Persepolis-Marjane Satrapi
We're back with another historically-relevant graphic novel! Don't worry-I am ready and eager to read all different types of books in the future, but for now, follow on my journey through Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis.
Persepolis is a nonfiction graphic novel that chronicles the youth of the author as she grows up during the Iranian Revolution. She is exposed to many awful components of the revolution, including watching her family and loved ones get sent to prison, where they are often tortured or killed. She also is subjected to the sexism and danger that comes with being a young girl living in a strict theocracy where women aren't allowed many personal freedoms. All the while, he experiences are illustrated through the eyes of a 10-year-old child, making each situation that much more jarring.
There are many aspects about this book that leave me with the feeling that it is truly special. One is Marjane's conflict, even as a young child, of deciding between the values of her religion and the values of the revolution against this oppressive governmental regime. They are often in conflict, as illustrated in her having conversations with God where she is expressing that she wants to be a prophet one moment and yelling at him to leave the next. It's fascinating, and sad, to get to go through a child's mind as they try to reason out such complicated concepts.
Additionally, this book provides insight into a side of Iran most people in the western world have never experienced before. Most Americans lack extensive political knowledge, and probably perceive Iran as a completely backwards country that has always been that way. But this novel shows an era where it was increasingly becoming westernized, and where the characters in the novel were living lives not too different from ours. I think it allows you to not only sympathize with their struggles more, but learn about an era of history many are/will never be exposed to.
This is the first novel in this blog so far that I'm actually rereading. Not only did I get to read this book in high school, but I actually got to meet the author when she did a talk in Chicago. Meeting Marjane in person knowing all of the tragedies she'd been through was kind of surreal, but it also only made me admire her more. She survived and was using her story to educate others on a historical event many people have no idea about.
The book actually was adapted into a critically acclaimed movie-if any of you are interested, you can check out the trailer here.
Have any of you ever met an author/writer you admired? Tell me about it, or any thoughts about the book, below!
Persepolis is a nonfiction graphic novel that chronicles the youth of the author as she grows up during the Iranian Revolution. She is exposed to many awful components of the revolution, including watching her family and loved ones get sent to prison, where they are often tortured or killed. She also is subjected to the sexism and danger that comes with being a young girl living in a strict theocracy where women aren't allowed many personal freedoms. All the while, he experiences are illustrated through the eyes of a 10-year-old child, making each situation that much more jarring.
There are many aspects about this book that leave me with the feeling that it is truly special. One is Marjane's conflict, even as a young child, of deciding between the values of her religion and the values of the revolution against this oppressive governmental regime. They are often in conflict, as illustrated in her having conversations with God where she is expressing that she wants to be a prophet one moment and yelling at him to leave the next. It's fascinating, and sad, to get to go through a child's mind as they try to reason out such complicated concepts.
Additionally, this book provides insight into a side of Iran most people in the western world have never experienced before. Most Americans lack extensive political knowledge, and probably perceive Iran as a completely backwards country that has always been that way. But this novel shows an era where it was increasingly becoming westernized, and where the characters in the novel were living lives not too different from ours. I think it allows you to not only sympathize with their struggles more, but learn about an era of history many are/will never be exposed to.
This is the first novel in this blog so far that I'm actually rereading. Not only did I get to read this book in high school, but I actually got to meet the author when she did a talk in Chicago. Meeting Marjane in person knowing all of the tragedies she'd been through was kind of surreal, but it also only made me admire her more. She survived and was using her story to educate others on a historical event many people have no idea about.
The book actually was adapted into a critically acclaimed movie-if any of you are interested, you can check out the trailer here.
Have any of you ever met an author/writer you admired? Tell me about it, or any thoughts about the book, below!
So interesting! I feel like most Americans, me included, know way too little about this part of the world.
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