I think the book is good. I mean the young lady in the book made quite a bit of mistakes like all of us do which is normally. I think it would be scary to live somewhere were there is a war going on. I would not like living there one bit. I would be freaked out. The young lady in the book had a few good life experience. Like one is living in a country that had war going on. Second, was that she got to move to Austria and lived in Austria on her own. I mean she had some roommates, but she got to live out of her parents place. She had experience having a boyfriend a couple of times. I would not like living in country that is having a war going on. Another thing that I would not like living in a country that is having a war going on is being told by someone, either a friend or a relative that this or that person got killed. One thing that would be cool is meeting a relative that just got out of prison of jail and gets to tell you some of their experiences that they had while they were there if they feel comforable with telling you those experiences. I would be excited to meet that person. I would be kind of scared to let my own child leave me by theirself for quite a bite of time. I would of gone with them. I also would wait for awhile before going back to my own country. Even if someone would say, "It's ok to come back. It's safe. The war is done now." I would still wait for a while longer before going back to my country just to make sure that it would be safe and that the war would be one hundred percent done.
The Complete Persepolis Most little girls dream about their senior prom or their perfect wedding. They spend countless hours planning every detail of these events. Marjane Satrapi is the complete opposite. She does not care what is going to happen at her wedding or what her prom dress is going to look like. She is more concerned with the fact that her country is at war. She wanted to be completely educated in every aspect of the country’s war. Marjane is not the normal little girl, but she is very sophisticated and grown up. Marjane would stay up late and read all of the books her grandmother gave her about the Iranian government. She insisted on being apart of every conversation her family was having about the war. Through reading her books, she learned all about the religious regimes and the governmental problems. Marjane had to grow up really fast when she was living in Iran. There was never a time for fun because people were always worried about what was going to happen next. In Marjane’s classroom, they were very focused on their studies, but every student wanted to know about the war and why it was happening. Marjane, having read all of the books, was able to educate her class on the war.
The complete Persepolis was a very interesting story. I liked how the images helped me to better understand the story. It let me get a better picture of what it looked like. Marijane was a very nice and stubborn girl. She stood for her rights and what she believed in. Her parents were the same and often went against the rules. The pictures helped me learn more about Iran and the things they do. I learned that Iran does not have freedom compared to the United States. Marijane's family could have left to the United States, but in the end of the story, they stay because that is their home and they stood for what they believed in. I liked how Marijane was a rebel and told people the truth and stood up for herself and her beliefs. Her parents did not mind her getting in trouble. They were proud of her for it. Marijane yelled at many people and got expelled and kicked out of some schools. I also like that she went through many hard times and always came back to better herself. She went through drugs and break-ups, but in the end she found herself and who she was. I also did not understand why the women had to wear veils and had to cover up their skin and hair. Marijane was also a very smart girl and many people and teachers didn’t like that. She took many risks and that showed her true character.
The Complete Persepolis is unlike most books I have read. This book is a graphic novel that catches attention using pictures and words that work together to tell a story unlike the story of most girls growing up. At the age of ten, Satrapi was already very involved in the politics and her government. She wanted to be out on the street protesting with everybody else, risking being thrown in jail or worse, killed. If you are killed in protest, though, you are thought to be a hero. There is so much that people don’t know that is really going on in Iran. They have a very limited number of freedoms. The women have even fewer freedoms than the men. The women are required to cover all visible parts of their body except their faces, and their faces can contain no makeup. This book Persepolis tells the story in a way that the news never will. I am able to see how the people live their everyday lives, and the trials they go through. Jordan Ost
The story of The Complete Persepolis has both pros and cons to its format. Using images to tell the story of Persepolis may bring a whole new audience to the book who would have not read it otherwise. Yet, while Persepolis is in comic book format, people who enjoy comic books would probably take one look at the title and toss it to the side without even giving it a chance. The main limitation of using images to tell a story is that while we get a visual of what is going on in the story, it might often lack more of a substance that older readers are used to. If there were fewer pictures, more of the story could have possibly been told to the reader. I did not grow up reading comic books, but I will say that the comic book format of Persepolis made it easier to remember what went on in the story. I just wish the story would have been in greater detail than it was. Some people are better at imagining a story themselves after reading text. Others may lack the imagination and need the pictures to relate to the story. All in all, I would say that I enjoyed the fact that there were pictures in the book, as it made it easier to follow along. While Marjane Satrapi’s story is just one of many in Iran’s revolution, it is a story that needs to be told. I believe that the author was trying to convey her story using both formats of text and pictures to a broader audience, both young and old.
While reading Persepolis, there were many things going through my head. Not only that, but I could relate to her in many ways. As a kid, things were easy for most of us. We didn’t have to worry too much about growing up, but Marjane had troubles.
Satrapi remembers the first nine or ten years of her life as a wonderful time. Surrounded by a loving, independently minded family, living in a comfortable time, she resembled teenagers everywhere in her love for pop music, her interest in fashion, and her friends. I’m sure we can all relate to that. Then it all changed.
In Marjane’s teens, with the Ayatollah Khomeini under full steam, Iran turns into a hostile place for the spirits of those such as Marjane. The society she thought she lived in had disappeared. Sometimes she fast-talks herself out of tight corners, as when she is almost arrested for wearing makeup, but it is clear to her parents that Marjane will eventually attract trouble.
When she was shipped off to Austria, her life was literally flipped upside down. She quickly became homesick, does not fit with the casual sex and drug use she finds among her acquaintances there, and after going a little wild with rock 'n' roll and acting out, she no longer liked whom she became.
When she moved back to Iran, she finds out whom she truly is. She then learns to live a normal life and to do whatever makes her happy. No matter what situation she was in throughout the book, she found herself living a happy life with great stories to tell in the future.
While reading Persepolis, there were many things going through my head. Not only that, but I could relate to her in many ways. As a kid, things were easy for most of us. We didn’t have to worry too much about growing up, but Marjane had troubles.
Satrapi remembers the first nine or ten years of her life as a wonderful time. Surrounded by a loving, independently minded family, living in a comfortable time, she resembled teenagers everywhere in her love for pop music, her interest in fashion, and her friends. I’m sure we can all relate to that. Then it all changed.
In Marjane’s teens, with the Ayatollah Khomeini under full steam, Iran turns into a hostile place for the spirits of those such as Marjane. The society she thought she lived in had disappeared. Sometimes she fast-talks herself out of tight corners, as when she is almost arrested for wearing makeup, but it is clear to her parents that Marjane will eventually attract trouble.
When she was shipped off to Austria, her life was literally flipped upside down. She quickly became homesick, does not fit with the casual sex and drug use she finds among her acquaintances there, and after going a little wild with rock 'n' roll and acting out, she no longer liked whom she became.
When she moved back to Iran, she finds out whom she truly is. She then learns to live a normal life and to do whatever makes her happy. No matter what situation she was in throughout the book, she found herself living a happy life with great stories to tell in the future.
