Story Synopsis

The story begins with the main character at school. His class is about to receive a new student. The new student is Japanese, and also becomes fast friends with the main character. The scene then changes to after school, as the main character returns home he is greeted by his grandfather. The conversation the main character has with his grandfather is ordinary, until the main character mentions his new friend. His grandfather becomes angered at the mere mention of Japan and angrily departs from the scene. This has the main character wondering what happened that made his grandfather so angry.

The next day at school, the main character starts to avoid his Japanese friend, wary of the episode his grandfather had yesterday. Confused, his Japanese friend confronts him and asks why he was being avoided. The main character tells him about what happened with his grandfather the other day. With his friend speechless, the main character assumes the worst, and doesn’t talk to his friend for the rest of the day. After school, he inquires to his grandfather what made him so angry about the mention of Japan. His grandfather tells the story of the Japanese Occupation during WWII, and his experiences in trying to free the country as a guerilla fighter. He also mentions of the killing of the main character’s great grandfather, great uncle, and great aunt done by the Japanese on the streets of Manila.

What his grandfather said makes the main character upset. And so, the main character develops a plan to give the Japanese retribution for what they did. After school on the next day, the main character approaches his friend. The main character calls him out to fight after class and declares that retribution will be made.

After school, his friend shows up for the fight. When they fight, his friend asks why they were fighting. The main character responds by explaining how bad it was when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. His friend retaliates by saying how bad it was to for the Japanese, how his family had suffered during the war. Shocked to hear what the other side was like, the main character flees the scene.

The next day, the main character approaches his friend and apologizes, saying he didn’t have a right to call him out to a fight. However, his friend also apologizes for what his home country did to the Philippines. The main character says that it’s not his friend’s fault for the occupation. He also declares that retribution is no longer needed, because he now understands that the many Japanese didn’t want the war at all. He thinks that since there are good people among Japanese, they are not bad people.

Main Characters

The main character

Mateo Philippe Raphael Batista III

DOB: September 26, 1981

Has a naïve childish sense of humor.

Only Child

His dad is in the navy and outseas, and his mother was a nurse.
His granddad influences the most because he is the only one home when Mateo gets home from school.

Blindly open-minded

He is easy to get along with

Has a strong karate kick

He is Catholic

Snobby know it all, but means well.

His granddad was a farmer/ guerilla fighter. He came to the Philippines at age 2.

Currently attends public elementary school

Right now, focuses too much on playing around on the playground to really have any ambitions. He is only 5

He goes to a Karate School. He is a green belt

He values his karate gi the most out of all of his possessions

He is seen a lot on the school playground

He is a loud speaker

He is shorter than most five year olds

However he is a fast runner.

He hasn’t yet thought of a goal but considers becoming a: astronaut, secret agent, race car driver, Bruce lee disciple, etc, or all

He either beats up the source or shrinks away from the scene when he is stressed.

The Friend

Yori Yamamoto

DOB: January 8, 1981.

Good, yet understanding sense of humor.

Youngest of 2

His legal guardian is his grandma and she no longer works.

He is adapting to his move to America.

His strengths are his ability to understand people.

His main flaw is that he is shy in the sense that he doesn’t express himself and voice his opinions.

Japanese

Reclusive yet humorous

His grandfather was in the Japanese army but left because of the inhuman treatment

His parents work overseas and his older sister studies abroad to a private academy.

He’s currently attends an elementary school.

In his free time he likes to draw sketches and comics.

He loves the food in America and he hates fish

Studies classic music and piano

His most prized possession is his sketching Kit

He loves any place where he can draw in peace

He speaks engrish

He’s a normal build for a five year old

Since he just moved into America, he wants to be able to make friend

When he gets angry or wants to speak his mind, his speech automatically converts to Japanese.

The Grandfather

Mateo Philippe Bayanai Batista senior

DOB: September 12, 1928

Doesn’t really have a sense of humor, very serious

Has an older brother and younger sister, both deceased

Mother and Father, both deceased

When his sister, brother and father were killed on the streets of Manila during the Japanese occupation, he became a guerilla to take revenge, and developed a grudge against the Japanese

Emotionally and physically strong.

Very prone to anger, and can keep a grudge for a very long time

He is catholic, and conservative

He is a real estate agent, and does landscaping, resulting in a decent income.

He is very grumpy, and closed-minded

Wife died from cancer

Filipino

Community college degree for real estate license

Doesn’t have any ambitions except to make sure Mateo III grows up successfully

Eats Filipino food mostly, and sticks to tradition

Plays chess to pass the time and watches boxing.

He received many medal during the occupation

He limps

He has a bad leg

He exercises, which allows him to be able to walk.

