Communism, Are We REALLY Free?

Religion vs. Fact is a prevalent theme that demonstrates the difference in the ideologies of those who blindly follow and those who dare to question. In Marjane's novel, the idea of a strong Islamic religion is oppressive and tends to be against the interest of the people and eventually the practitioners. However, this is only recognizable if a person chooses to become educated in order to think for themselves and disenfranchise that oppressive power. "Deep down I was very religious but as a family we were very modern and avant-garde (Page 6)." The quote demonstrates that there is an internal conflict among the people, Marjane is not the only person who is battling between what they should believe and what they know. This confusion is put to rest by the government or the oppressive power that feeds the idea that everybody is doing fine, and that the country is strong. This is done by the enforcement of a lie that ,"if told again and again, that lie becomes truth until everybody believes it" -Hitler. This is why there is a split between the beliefs of the people, because those who are around for long enough know what is really right and what is wrong. This relates to communism as the idea of egalitarianism, which makes people believe that they all have something equal to contribute to society. The government tells the people in the novel that each of them needs to contribute their children to the war, because not only will they be honored, but they will be martyrs if they die and will reach their heaven from the hell that they are in.