In The Complete Persepolis, written by Marjane Satrapi, Marjane’s parents want her to move from Iran. Her parents think that her education and upbringing are good enough that she is ready to leave Iran by herself. Marjane moves all the way to Austria. By making her move, Marjane’s parents give her the opportunity to live in a country that is not full of death and war. In Austria, she has more freedom and possibilities. She does not need to wear the veil anymore, and she can go as she pleases. Marjane is also able to learn new things from a different perspective. Whereas in Iran, she was taught what the government wants everyone to know. Her parents make a very good decision. They sent Marjane to Austria because they love her, and it was best for her. When Marjane first arrives in Austria, she is very lonely and scared, but it could have helped Marjane if her parents talked to her or visited her more often. She is only fourteen, and moving alone is quite a bit to handle at such a young age. My parents would have never sent me to a different country all by myself. At fourteen, I was very shy and quiet, and I did not like to try new things, so living in a whole new country all by myself was not an option. Even if my parents had wanted me to go, I could have never been able to survive all alone. For being so young, Marjane did a very good job of living on her own. She still found herself in some difficult and scary situations though. Marjane becomes involved in drugs and begins to hang with the wrong crowd. Yet in the end, everything works out alright for her. Marjane’s parents make a good decision by sending Marjane to Austria. It benefited her and allowed Marjane to discover who she really was.
As a young child Marjane Satrapi was an outgoing, outspoken, little girl with an astounding amount of life. She was like any other child in the United States in many ways. She had friends she played with in and outside of school. She did, however, like playing games about war and the revolution. An example of her play is on page 45. Marji and her friends are going on a hunt for Ramin; meanwhile, they are copying some of the tactics used in the revolution. She played with boys quite a bit because she was so outspoken compared to other girls her age. Marjane was very different from other girls her age, because she had a way of running her mouth, which often-times got her into trouble. She did not care what people thought of her, and she liked to do things her own way. This could be the reason why many of her teachers thought she was disrespectful and delusional. Most children at Marjane’s age want to grow up to be firefighters, or a ballerinas, or supermen. Not Marjane, as she states on page 6, she wanted to be a prophet. Most children her age do not even know what a prophet is, let alone want to be one. Marjane was very in touch with her spiritual side, and in some ways she was very mature. She may not have known everything about the revolution or known all the details, but she had a good idea. She was so interested in it, but nobody really wanted to share some of the real truths with her. She talked politics, whether she understood it or not, and she enjoyed it. Marjane had real individuality, but she unfortunately did not get to show it at her young age because of the problems in her country. Marjane grew up in a world much different than the one that we all grew up in. We will never know what it was like to have to fear for our lives, or fear for our houses getting bombed because of the government.
The Complete Persepolis was both engaging and educative. Marjane Satrapi tells us about her life and the struggles in it. I found it shocking that such a small girl knew many things that were going on around her, and she was very direct as well, “I wanted to be justice, love and be wrath god all in one”. Satrapi told her teacher what she wanted to be, and her teacher called her parents in, I think the teacher was incorrect and jumped to conclusions. First of all, she is a little girl; obviously, she will change her mind many times before she comes to the conclusion on what she wants to do. Another thing, even if she did want to be a prophet, it is not the teacher to decide or to even worry about it.
It amazed me that such a small girl was very smart. She read many books, she knew about Fidel Castro and about the revolutionaries in her country, people dying, the water cell and many other things. Her family members would say things in front of her that I personally think is not correct I would not want my child worried about such things as those.
Now, another thing that really gets my attention about Iranians is the veil and how women have to cover up their body in order to get respect, I believe that is somewhat correct and some of it is incorrect. Women in the United States need to cover up a bit more, not a lot, just enough so that men do not look down on us. Women are not doing themselves a favor by wearing half of a mini skirt, but I’m not saying I believe we women have to cover up our entire bodies either. In Iran, it is ridiculous that a woman has to be veiled in order to receive respect and that men are dominant. It’s just simply absurd. We should be considered the same female or male, anywhere we go. It’s not even considered like that in the United States. I have so many thoughts on this book, but the story itself was an excellent a good story.
Persepolis seems to be an attention getter by the vivid cartoon drawings. These drawings allow the reader to follow all of the characters thoughts easily because of their dynamic appeal. This seemed to be the reason people learned from the book about the Islamic Revolution. It shows the book from the view of a Childs mind. Marjane took us through many journeys. The book begins with Marjane in Iran and moving her to Austria, for her own safety. Her parents had to take the roll deciding whether, she should stay in Iran during the bombings, or move her somewhere safe without her parents. Persepolis also had useless information about Marjanes life away from home. It shows that we will be able to make our own decisions, when we live on our own. The book seemed to be an easy read overall, but it was too lengthy for the outcome of the lesson.
The Complete Persepolis is a very interesting story about the completely foreign culture of Iran. In the western world, fear is not usually an everyday struggle. In Iran, fear defines the existence of Marjane Satrapi, her family, and their country. The Complete Persepolis covers how a young Iranian woman, Marjane Satrapi, and her family cope with the everyday life of their chaotic country. This is an engaging and enlightening look into a life completely different than the world familiar to the west. Marjane's family, like a majority of their country, wanted to be free from oppressive regimes and war. Unfortunately, oppression was very prevalent, right down to what they could and could not wear. While living under the fear of being tortured or killed, Marjane and her family continued living as best as possible. They found ways to bypass the numerous strict laws about social aspects of life, such as buying punk music from illegal sources (132), and having underground parties with home-made alcohol (106). Even though they knew they could be killed or tortured for these activities, these brave people continued living the way they wanted because they knew if they did not they might as well be dead. This is a very inspiring concept and makes one appreciate the freedoms one has.
The Complete Persepolis was a great choice for a college read in my opinion because almost everyone has gone through what Satrapi wrote about in this book. We all probably have not faced such cruelty and cultural mayhem, but being thrown into new surroundings and feeling as if you don’t fit in is something we definitely can all relate to. We can also relate to having a rebellious side and going against authority to have a good time like Marjane and her friends do, despite the surveillance of the Islamic guards. In Marjane’s situation, she is ashamed of where she comes from. She is so ashamed and states she is “Nothing” (272). She breaks her grandmother’s heart (291), and even attempts suicide (273). I think we all have faced embarrassment from our family at one point or another, but for her to want to hide completely her culture and blood is something I found to be one of the saddest struggles in the book. Family and roots are supposed to give a sense of pride and comfort. Being away at college with new surroundings and all my safety blankets pulled out from underneath me, I find comfort when I talk about my family.
The Complete Persepolis was a great choice for a college read in my opinion because almost everyone has gone through what Satrapi wrote about in this book. We all probably have not faced such cruelty and cultural mayhem, but being thrown into new surroundings and feeling as if you don’t fit in is something we definitely can all relate to. We can also relate to having a rebellious side and going against authority to have a good time like Marjane and her friends do, despite the surveillance of the Islamic guards. In Marjane’s situation, she is ashamed of where she comes from. She is so ashamed and states she is “Nothing” (272). She breaks her grandmother’s heart (291), and even attempts suicide (273). I think we all have faced embarrassment from our family at one point or another, but for her to want to hide completely her culture and blood is something I found to be one of the saddest struggles in the book. Family and roots are supposed to give a sense of pride and comfort. Being away at college with new surroundings and all my safety blankets pulled out from underneath me, I find comfort when I talk about my family.
In The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi talks about her childhood and growing up and living during a war in Tehran, Iran. The novel occurs during the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Marjane, along with her mother and father, lived to view the Islamic Revolution. During her childhood, Marjane tried doing many different things in order to find herself, such as doing drugs with her friends, changing her style of clothing, and altering the way she lived. She grew up fast since she was sent to Austria by herself without her parents when she was about ten years old. Marjane wrote her story to pass on experiences that she went through during her lifetime. In Marjane’s graphic novel, cartoons were used to help give detail about her life, and they helped express her feelings better than what words could describe. The pictures also helped me better understand what was happening throughout the novel. When I started reading the book, it was not very appealing to me, but the more I read the more I was drawn into it. As I read the novel, I tried to put myself in her shoes to see what I would have done in the same circumstances. When I finished reading the novel, I was amazed at the things Marjane had to go through in order to live her life, and how much easier my life is just because I was born in the United States. I believe that The Complete Persepolis was an interesting read, and it helped me better understand another culture.
