Plot Summary
Persepolis is the autobiography of
Marjane Satrapi (called Marji by her parents) told in the form of a graphic
novel. It chronicles the childhood of
Marji and what she went through growing up in Iran during the war between Iraq
and Iran in the early 80s. Much unrest
was present, though, even before the way and Marji’s family is very much
affected by it. Being rebels and against
the new religious mandates, some of Marji’s extended family are imprisoned and
eventually executed.
When
the war starts, the religious extremists and the government use it as an excuse
to round up the rebels and either arrest them or execute them. Marji has learned from her parents and
experience that the government lies to the people and she becomes outspoken
about it. After being expelled from one
school for being too extremist and then speaking out during a religion class at
the new school, Marji’s parents decide to send her away to Austria, as they
feel she will be safer there. The final
scene of the book shows Marji looking back at her parents one last time after
they’ve dropped her off at the airport.
Her mother seems to have fainted and her father is carrying her
away. Marji states that she shouldn’t
have looked.
Critical Evaluation
This
format for an autobiography is really wonderful. Some people can be turned off by long
passages of some celebrity’s life and not want to read the book. This book features black and white
illustrations that really drive home the separation of Iran during this
time. Either you sided with the
government or you didn’t. The story is
heartbreaking. The things that Marji has
to go through, even as a young child, makes the reader really connect with
her. Such horror goes on in war that how
it affects children is sometimes overlooked until later. This is a rare insight into exactly how Marji
dealt with all the unrest and how she still remained a normal teenager, in some
respects.
The one
thing that was hard about this book was all the information about the
politics. Marji tries to explain it but
it can still be confusing if the reader doesn’t really know anything about
Iran/Iraq in the 80s. War is understood
by all, at least on principle, so the rest of the book tends to be easily
digested. Persepolis brings to light to atrocities of war but gives that
light through the eyes of a young girl.
If anything, this book makes me want to know what happened after Marji
left Iran for Austria. Luckily for me,
there is a Persepolis 2.
Reader’s Annotation
An autobiography told unlike any before it about a girl
growing up in war torn Iran and how she survives.
Author’s Information
Marjane Satrapi grew up in Tehran, Iran and speaks 6
languages. Her graphic novels were
originally published in French, in four parts before being translated into
English. An interview with Marjane can
be found here: http://www.bookslut.com/features/2004_10_003261.php.
Genre
Non-Fiction
Book Talking Ideas
The premise of this book may interest readers enough to pick
it up once they know what it is. An
autobiography in the form of a graphic novel is a very innovative idea.
Reading Level/Interest
15/15
Challenge Issues
Marjane
is very matter-of-fact about the war time executions that take place. She doesn’t sugar coat it, nor do I think she
should. Parents may be offended by the
blunt factor, but that is the reality of war.
It is a little late for parents to be trying to shield their children
from war when things are as they are right now.
Why Include This
Title?
There is history in this book and truth. Every teenager would benefit from reading
this. It is important to know how war
begins and for what reasons. It is
important for teens to see how other teenagers have handled the hardships of
war.
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