The Lion Women of Tehran

Homa is the second protagonist of the book and an occasional point-of-view character. She is best friend and also foil to Ellie, acting at times as her mentor and guide and at other times as an antagonistic force. Their relationship is at the heart of the novel’s exploration of Bonds of Friendship and Loyalty.

When Ellie first meets her, Homa is described as bright and lively: “Her hair was black, curly, and messy. One curl bobbed right above her forehead like a renegade hook. There was mischief in her eyes” (15). This vibrancy remains part of her character throughout the novel. When she meets Homa at the airport in New York City as an adult, Ellie thinks, “I had forgotten how much joy the strong, exuberant Homa could exude” (278).

Homa is named for a mythical bird of Iranian legend (also called the huma bird) that is said to live its entire life in the air and never touch the ground (20). This parallel represents the way Ellie always perceives Homa as being a bit above the rest of them: focused on ideals, committed to changing the world, passionate about acting on her beliefs, and true to her morals and values no matter what obstacles she faces. Admiring her courage at one point in their adult lives, Ellie thinks, “Homa would always fight. She would, in a way, always put her country first” (259).

Homa is generous with those she loves and willing to share anything of hers. She isn’t humbled by her family’s socioeconomic background and instead teases Ellie for acting like a princess. Homa’s courage and her steadfast loyalty go hand-in-hand. It is her refusal to give her interrogators the information they seek that leads to her being assaulted in prison, and though she suffers from this experience, Homa eventually processes the trauma and moves forward with her life, taking the attitude of a survivor. Her connections with family and her husband, Abdol, as well as her care for Bahar are motivators and supports in her healing. So is having a profession, something Homa always wanted. She is a natural leader, always willing to organize, guide, or teach, and she is committed to the cause of justice and equality.

This remains true all her life; even as a 78-year-old grandmother, Homa is still protesting in the streets, inspiring pride in her family for her commitment, though her activism cost her the opportunity to see her daughter for years a time. Homa’s primary loyalty is to the people she loves, for whom she will sacrifice whatever is necessary. She denies herself friends to protect them from suspicion, which is one reason she cuts off communication with Ellie, but she forgives Ellie when she learns of Ellie’s role in her first arrest. Homa simply doesn’t carry grudges; she is resilient, optimistic, and incredibly strong. These qualities make her embody the shir zan, the lion woman she always wanted to be.

The exact opposite of Homa, Ellie’s mother is a larger example of the self-protective, self-serving qualities that Ellie exhibits. She mostly serves an antagonistic role, though near the end of the novel she offers a kind of mentorship as she reveals information about her first marriage, and her motivations, that changes Ellie’s perspective on her past.

Ellie’s mother is quite vain and she takes pride in telling people she is descended from an earlier king, Nasir al-Din Shah. She enjoys luxury and feels desperate when her first husband’s death leads her to reduced circumstances, though it turns out her chief fear is how their situation might limit Ellie’s opportunities or cause her harm. Ellie’s mother is not a nurturing type, and in this she is the precise opposite of Homa’s mother, who loves to cook and play with her children. Ellie thinks of her mother, “She was exhausting, confounding, and at times suffocating. Why did she make everything about her?” (125). Later, when she is an adult, Ellie describes her mother as “imperfect, striving, shallow, and infuriating” (253). However, Ellie’s mother shows a different and softer dimension when she reveals that what she has wanted for Ellie has always been her happiness and security, reflecting the broader theme of The Protectiveness of Mothers. Ellie’s mother doesn’t change as a character, but Ellie’s perceptions of her change.

Mehrdad is a secondary character, Ellie’s husband, who serves as her romantic interest and later her guide and support. He is attractive, tall, and lanky, with dark, wavy hair. Ellie loves his “sleek, angular nose” and the “big hazel eyes behind tortoiseshell glasses” (61). Ellie’s first impressions are of his security in himself and his kindness. These endure as character traits, as Mehrdad proves to be a gentle, steady, patient partner and husband, hard-working and intelligent, and kind to Ellie’s friends. He is respected by his colleagues and enjoys a rewarding career. Mehrdad is a stabilizing influence in Ellie’s life, and he is likewise nurturing and perceptive. He understands Ellie’s attachment to Homa but counsels Ellie to set aside her guilt over Homa’s arrest since there is nothing she can do to change circumstances. As part of his kindness, Mehrdad doesn’t hesitate to suggest that they take in Bahar so she can be safe. Ellie describes their marriage as tender and sweet. Mehrdad doesn’t provide sources of conflict but rather plays a supportive role as Ellie evolves.