The Complete Persepolis In The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi talks about her childhood and growing up and living during a war in Tehran, Iran. The novel occurs during the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Marjane, along with her mother and father, lived to view the Islamic Revolution. During her childhood, Marjane tried doing many different things in order to find herself, such as doing drugs with her friends, changing her style of clothing, and altering the way she lived. She grew up fast since she was sent to Austria by herself without her parents when she was about ten years old. Marjane wrote her story to pass on experiences that she went through during her lifetime. In Marjane’s graphic novel, cartoons were used to help give detail about her life, and they helped express her feelings better than what words could describe. The pictures also helped me better understand what was happening throughout the novel. When I started reading the book, it was not very appealing to me, but the more I read the more I was drawn into it. As I read the novel, I tried to put myself in her shoes to see what I would have done in the same circumstances. When I finished reading the novel, I was amazed at the things Marjane had to go through in order to live her life, and how much easier my life is just because I was born in the United States. I believe that The Complete Persepolis was an interesting read, and it helped me better understand another culture.
Marjane’s parents decided to stay in Iran instead of leaving with Marjane because they did not want to start over, and at that age in their lives it would have been a very hard change. If they would have left their home country, they would have to start their careers completely over. They probably would have been stuck cleaning hotel rooms, instead of their good money-making jobs they already had in Iran. They also wanted to stay because they wanted to help fix their country. They did not want to run out on their country because they have lived there their entire lives, and they see it as their job to see their country make it through this problem. It would be especially hard for Marjane’s grandmother to move out of the country at her age. That might be the reason for Marjane’s parents staying. If everyone would have just left the country, there would have been no country. Iran needed people like Marjane’s parents to stay and try to turn the country around. Marjane’s parents had pride in their country, and that’s what a country needs to survive. Maybe if more people would have stood up as strongly as her parents, more might have changed for the better.
The Complete Persepolis The book made me realize the differences between government, culture, and the way of life in different countries. In her own country, Iran, they witnessed the destructions of war for years against Iraq, which caused millions of deaths. It resulted in the fanatics to rule the innocent people and many irrelevant rules were imposed. The women had to wear veils and could not show affection towards a man in public, unless they were married. They could not even leave the country for two years because the borders were closed. Being able to see the events that took place throughout her life made the book fun and enjoyable to read. The detailed description of events, which were horrific and simple, helped me understand how hard it must have been for her to grow up on her own.
At the beginning of The Complete Persepolis, Marji was like a normal ten-year-old girl, innocent. She did what she was told and believed what she heard. In 1979 the revolution took place, and afterwards many things changed. For example, before the revolution, they were not required to wear veils, and they went to a co-ed non-religious school, but afterwards they had to wear the veils everywhere and had to go to an all-girls or all-boys Islamic school. This confused Marji because as a ten-year-old she believed what she learned in school. In school they told her that the Shah was chosen by God and they had to wear the veils. The veil was particularly troubling to Marji be she was very religious but her family was very modern and pushed the limits (page 6). Finally, Marji learned the truth about how the government was really run, and she learned that they were teaching her lies in school. That would be tough for anyone to handle. She was told stuff that some 15-years-olds in America could not handle. She in a way was deprived of her childhood, and she was forced into grown up problems at a far from grown up age. When I was a 10 year old kid, the problems on my mind were, what’s the next book I should order from the book orders, or if I got a bad grade on test or on a paper, how I was going to tell my parents. These problems are minute compared to the ones Marji was dealing with, such as what to do when sirens are signaling an air raid and what to say to the police when they questioned you about what you were wearing. I am very thankful to have grown up in America, even more so in North Dakota where I may have been somewhat sheltered.
In Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis, we live through her eyes as she tells her roller coaster of a life with its many ups and downs and many unexpected turns. For one, there were restrictions for the way the girls could dress, and that was with a veil covering all of their hair and a dress covering all of their skin down to their wrists and ankles. Second, Marjane seemed to be very confused or misled about the good or bad and hero or villain in her country. She thought that if someone went to jail or died, he was a hero, just as she states on page 61. She also went through many phases, starting as a young child believing in God and wanting to be a prophet, to not accepting Him and turning into a rebellious girl who acted out in school, as seen on page 97, and then she moved to Austria where she soon turned on the traditions she knew and became addicted to drugs, had a couple boyfriends, got kicked out of school, and then became homeless for a few months. Moving from Iran made her very independent, yet very lonely. She returned home to Iran for a little while before leaving for good for Paris, France. I think The Complete Persepolis is very similar to the way we grow up in America, except it is seen from a different perspective. For example, we all grow up confused about the world and our identity. During adolescence, with freedom in America, we choose to move away from our parents until we have a difficult time and struggle to live on our own. It is then that we choose to move back to our parents’ home for a while, so we can get back on our own two feet.
There are a few times where I do not sympathize with Marjane Satrapi, and one in particular is when Satrapi attends school in Vienna (155). When Satrapi resides in Vienna, she experiences rejection, drug use, and sex, all which leave her alone and damaged. I simply cannot sympathize with Satrapi because she is one of the limited few who get to leave the dictatorship in Tehran, and she finally has a chance to have freedom. She gets to experience something many people, at that time, did not get to experience before. Instead, she keeps going down the wrong path, and she claims it is not her fault. I do, however, sympathize with Satrapi because being only fourteen and having to move to Vienna all by yourself can be very traumatic. Satrapi’s parents were not there to guide her down the right path or comfort her when she made wrong decisions. I also sympathize with all of the women in Tehran having to wear a veil. I personally believe requiring a woman to wear a veil is an act of violence. It is not morally right. If a woman did not wear her veil, she got put in jail, or in Marjane’s position, expelled from school. Covering up your hair is not going to change or make matters better.
This novel really made an impact on how I perceive the world. It single-handedly shattered all my pre-conceived notions about Iranians and their way of life. Having the story told through Marjane's point of view really helped me to immerse myself into her life. The story was filled with many interesting points of conflict, which made it extremely easy to continue turning the pages. This book was already a good read, and the addition of it being a graphic novel just made it even more interesting to me. While this story was entertaining, it was also intellectually stimulating, and when a book has both of these qualities I cannot help but to fall in love with it. The best part about books like that is all the knowledge to be gained from them. In the case of Persepolis I learned things about Iran that I probably would never have learned otherwise. One thing that I did not know about Iran was that most of the people did not like the government that they lived under. I also did not know how commonplace communism was in Iran during that time period. Thanks to Persepolis, I have a better understanding of a culture which is often misunderstood.
The Complete Persepolis was the first graphic novel that I have read. I really enjoyed the graphics because I believe it helps us as Americans better understand what goes on in other countries. It is mind boggling to me how much Americans take for granted. If a goverment took all of our freedoms away, we would be absolutely lost. Persepolis, I believe, helped paint pictures in our minds of the torture and the cruelty that Marjane had to witness. This book really made me take a step back and look at the differences between America and Iran. What I thought about was how everyone hears about Iran in the news adn media today, so to me I can only wonder how much different Iran is today compared to back then. My opinion is that it has not really changed at all. Power and money is still the driving of force of every country today.
