. Is it a fundamentalist philosophy?

I believe it is the group of people that tells you what to believe.

c. How do you know?

Because Fundamentalist means a group of people like that.

6. Enemy
a. What does Marjane mean when she says, “In the name of that war, they exterminated the
enemy within”?

Anyone who’s doing things the government doesn’t want them doing. They arrested and executed them.

b. Who is “the enemy within”?

After Reading
Now, imagine that you are Marji. Write a poem from her point of view, using the descriptions of sights, sounds,
touch, and taste that you’ve gathered. Follow the format of the poems on the next page. Min 12 lines.
Example: I AM FROM
I am from war and confusion.
I come from tears, fear, and disappearances My family is my safety
And my bedroom is a different world.

Being able to understand,

Without embarrassing myself, is an unsuccessful plan.
The battle within this Woman I must be,
Raging as if it’s worse, than the war around me.
Society holds me down,
As if I’m a trapped rat, with a cricked frown.
To break away and flee,
The downstairs basement, is where I’ll be.