Written by: M.N.
Picture below: Marjane Satrapi's book
Information:
Author: Marjane Satrapi/ Genre: Autobiographical comic/ Published: 2000
Summary
Persepolis, a graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, serves as a memoir of her childhood during the Islamic Revolution. The pictures are a retelling of her witnesses to many of the historical events that took place in her country such as the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the establishment of an Islamic republic, and the aftermath of the war with Iraq.
The revolution shaped the entirety of Marjane’s life. As Marjane grew older, her parents taught her about their history and how that tied in with what was going on. She learned that her great-grandfather was a previous Iranian emperor who had been overthrown by the Shah. Her parents were supporters and often went to demonstrations, risking their lives every day. Both her parents and the news often talked about the number of people killed during the revolution and the political strife that followed.
As Marjane grew older, she educated herself by reading. Fully invested in the revolution, she was also part of the demonstrations her parents took part in. However, after the Shah regime ended and the Islamic Republic was established, many people disapproved of the new political order. It was at this time that Marjane saw many of her classmates and family members emigrate to the United States because their families distrusted the new government. While her country was in its transitional period, war broke out between Iran and Iraq.
Through these experiences, Marjane learned about her identity, the impact of war, and the importance of freedom and rights at a very early age. These moments have shaped her life today.
How the Book Relates to the Modern World
As a memoir, Marjane’s story is historical and documents the life she lived when she was a child in Iran. The work focuses on current themes of identity, politics, feminism, war, freedom of expression, and many more. While Marjane identified with her Iranian culture, she often delved into other ideologies. Marjane’s memoir was focused on the politics of Iran. She wrote about how after the revolution, their freedom and freedom of speech became limited.
There were also specific, historical events that Marjane was a part of. She had demonstrated the day of Black Friday when a hundred people had been shot dead while demonstrating.
Marjane also witnessed the day the Shah stepped down. It was also the biggest celebration of Iran’s history.
Why the Book Should be Read in Schools
Persepolis explores the life of a normal citizen during the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War from a primary source. Through this story, students can learn about Iran’s raw history from an unbiased, young girl’s perspective.
Rating
While covering many heavy topics, the book was an enjoyable read that blended profound insights with a sense of humor and light-heartedness coming from a young girl's perspective. Satrapi's writing style and spirit captivate readers and keep them flipping pages.
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