This will be a Literary Essay of “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi
For this essay you will do TWO things:
Present an analysis or brief discussion of how the graphic novel genre augmented Satrapi’s personal story (ideally this should be your first or second
paragraph). How is the presentation of her life more accessible for the reader through the lens of a comic book format? In what ways does this
textual/visual genre make understanding the cultural and political climate of that time in history a little easier to understand
AND –
Address ONE of the following with regard to Persepolis:
In an Associated Press interview, Satrapi said, “The only thing I hope is that people will read my book and see that this abstract thing, this Axis of Evil,
is made up of individuals with lives and hopes.” And in her introduction to Persepolis, she explains that she wrote this book to show that Iran is not
only a country of “fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism.” How does Satrapi go about challenging this myth? How does Persepolis dispel or
confirm your views on Iran? In what ways does reading this book deepen your understanding and knowledge of Iran, and the current situation in Iraq?
What is the role of women in the story? Compare and contrast the various women: Marji, her mother, her grandmother, her school teachers, the maid,
the neighbors, the guardians of the revolution.
What is Satrapi suggesting about the relationship between past and present, and between national and personal history? What role does her family
history, and the stories of her relatives, play in shaping Marji?
Sample Solution