After reading The Complete Persepolis, I was more aware of the lifestyle in Iran. In Iran they have to be careful the moment they walk out their front door. While I was reading the book, all I could think of were the horrible stories that I had heard about Iran. The things that I knew briefly I now know more in depth. For example, I knew that women were treated unfairly; however, I never knew that they could not show any bare skin except on their faces. Another reason I thought the country was very controlling was that the people did not have a lot of freedom. They are not able to listen to the kind of music they wanted to. The women were not allowed to wear makeup. The people were not allowed to drink alcohol nor have parties. For example, one of Marijane's friends said, "I saw a patrol of guardians of the revolution out the window! I think they are coming to arrest us!" (306). All of these things and many others were controlled by the government. If the people were caught with these things, they were sent to jail, and they had to pay a fine in order to get bailed out, or they were beaten. Stephanie Milbrath
The Complete Persepolis is a very unique book compared to most other books. The main reason it is very different is because of the images, which I think add to the story by showing vivid details of situations that create pictures and make the readers feel right there in the story. I am a person that does not pick up a book and start reading it. I am the one who will read only magazine articles and things that interests me. When I picked up this book and opened it, I was relieved to see that it was in comic book form. I really liked how I could read the text and look at the picture to see what was going on. It made it much more enjoyable to read. I think Marjane wrote the book in this style to give us a better understanding of what she went though. It creates images for us so we can more easily view the story from her eyes. For example, she would very often see the police on the streets treating the citizens in a harsh manner. Another reason she wrote it in this way is to show what she actually went through herself. She went through quite a few hurdles throughout her childhood, and it shows in detail her move to Austria away from home. By putting so many images in this book, she ensured that people of many different ages would enjoy it. The images draw in a large variety of people, from young to old. I have no doubt that many who read this book really enjoyed it. It is the kind of book that is hard not to enjoy, just because it is a different style that is easy to understand and to comprehend. Overall, I think the BSC Campus Read Book Committee did a good job of picking out a book for the student to read. It was especially good for people like me who do not really enjoy reading book. Next year, I think they should pick a similar book because I believe quite a few readers enjoyed the unique writing style of this book.
When I first opened the book of Persepolis, I dreaded reading it. I thought there was no way I could get into reading a book that was in the format of a comic, but I came to realize that I actually enjoyed it. I think this story was the perfect story to be told in a comic book form. I think Satrapi chose to put the book in this form to catch the eye of the younger generations. I also think she chose to write it this way because her type of story was easier told with pictures. To be honest, if there were not pictures in this novel, I do not think I would have understood it, for the way each chapter jumped from one scene to the next made it difficult to understand. With the pictures and images there to help guide me along, it was easier to understand. It was great to not have to make up an image in my mind because with all the action and all the drama going on in this story, my images would have been way different than what she had down in the book. The pictures also helped to keep the names of people straight. With names like Siamak Jari and Mehri, it was hard to remember who was who. Being able to see a face and put names to those faces made the book easier to follow. Although many of the characters looked the same, it was still easier to keep track of everyone. I think that Satrapi wrote this book perfectly. With all the action going on in the book, the pictures pulled everything together. She planned out everything perfectly. The riots that went on were explained perfectly with the pictures. The description of her war-torn country along with pictures made the book so much more interesting. I could not imagine reading this book without pictures.
Images can convey a story that words cannot. Pictures can do so by being able to show emotion and physical characteristics more effectively. When someone is mad or angry, pictures are able to show that emotion more effectively with the facial expressions of the actual character. By using the pictures, readers are able to see what the character looks like, instead of just using their imagination and guessing. There is also a down side to using images versus just words. One flaw it has is that it takes away the creativity of using words to describe characters, physical features, emotions, items, and places. By using just words, the reader uses her imagination to conjure up an image that she believes the author is trying to paint. Another flaw is that the author is not able to put as much detail into the writing so that she is able to show the reader what it is she wants to show, rather than telling. There are ups and downs to both methods of writing. To me the picture way is easier to read, but not as enjoyable because I am not able to use my imagination. The picture way allows me to see exactly what the author wants to show.
I thought that Persepolis showed many different things in the text. This story showed, through a comic-style view, the lifestyle of the Iranians during the revolution through a child’s perspective. The author, in my opinion, used the graphic novel format to help show this through her childhood. Most adults do not read comic books, so this was the technique chosen by the author to make sure all her readers were reading this like a child saw it. I like the graphic novel format for the book. I felt that reading this story through a comic format, I was able to connect with her during her childhood. Had Marjane decided to write this story like a typical novel, she would not as easily made the reader see it through her eyes back in her childhood. I also felt this style was a good way to mix it up from the traditional styles of reading that I do most days. I read formulas out of a calculus book, I read chemical equations out of a different textbook, and I read novels for fun; this was a nice change from a typical story. This format also made the story easier to follow the history she is trying to in cooperate in her storyline.
When Marjane decided to write this book in graphic novel form, I think it was a great idea. It helped me to understand her story. In many parts of the book, she talks about the Iranian culture and how women were required to wear the veil. If she would not have shown pictures, I do not think I would have understood the correct way to wear the veil. Another thing that would have been harder to understand would have been her explaining what she looked like when she grew up. On page 189 she talked about how one eye grew, how her chin got bigger, and how many other parts of her body changed. Without pictures, it would have been hard to imagine what she looked like, and my perception of what she looked like would have been wrong. If she would not have used pictures, many people would have thought of Iran differently, possibly worse than if she decided not to use them. The pictures showed how strict the police really were. Page 51 shows how the rule breakers were whipped and burned with an iron. Although her pictures did not have much for detail, they still explained everything well and got the point across to the reader. When I opened the book, I did not think I was going to like the graphic novel part. I learned later that it helped me understand what was going on better, and if the pictures would not have been there, I would not have understood the book as well.
My first reaction when I opened the book The Complete Persepolis was that it is written differently than any other book I have ever seen. I had never read a book that had graphics behind the words, and I have to admit it took me a few pages to get used to it. I believe that by using the graphic novel format, Marjane Satrapi is able to make the reader see what she wants them to see. The book The Complete Persepolis is more effective because it was about Marjane's real life. The events in the book actually took place and give the book more meaning to what people in Iran had to live through in that time in history. Throughout the book, the reader sees Marjane grow. First, the reader knows her as a naive girl who could not understnad what was really happening in her country, and later she is a young woman who learned about why her country was persecuting its own people. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was entertaining and also educational. I learned about the history of Iran, and now have a different perspective of the country. I am able to see Iran as a rebuilding country that has had to overcome persecution and fight for its freedom. Colette Nagel
Before reading this book, I really had very little prior knowledge of Iran and its culture, with the exception that it is in the Middle East and is rich with oil. In reading this book, I learned of their cruel fundamentalist government that took over power and strictly enforced the religious laws. The punishment for disobeying the law was very harsh. Women had to have their hair completely covered as it was seen as something sexual. They also had to wear long dresses to mask their figures, and they could not wear make-up. If so much as a deck of playing cards was found in a house, that was grounds for a punishment that could involve a series of whippings and a fine. All while this was happening, they were also at war with Iraq. Bombings in the cities were regular occurrences. I had never read a graphic novel before, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought many incidents in the book were more effectively portrayed because of the pictures. For example, the proper and improper way of wearing the head scarf is made clearer, and the reading helps to understand just how ridiculous and harsh some of the laws were. Also, the expressions that are shown on the faces gives a better idea of the emotions the characters were feeling.
