Prisoner of Tehran Character Comparison (chapters 8-13)

Throughout the memoir of Prisoner of Tehran, I have come to conclusion that over the past few chapters that the main character Marina and I have some similarities and differences. 

The similarities Marina and I share would be our relationship with our grandmother. Marina had a strong relationship with her grandmother as they went grocery shopping together, to church every Sunday, visited Grandma’s friends together and went to the park everyday where they’d get ice cream, go on the swings and sit by the pool. I use to do this with my grandmother at a young age but not much has changed now as we go for dinners together and share a bond much similar to Marina’s with her grandmothers.

Another similarity between Marina and I share, would be family. Marina would not want anything more than her family to be happy as she would sacrifice anything for them. Marina was warned by her teacher that her name was on the list to be arrested. She knew there was no where to go or nothing she could do about it. “However, there was nothing I could do but wait. I couldn’t hide. Where would I go? The revolutionary guards are merciless. If they went to a house to arrest someone and that person was not home, they would take whoever was there. I couldn’t risk my parents’ lives to save myself.” (pg.9) This shows her passion for her family. There have been many situations with conflicts in life and other mishaps where I have always been on my family’s side no matter what.

There are also some differences that were stated earlier on in the few chapters I have read so far between Marina and I. One main difference is the fact that Marina does not have a strong relationship with her parents mainly her father. Her father was always focused on work and never gave her the light of day. “As usual, I rarely saw him, maybe even less no, and when he was home, with a serious, do-not-disturb-me expression on his face, he read the paper and watched television. We hardly ever spoke” (pg.97) I have a great, strong bond with my father so this I have not been able to experience in life as she has.

Another difference would be seeing a best friend die. “They were showing a documentary about September 8 demonstration. Soldiers were throwing bodies onto a truck. One of the bodies was Arash.” (pg. 101) I have never have a best friend die or seen anyone die for that matter. This is a harsh experience I never have experienced and never hope to.

Between a non-fiction memoir of a 16 year old girl being arrested, tortured, threatened and living a unmerciful life there are still ways to be able to connect with the main character as I do share some similarities and differences with Marina. She had been arrested and brought to a prison on false charges and is living in danger and in an uncomforting environment and has to think everyday of whether she is going to survive or be executed. In comparison to my life I am truly thankful for what I have as I did not go through any of the slaughter or pain she has been through and I am living in a great environment with no need to worry. (pg.86) One quote that really affected me strongly would be how Marina and Taraneh compared themselves to beggers. “Compared to us, a begger is a king” (pg.120). To see this quote is horrible as I see beggers everyday and know the terrible life they live but I am not able to truly understand the mortifying of these prisoners of Evin if they compare beggers to them as Kings.