How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Panel)
Quote #7
"It's against the law to kill a virgin, so a guardian of the revolution marries her and takes her virginity before executing her. Do you understand what that means??" (19.19-19.21)
The implications of this are insane. It further illustrates how much women are considered property, objects to be used by the men of Iran. It also helps explain why Marji's mother is super-protective of her daughter. As women, Marji and her mom have more to fear in Iran than men do. It's a dangerous place for women.
Quote #8
Simone [de Beauvoir] explained that if women peed standing up, their perception of life would change. […] As an Iranian woman, before learning to urinate like a man, I needed to learn to become a liberated and emancipated woman. (22.22, 22.23)
Standing up and peeing like a man is a purely symbolic act for Marjane to recognize her independence. It doesn't actually do anything except get her leg all wet. It does, however, help her to realize that she needs to take concrete actions to assert herself.