I love the fact that the book is a memoir rather than a fictional story. Marjane Satrapi writes it as how she wants readers to picture it rather than them picturing it some different way. I also love that the book is sort of like a comic book. It makes it very interesting to read. Rather than just reading text, Satrapi formulated it so the reader can see images of the events taking place. However, the images are childish to keep the reader focused on the ideas rather than forgetting what was just read because of getting lost in the pictures. Satrapi may have done this style to keep the size of the book smaller. Without the images, she would have had to explain everything into text. For example, the events where people were tortured, there were images to show what was taking place. It would have been more difficult to put it into words.
It was a good book to read for the campus read. I now know some facts about Iran which I never knew before. I believe their religion is very strong and they believe in their country which many people should. I would recommend this book to people who want a better understanding of what went on in Iran during the Revolution.
When I first picked up The Complete Persepolis and saw that it was basically a big comic book. I was a little turned off to say the least. Although a little hesitant, I began to read it, and after getting through about the first 100 pages, I was sucked in. There were many things that kept me interested, one thing was the pictures. Even though the pictures were simple and cartoonish, they showed the scenes in great detail. One example of this is the riot scenes, they showed how crazy and hectic the events were (116). I also enjoyed seeing how many people in Iran are just like you and me. They aren’t all just religious extremists; many of them like the same music and even wear the same clothes as us. An example of this is when Marjane wants her parents to bring her back a poster of Iron Maiden (131). Another thing that was very interesting to me was how the government controlled everything. They decide what to wear and what to do, and coming from a country where I can do anything I want that seems pretty bizarre to me. So, after all was said and done, it actually turned out to be a good interesting book. I really enjoyed reading it.
Before reading The Complete Persepolis, I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about Iran. All I knew was that Iran was basically a war zone, a bad place. After reading the book, I realized that good, normal, everyday people lived there. They just led more difficult lives than we do in America. Women must follow very strict laws, and they have almost no rights. I liked how Marjane rebelled along with others for rights. I liked that she was a strong individual who questioned the authorities. I thought the book would be cheesy because it has a comic book-like structure. After I started reading Persepolis, I found that the book was anything but cheesy. If the book had been fictional, I would not have believed Iran was actually like that. It was real, the memories of a girl growing up, in Iran, during a war. By using the pictures, Marjane did not need to go into as much detail as most authors do because she can show what she’s talking about through the pictures. For example, on page 50, it depicts how Mohsen shows Marjane how bad his feet are. Had the book been fiction, I would have figured that the story was more imaginative and exaggerated than real life. Persepolis had a big effect on me because I learned many facts about the Islamic Revolution that I never knew before. The book is full of her memories. She lived in Iran. She experienced it all. Reading the book made me feel like I was there, beside her, while everything happened. She told her story as it was. She did not exaggerate or imagine things she had never seen before. Marjane actually witnessed the horrible things happening in her country. I really enjoyed reading this book; it is a one of a kind!
Satrapi chooses to tell her story in graphic images to portray the picture for us. Having just text or just images, takes away from the story. It is meaningful to have the pictures along with the story, especially in this case. Not a lot of us visit Iran, and Satrapi’s using images, along with text,t gives a better idea of what it is really like, without our imaginations coming up with the wrong picture. A graphic image makes the book easier to read and involves the reader. Satrapi uses black and white drawings in Persepolis. Color graphics are better but also very expensive. Her drawings are simple, yet describe everything. In my opinion, Satrapi uses the comic book style of writing to grab the attention of more people. For example, this type of reading excites everyday readers and these images intrigue the nonreaders to participate in this adventure. In this book, Satrapi uses the images to portray the differences that her young body went through. She shows us exactly how her body changes with the images (189). In this particular part of the book, it is great to have the pictures and the text because there is no way I would be able to imagine in my head exactly how her body changes (189).
“How are America and American culture represented in the book?” I chose this question to detail the differences between Iran’s strict rules and America’s land of opportunity. It seems as though Marjane changes into a completely different person as she travels to Austria, where Marjane seems to feel that she has no rules or no bounds. For the first time in her entire life, she feels free. With this freedom, come some negative points. For example, Marjane experiences the drug lifestyle, which in turn, seems to ruin her. Luckily, Marjane overcomes this addiction to drugs and moves on in life. Although this drug fetish she has is temporary, it is still something she would have never seen in Iran, due to its strict rules. In a way, Iran kept any negative substances, such as alcohol and drugs, away from most people. In America, there is no limit to how much you could party, as long as you are of age. In Iran, it doesn’t matter what age you are. Parties are basically forbidden. Western culture seemed to have taken a big toll on Marjane. Also, in Austria, there was no need for veils, which was probably the biggest change for Marjane at the time. Austria had an American-type culture, which is why this relates to American culture. Freedom for Marjane for the very first time proved to be of both good and bad experiences.
Complete Persepoils Marjane grew up in a culture that was differnt then the culture she later moved to. In Iran, girls and women were not able to wear any types of nail polish on their hands or feet. She could not even leave her house without wearing a veil and had to cover all skin that was showen besides her face. When Marjane moved to Austria she felt a part of freedom, that she could go somewhere without being watched over. Marjane felt she had that freedom, and could change her life a differnt way. She changed her life by being introduced to cigarettes and becoming addicted. She also changed changed the way she looked by removing body hair, getting rid of her clothes, purchasing new clothes, cutting up a new hairstyle, and wearing make up (274). Austria is a culture that is not strict compared to Iran. When Marjane left Austria, she felt a part of freedom compared to when she came back to Iran where she was being watched over every moment. She had to change habits when she was back in Iran. The leaders would know the smallest things like showing a wrist, having a loud laugh, and having a walkman, as mentioned on page 302. Living in Iran has more rules that need to be followed than living in Austria. In Austria, she is also not being watched over every moment.
I cannot imagine leaving my house, not knowing if it will exist when I return. I cannot imagine hearing bombs go off blocks away from where I stand. I cannot imagine watching people fight over petty rice, not seeing food on the shelves at the grocery store. Walking past a friend’s house and recognizing her bracelet still on her corpse, lying under pieces of what was once her home. Marjane Satrapi witnessed this growing up. There is no question as to why she rebelled in younger years. I believe any child old enough to understand, who has lived through these conditions and witness incidents such as these, would have anger issues. Marjane’s anger issues got her in to trouble at school. She was suspended. She hit her principal, so she was expelled from school (143). Marjane attended another school; she told off (really she educated) the religion teacher. Her parents then decided it was time for her to leave the country. While in Austria, she habitually turned the channel on the TV whenever war in Iran was mentioned. Marjane wanted to forget her past. She wanted it to disappear; good and bad memories alike, they hurt just the same (194). In Austria Marjane made new friends. Some of her friends were sincere, but others pressured her to do things she would not otherwise do. Marjane became a drug dealer. First, she did it for love. Next, she acquired many new friends. Marjane wanted to be popular; she was tired of simply existing. Customers and friends were one in the same; she did them all favors. Subconsciously, I believe she needed them around. She was all alone; being acknowledged and having the feeling that someone cares is comforting. I was pleased with the book. I perceive Marjane as a strong woman, who has overcome a lot in her life and is lucky to be alive. I am able to identify with some of her mistakes; in short, mistakes need to be made in order to learn and make better choices. Finding out who you truly are inside, or who you want to become is a journey in itself.