He wants to teach his grandson the “horrors of the Japanese occupation”

He has a grudge against the Japanese

He had enemies in the Japanese Army during his experience as a guerilla

When he gets stressed, his post traumatic stress disorder comes in, and shows him the images of memories he had during the Japanese occupation.

Persepolis

In humanities class, I read the book Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. This book is a memoir of Ms. Satrapi’s experience growing up in Iran during the 1980s
Persepolis and Iranian History
This book is a memoir and has historical content linked with the events of the book. According to the book, Iran was first settled in 2,000 B.C by Indo-European invaders. They settled on the Iranian Plateau. Then in 700 BC, the place were the Indo-European invaders had settled became the nation were the Medes had settled. The nation was destroyed by Cyrus the Great, and called his newly conquered home Persia. Persia would become subject to Arabian and Mongolian Invasions.
Then in 1925, Reza Shah Polavi becomes the emperor, and changes the name of the nation from Persia to Iran. WWII starts in 1939, and Iran becomes a targeted to become allies with the U.S.A, U.S.S.R., and Britain, as oil is discovered. However, Reza Shah keeps the nation neutral. A few years later, Reza Shah’s son, who would be called The Shah, comes into power. The Shah is replaced by one Prime Minister Mossedeq. When oil is discovered in Iran in 1945, Mossedeq nationalizes the oil companies. This leads to the clandestine coup d’état, or take over, made by the CIA of America. The Shah returns to power, only to be controlled by the western countries. The western countries had turned Iran into a westernized state. This change would be called the white revolution.
In 1978, the Shah puts Iran into a martial state, or when the laws have harsh punishments. This resulted to the inevitable Islamic Revolution of 1979. The Revolution was caused by the event of the Iranian citizens’ rights being taken away. Eventually, the Shah is overthrown. Ayatollah Khomeini, after being exiled for speaking against the Shah, had returned to Iran and becomes the leader. He turned Iran into an Islamic Republic. This resulted in the removal of all western related things. The reason was to remove the “decadent” ideals from Iranian Society. The conditions for living in Iran were so bad that it was worse than it was during the Shah’s Regime. This veritable decline had happened due to the disappearance of westernization in Iran. Iran’s Economy was well enough due to the westernization of Iran.
Iraq, upset by Iran for being a thorn at its side, invaded. Iran had funded rebellion in Iraq. Iraq also had its sights on Iran’s oil, hoping to make a profit from the war. Iraq had implemented all of its technology on Iran, resulting to the early wins in the war. However, Iran was rallied enough to hold its ground.
Marji’s Tale
Marji, the protagonist, grew up with the revolution. Thanks to her parents, she grew up with Marxist views. She thought of herself as the last profit of Islam (she was very religious), and created a book based on her Marxist views. The book commented on how she was upset by the social classes. Her Marxist views also caused her to constantly try to participate in demonstrations of the revolution. However, her parents deny her any way to participate.
During this time, she looks to her god, whom she says looks like Karl Marx, the father of Marxism/Communism/Socialism. I think that she thinks of Karl Marx as a role model and takes his ideals.
She sees martyrs and prisoners as heroes. Her parents are neither, so they are clearly upset. When she learns of her uncle, great uncle, and grandfather, she becomes very proud, as they are heroes. Her grandfather was thrown in prison for being opposing the Shah’s views because her grandfather was a communist. Her great uncle was killed and turned into a martyr for liberating a small part of Iran. Her uncle was thrown in prison for helping her great uncle. She is especially proud of her uncle, whom told her his story. His views of the proletariat being in charge, the workers having power are often brought up. Her Marxist views obviously turn him into a hero. She becomes secular as she loses faith in her god when her uncle dies, during the Islamic Regime
During the Islamic Regime, her dreams become shattered as the Islamic Republic has oppressed her rights. As a result, she participates in a demonstration with her family. She is nearly beaten and her family takes a vacation to Europe. When her family comes back, she learns that Iran was at war with Iraq.
She expresses a large amount of patriotism. She is constantly rooting for her country to win the war. She leaps for joy when Iran attacks Baghdad. She weeps for when her country is attacked back. She is worried when her father does not express any patriotism. She is proud to talk about the vast reservoir of troops at Iran’s disposal. However, her teenage life steers her away. The regime becomes more oppressive. With the embargo making it harder to find food, life becomes harder for Marji’s family. It becomes so oppressive that Marji’s parents send her away to Austria, where her education and her life won’t be hindered by the regime.
What might happen next.
I think after the book, Marji will demonstrate from Austria. She probably will continue fighting against the regime. When Khomeini is replaced by a more liberal leader, she relaxes. Then when Mahmoud Armadinejad comes to power, she starts to protest again. She then creates Persepolis to let the world now of the oppression that Iran has withstood the past century.