Satrapi, Marjane. (2004). Persepolis. Pantheon: New York, NY.
Genre: Non-fiction
Format: Graphic Autobiography(memoir)
Grades: 9-12
Pages: 153
Lexile Level: GN380L
Topics: Islamic Revolution, politics, growing up,
cultural diversity
Lexile Level: GN380L
Topics: Islamic Revolution, politics, growing up,
cultural diversity
Summary: Marjane Satrapi is happy with her childhood in Iran, until in 1980 political and religious turbulence forces the girls to wear a veil and are segregated from their male friends. Her parents and family members attend protests against Iran's regime, they risk becoming political prisoners, torture, or executed. Marjane is to young to understand politics, but she reads books to educate herself. The Slamic revolution takes power and many Irans flee the country, her uncle Anoosh is executed and that affects her faith in her religion. Iran goes to war against Saddam Hussain, all women are force to wear the veil, food is scarce, contact with the outside world is nonexistent, and mourning the dead becomes a daily routine. What used to be normal (listening to music, wearing your favorite clothes) has become a crime, Marjane rebeles to the changes, so she is sent to Vienna for her safety. She spends most of her teenage years in Europe, but has trouble fitting in and finding her true self. She returns to Tehran, but has a difficult time relating to others, and giving back her freedom makes her depress that she rebels even more against the strict regime laws. She decides to return to Europe.
Reader's response: Persepolis is a graphic autobiography that describes the life of Marjane Satrapi growing up in Iran. The cover of the book shows little Marjane wearing a veil, the veil is an important symbol in her life. This graphic novel, in black and white comic strips, gives us a window to the freedom Iran women experienced before the regime and their strict lives after the revolution. What I enjoyed most about reading this book was the fact that it was written by someone who was born and raised in Iran, someone who knows the facts because they lived it. It is very different from reading a historical fiction book, where the author has to research the facts. Marjane lived every moment mention in the graphic novel, everything is from her personal experiences. It gives the reader a clear image of personal life and public life in Iran, and not what we think it is. Persepolis can be use in the classroom to help students with skills in visual literacy. It can also be use to teach across curriculum, for example placing events in history in a timeline using text evidence from the book and teaching cultures and traditions in Social Studies. This book can also be use in art class to learn about images as a focus of communication.
Iran timeline by Free Library Organization
Discussion Guide by Three Rivers Library
Using Graphic Novels in Education by Maryl Jaffe
Novel Pairings:
Peter Sis's memoir reflects the life under the Soviet Communist rule.
Moying Li's memoir reflects life under a Communist rule in China.
Reader's response: Persepolis is a graphic autobiography that describes the life of Marjane Satrapi growing up in Iran. The cover of the book shows little Marjane wearing a veil, the veil is an important symbol in her life. This graphic novel, in black and white comic strips, gives us a window to the freedom Iran women experienced before the regime and their strict lives after the revolution. What I enjoyed most about reading this book was the fact that it was written by someone who was born and raised in Iran, someone who knows the facts because they lived it. It is very different from reading a historical fiction book, where the author has to research the facts. Marjane lived every moment mention in the graphic novel, everything is from her personal experiences. It gives the reader a clear image of personal life and public life in Iran, and not what we think it is. Persepolis can be use in the classroom to help students with skills in visual literacy. It can also be use to teach across curriculum, for example placing events in history in a timeline using text evidence from the book and teaching cultures and traditions in Social Studies. This book can also be use in art class to learn about images as a focus of communication.
Iran timeline by Free Library Organization
Discussion Guide by Three Rivers Library
Using Graphic Novels in Education by Maryl Jaffe
Novel Pairings:
Peter Sis's memoir reflects the life under the Soviet Communist rule.
Moying Li's memoir reflects life under a Communist rule in China.
No comments:
Post a Comment