The Complete Persepolis When I found out that The Complete Persepolis was the campus read, and I saw it was a comic book, I was not pleased. I typically do not read comic books, their being of no interest to me, but as I read the book, I became more interested. The story about Marjane growing up in Iran, a world that I really had no knowledge of, opened my eyes to what was really happening in the whole world, and not just mine. The words and images pulled me in, and I could not put the book down. Persepolis was different from any other book that I have read. The fact that it had pictures made it very interesting to me. Some of the imagery really made me think about what was actually happening in Iran. For example on page 51 when the prisoners were tortured by getting burned with an iron, that picture really put in perspective for me what was actually happening. The images made me feel like I right there in the middle of all the action. The one thing that I noticed was that all the drawings were done in black and white. For me that represented the state of the country at that time. The black represented the way the people lived, such as women having to restrictions in clothes, and emotions, and their appearance made women depressed. The government took away their identity. The white represented hope and the future. A future that many people were fighting for including Marjane’s parents, grandmother, and many other family members and friends. The white was a path to their heaven. The images told a story within a story. They had just enough detail to them so I knew exactly what was going on. The story, in my opinion, could not have been told any other way. Persepolis was a great story that I will recommend to many people. Whitney Lytle
The Complete Persepolis is a very amazing book. Although the story is very deep with many characters revolving around a young girl’s life, what really makes the book stand out is the format it is written in. The Complete Persepolis is a graphic novel which at first polarized the student body. Some thought the idea was fresh, while others could not take something that appears like a comic strip seriously. One of the first characteristics to pop up is the black and white format. This format helps show how this world is black and white, that either the character is either right or wrong living in this world. At first, Marjane always wears western clothing, which is usually white, but when the new regime takes power, the veils are black. With attention to the background, one can tell what the situation is about. When the background is white, that is when the situation is about Marjane’s childlike innocence. However, when the background shifts toward a black color, the war is usually brought up, or the people are becoming more oppressed. This helps on an unconscious level because whenever something dark like the war is mentioned during a white background, the dark event is usually a very shocking surprise (142). Although The Complete Persepolis is in a different format from most books, it allows a deeper understanding than if it were written in text. It allows the readers to see how bi-polar and black and white everything is. Ashley Grenz
Before reading The Complete Persepolis, I thought of Iran as sort of a backwards third-world country. I thought it was full of terrorists and people who hated America. I have always thought of myself as a fairly cultured person open to other people’s beliefs. I pride myself on that, but somewhere along the line of my life, most likely do to our involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, I got a negative image and stereotype of Iran. I never did much research or study of the history or culture of Iran, so I had no reason to disregard my stereotype of Iran. After reading this book though, I have come to realize that I was totally and completely wrong. I now have a better understanding of what the Iranian people had to go through and how they are not much different than we are. The people of Iran have suffered a great deal and have had to deal with many wars and changes to their leadership and government. I now have sympathy for the Iranian people. The one thing I hope people take from this book is learning to open your eyes to other peoples, cultures, and customs. If we all live our lives closed-minded and ignorant, we will never get anywhere in life. If we can open our minds to other people and their beliefs, we can learn from them and they can learn from us, which will lead to more and better global equality. We can only go on fighting each other for so long before we completely destroy each other and the human race.
The Complete Persepolis I believe The Complete Persepolis teaches us what goes on in a revolution and how to deal with it. Before the Iranian Revolution, Iranians could wear what they want, do what they want, and even eat what they want. During the revolution Iranian modern women had to cover their hair with a veil and could not wear lipstick or nail polish. The fundamentalist women were covered completely, looking like they have a big blanket over them with only their face showing. The Iranian fundamentalist men have beards and leave their shirt not tucked in their pants. The progressive men are shaved, with or without a mustache, and their shirt is tucked in. On page 75, I believe, Marjane Satrapi did a great job in showing this. The book shows us that she was very involved in her country and questioning everything that goes on. Wow, that a girl! Just imagine if you had to wear a veil, and if it was on wrong to have hair showing. People would say rude things, and you could get in trouble with the government. It is like wearing a cap the wrong way or not perfectly centered. Think about the young kids, and teenagers trying to adjust to the surrounding. During this hard time, things were limited such as food, gas and other necessities. Clubs and alcohol were taken away because they turned into a no-no, so not only could they not be themselves, but they couldn’t even party with family or friends. They also even took education away. Again, I’m surprised people would stay to support their country with everything taken away.
Unknown Differences The Complete Persepolis is a very easy to read and culturally educating book. It has many historical facts about Iran and is a great way to take a look into the life of the average Iranian child. It really displays many of the things that we take for granted living in America, like women’s rights, freedom of speech, and safety. The fact that The Complete Persepolis is a graphic novel is a very interesting thing and in my opinion adds a great deal to Marjane’s story. It helps to bring the book to life, especially how it shows the torture, war, and drug use scenes. It also helps the reader to picture all the different situations and appreciate them much more.
Persepolis is a graphic novel that was interesting to a lot of people, but I just was not one of those people. At parts it was interesting, and at others it was boring and seemed to take forever to get through. I found myself urging a chapter a chapter to be over because I just could not get into it, while at other times I would bury myself into the pages as I began to understand what was going on. One of those main reasons was because of the graphics in the novel showed what was going on.
In the beginning, it was really confusing because they spoke of many rulers and democracies, and I had not heard of barely any of them. As it got into the details of the effects of the war and her rebellion because of it, it soon became very interesting. She began to do things that were absolutely unheard of in her home country when she was sent to Austria, almost simply because she could. She disobeyed her home principals and soon came to regret it. When she went home, she had to readapt herself to her surroundings and the behaviors of her home country, and she had a hard time doing so. This was almost the best part of the book, in my view, because of everything that was going on, including the war and her life, as well as the lives of her friends and family. I could understand what was happening because of the views and opinions. You could feel what they were feeling at the time.
As readers we are taught to read from left to right and top to bottom. Illustrations are there to help picture something, so that your imagination has a place to start exploring. Marjane Satrapi took a new approach and put her novel Persepolis into a style all her own, throwing convention to the side. I have never been one to keep my attention on a book long enough to get all the way through it. The comic style illustrations of Persepolis maintained my interest and made the book easy to read, and if I were having a hard time understanding any of the content, the pictures clarified that too. The innocence and naivety of childhood was captured in the first few pages and continues through the entire work, (46-47). Persepolis also made a foreign subject, and a confusing one at that, Iran, into something approachable. Iran is very different from the United States; therefore, it is difficult to relate to. Marjane tells her story through the sometimes rose-colored spectacles of her youth, but never without her own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Her family raised her to be a free thinker. She owned every one of her thoughts. That, for someone of any age, is a great accomplishment. “When a big wave comes, lower your head and let it pass.” This quotation on page 94 is in reference to Islam and the belief, or desire, for the stronger to rule over the weaker in Iranian culture. To a large degree, this is a symbol of resignation. What do people do if they know they can never win? If they do speak out, they may be persecuted or killed, and even then, they still would not sway the thoughts and ideas of their opponent. “Let it pass” is easy. Standing up for your beliefs is hard. To what end? Derek Harper
The Complete Persepolis What the news portrays about Iran is nothing like what I have found in the book. The news shows Iran as a country that is just out to kill everyone when in reality the civilians are much like us. It is their government, not the people, that is terrible. Their country is falling apart, and they do not tell us that on the news. They only show all of the bombings and shootings going on there. Our views are shaped around what we see on the news. Since we have no other way of knowing what is actually happening, we believe what we see. We are pretty much made to believe that the Iranians are bad people. It was nice to see that they think of America as a safe place to run to. It portrayed our culture as a welcoming one that allows all kinds of different people into our country. Here they have opportunities that they would not have back home. I am proud to live in a place like that. I think that the fact that this is based on a woman telling her real life story is more effective than a history book. In a history book, it tells only facts about exactly what happened and that is all. In this book, she tells about how the actual people were feeling. She showed us through her drawings what her life was like, even showing the expressions on their faces. This makes it easier to get into the story and feel for the people that had to go through it. In history books, we just read it and do not think twice about the poor people who had to go through and experience it. This book really made me think and realize that we sometimes take for granted what we have.
The beginning of The Complete Persepolis got my attention right away. It was interesting to see how the author interpreted everything through pictures and word bubbles. It is amazing to think that different areas have such different ways of living. I cannot imagine leaving my home and starting a new life all by myself at such a young age. Marjane went through so many changes and struggles when she moved to Austria, but I feel that it was a very smart decision considering what was happening back on her homeland. I also felt that she should have kept God in her life, instead of pushing him away, because she really needed his guidance when she was going through hard times. I found it odd that one religion should reign superior over all others and force their ideals and customs onto everyone else, regardless of the individual’s beliefs. People should not have to live their lives according to someone else’s way of life. They have the right to choose what to believe in and decide how to live their own lives. Heather Herbel
When first skimming through this book a few thoughts popped into my head the first one being completely put off by the comic book pictures. I was never the comic book type, when I was younger I don't even recall having one comic book. So needless to say I judged the book by its cover and was really having a hard time getting into the book. A couple pages in though the book made me giggle which was the book's first great move to getting my interest. I loved how real the book felt, nothing was sugar coated every feeling she didn't hide any of it. From alcohol to drugs to losing her virginity she talked about it all and the feelings that came with it. All of a sudden this book was charming me so to speak, I was laughing at it and found myself thinking in some odd way I could relate to this girl. It almost shocked me I could find myself thinking there are a few things in common with a girl on the other side of the world who has experienced more then I could ever imagine. Marjane Satrapi really had a way of describing her adolescence that I hadn't read in any book before, and I was really starting to like the book it continued to keep my attention, I truly enjoyed reading it.
I felt that the book The Complete Persepolis was a story that most Americans should read. The story although biographical of one person's life explains a great deal about the political strife in Iran. News currently talks of a heavy Islamic lead nation that supports violence and hatred for America. The book shows an Iranian life that few outsiders will ever know. Throughout the book Marjane gives a memoir of her life growing up in Iran. She shows a side of Iran that few see. A society of Iranians that want peace and freedom for all throughout Iran. She recalls the revolution to over throw the government, but once it is over thrown the new government is just as bad if not worse. She explains the views of her parents and grandparents. Most of their views are similar to any other parent here in America. They love their daughter and want to see her succeed; they believe in women's rights, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. They appear to have the same values as a typical caring person. They even encourage her late in the book when she is planning on getting a divorce. The government of Iran throughout the book tries to instill a heavy Islamic faith with few freedoms to keep the people under control. To be different in Iran could mean to be hanged or tortured. There is a type of underground society that acts like a typical American young adult that parties and watches MTV, which is dangerous activity. Marjane also explains a life as an adolescent very typical to one of our own. A life full of challenges that each of us had to come to face. That of drug addiction, our stance on premartial sex, and what we stand for and believe. During her adolescent years she becomes heavily involved in drug use trying to fit in. She also makes a conscious decision to have premartial sex, a decision that in her country could get her killed. She speaks out against authority for what she believes risking her life in the process.
In the beginning of the book, Marji and God are very close. Marji has the dream of being a prophet and living the rest of her life for God. She relied on Him for everything, comforting her and giving her advice when she needed it. When telling her family she wanted to be a prophet, they listened and let it go. Soon enough, Marji also forgot about her promise to God and turned away from Him. Some time in the book, especially when she hit such a low time, Marji would eventually go running back to God, however, that never happened. If she would have stayed close to God and continued to trust him in everything, going to Austria could have been a whole different experience. The rest of her life could have changed, for she probably would have hung out with a different crowd and not made the mistake of trying drugs and partying. Were her parents big into God and religion? The book never mentioned anything about her parents. If they would have encouraged her with her religion, that could have changed her whole path in life, and she may have never hit rock bottom. I wish the book would have explained this aspect a bit more because religion was an important part to Marji in the beginning of the book. Lisa Makedonski
All my life I have not been a very strong reader, well let me just say I despised reading with a passion deep in my soul, but this book got me trapped inside of it and hooked my mind like a worm and a hook. I hardly every wanted to put it down. Usually I end up falling asleep while in the middle of reading a sentence. I can only get through a few pages at a time in order to read a book. Persepolis was a totally different book, it kept me interested and my mind didn’t wander and I didn’t fall asleep at all reading it. I absolutely loved how the whole book was in a comic book style and the content of the book was sort of familiar. At age 14 Marji was sent to live with her mom’s friend in Austria, but the friend didn’t want Marji around so she found her a new home at a catholic church (page 151). It doesn’t seem right to let your kids leave the country to live some place on there own at such a young age. My life was kind of like this. At the age of 14 also I was home alone a lot more than I should have been. More than a 14 year old should have been. My parents were much too busy because they owned a bar and grill 10 miles from where our home was. So I had to cook and clean for myself a lot of the time. I had to also learn how to do my own laundry, and if you have seen a 14 year old do their laundry, they mess it up pretty bad. Other than this, her life and mine doesn’t really seem the same. If I was a parent my kids would never be left home alone, or even sent to live in another country for awhile.
The Complete Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, is a very interesting read. It is extremely informative as far as Iranian culture and customs and is an inspiring story about the strong will and courage of a family during the Iranian Revolution. The novel's illustrations add to the enjoyment of reading it. They help the reader with visualizing the situations described, especially since in the United States we are unfamiliar with Iranian ways. The graphic novel may have largely contributed to the success of the book, as the pictures are something different which might draw quite a bit of attention. Marjane and her family display so much dedication to their homeland that they undergo many hardships caused by breaking laws with the belief that it is morally the right thing to do. They stick to their decision to rebel until the end, even though they had the option of fleeing the country or remaining passive just like so many other citizens.
Complete Persepoils Marjane grew up in a culture that was differnt then the culture she later moved to. In Iran, girls and women were not able to wear any types of nail polish on their hands or feet. She could not even leave her house without wearing a veil and had to cover all skin that was showen besides her face. When Marjane moved to Austria she felt a part of freedom, that she could go somewhere without being watched over. Marjane felt she had that freedom, and could change her life a differnt way. She changed her life by being introduced to cigarettes and becoming addicted. She also changed changed the way she looked by removing body hair, getting rid of her clothes, purchasing new clothes, cutting up a new hairstyle, and wearing make up (274). Austria is a culture that is not strict compared to Iran. When Marjane left Austria, she felt a part of freedom compared to when she came back to Iran where she was being watched over every moment. She had to change habits when she was back in Iran. The leaders would know the smallest things like showing a wrist, having a loud laugh, and having a walkman, as mentioned on page 302. Living in Iran has more rules that need to be followed than living in Austria. In Austria, she is also not being watched over every moment.
55 comments:
I think the book is good. I mean the young lady in the book made quite a bit of mistakes like all of us do which is normally. I think it would be scary to live somewhere were there is a war going on. I would not like living there one bit. I would be freaked out. The young lady in the book had a few good life experience. Like one is living in a country that had war going on. Second, was that she got to move to Austria and lived in Austria on her own. I mean she had some roommates, but she got to live out of her parents place. She had experience having a boyfriend a couple of times. I would not like living in country that is having a war going on. Another thing that I would not like living in a country that is having a war going on is being told by someone, either a friend or a relative that this or that person got killed. One thing that would be cool is meeting a relative that just got out of prison of jail and gets to tell you some of their experiences that they had while they were there if they feel comforable with telling you those experiences. I would be excited to meet that person. I would be kind of scared to let my own child leave me by theirself for quite a bite of time. I would of gone with them. I also would wait for awhile before going back to my own country. Even if someone would say, "It's ok to come back. It's safe. The war is done now." I would still wait for a while longer before going back to my country just to make sure that it would be safe and that the war would be one hundred percent done.
Rose Hegel
The Complete Persepolis
Most little girls dream about their senior prom or their perfect wedding. They spend countless hours planning every detail of these events. Marjane Satrapi is the complete opposite. She does not care what is going to happen at her wedding or what her prom dress is going to look like. She is more concerned with the fact that her country is at war. She wanted to be completely educated in every aspect of the country’s war. Marjane is not the normal little girl, but she is very sophisticated and grown up. Marjane would stay up late and read all of the books her grandmother gave her about the Iranian government. She insisted on being apart of every conversation her family was having about the war. Through reading her books, she learned all about the religious regimes and the governmental problems.
Marjane had to grow up really fast when she was living in Iran. There was never a time for fun because people were always worried about what was going to happen next. In Marjane’s classroom, they were very focused on their studies, but every student wanted to know about the war and why it was happening. Marjane, having read all of the books, was able to educate her class on the war.
Brandi Ozbun
The complete Persepolis was a very interesting story. I liked how the images helped me to better understand the story. It let me get a better picture of what it looked like. Marijane was a very nice and stubborn girl. She stood for her rights and what she believed in. Her parents were the same and often went against the rules.
The pictures helped me learn more about Iran and the things they do. I learned that Iran does not have freedom compared to the United States. Marijane's family could have left to the United States, but in the end of the story, they stay because that is their home and they stood for what they believed in.
I liked how Marijane was a rebel and told people the truth and stood up for herself and her beliefs. Her parents did not mind her getting in trouble. They were proud of her for it. Marijane yelled at many people and got expelled and kicked out of some schools. I also like that she went through many hard times and always came back to better herself. She went through drugs and break-ups, but in the end she found herself and who she was. I also did not understand why the women had to wear veils and had to cover up their skin and hair. Marijane was also a very smart girl and many people and teachers didn’t like that. She took many risks and that showed her true character.
Brigette Uttech
The Complete Persepolis is unlike most books I have read. This book is a graphic novel that catches attention using pictures and words that work together to tell a story unlike the story of most girls growing up. At the age of ten, Satrapi was already very involved in the politics and her government. She wanted to be out on the street protesting with everybody else, risking being thrown in jail or worse, killed. If you are killed in protest, though, you are thought to be a hero.
There is so much that people don’t know that is really going on in Iran. They have a very limited number of freedoms. The women have even fewer freedoms than the men. The women are required to cover all visible parts of their body except their faces, and their faces can contain no makeup. This book Persepolis tells the story in a way that the news never will. I am able to see how the people live their everyday lives, and the trials they go through.
Jordan Ost
The story of The Complete Persepolis has both pros and cons to its format. Using images to tell the story of Persepolis may bring a whole new audience to the book who would have not read it otherwise. Yet, while Persepolis is in comic book format, people who enjoy comic books would probably take one look at the title and toss it to the side without even giving it a chance. The main limitation of using images to tell a story is that while we get a visual of what is going on in the story, it might often lack more of a substance that older readers are used to. If there were fewer pictures, more of the story could have possibly been told to the reader. I did not grow up reading comic books, but I will say that the comic book format of Persepolis made it easier to remember what went on in the story. I just wish the story would have been in greater detail than it was. Some people are better at imagining a story themselves after reading text. Others may lack the imagination and need the pictures to relate to the story. All in all, I would say that I enjoyed the fact that there were pictures in the book, as it made it easier to follow along. While Marjane Satrapi’s story is just one of many in Iran’s revolution, it is a story that needs to be told. I believe that the author was trying to convey her story using both formats of text and pictures to a broader audience, both young and old.
"The Complete Persepolis"
While reading Persepolis, there were many things going through my head. Not only that, but I could relate to her in many ways. As a kid, things were easy for most of us. We didn’t have to worry too much about growing up, but Marjane had troubles.
Satrapi remembers the first nine or ten years of her life as a wonderful time. Surrounded by a loving, independently minded family, living in a comfortable time, she resembled teenagers everywhere in her love for pop music, her interest in fashion, and her friends. I’m sure we can all relate to that. Then it all changed.
In Marjane’s teens, with the Ayatollah Khomeini under full steam, Iran turns into a hostile place for the spirits of those such as Marjane. The society she thought she lived in had disappeared. Sometimes she fast-talks herself out of tight corners, as when she is almost arrested for wearing makeup, but it is clear to her parents that Marjane will eventually attract trouble.
When she was shipped off to Austria, her life was literally flipped upside down. She quickly became homesick, does not fit with the casual sex and drug use she finds among her acquaintances there, and after going a little wild with rock 'n' roll and acting out, she no longer liked whom she became.
When she moved back to Iran, she finds out whom she truly is. She then learns to live a normal life and to do whatever makes her happy. No matter what situation she was in throughout the book, she found herself living a happy life with great stories to tell in the future.
The Complete Persepolis
While reading Persepolis, there were many things going through my head. Not only that, but I could relate to her in many ways. As a kid, things were easy for most of us. We didn’t have to worry too much about growing up, but Marjane had troubles.
Satrapi remembers the first nine or ten years of her life as a wonderful time. Surrounded by a loving, independently minded family, living in a comfortable time, she resembled teenagers everywhere in her love for pop music, her interest in fashion, and her friends. I’m sure we can all relate to that. Then it all changed.
In Marjane’s teens, with the Ayatollah Khomeini under full steam, Iran turns into a hostile place for the spirits of those such as Marjane. The society she thought she lived in had disappeared. Sometimes she fast-talks herself out of tight corners, as when she is almost arrested for wearing makeup, but it is clear to her parents that Marjane will eventually attract trouble.
When she was shipped off to Austria, her life was literally flipped upside down. She quickly became homesick, does not fit with the casual sex and drug use she finds among her acquaintances there, and after going a little wild with rock 'n' roll and acting out, she no longer liked whom she became.
When she moved back to Iran, she finds out whom she truly is. She then learns to live a normal life and to do whatever makes her happy. No matter what situation she was in throughout the book, she found herself living a happy life with great stories to tell in the future.
In The Complete Persepolis, written by Marjane Satrapi, Marjane’s parents want her to move from Iran. Her parents think that her education and upbringing are good enough that she is ready to leave Iran by herself. Marjane moves all the way to Austria. By making her move, Marjane’s parents give her the opportunity to live in a country that is not full of death and war. In Austria, she has more freedom and possibilities. She does not need to wear the veil anymore, and she can go as she pleases. Marjane is also able to learn new things from a different perspective. Whereas in Iran, she was taught what the government wants everyone to know. Her parents make a very good decision. They sent Marjane to Austria because they love her, and it was best for her. When Marjane first arrives in Austria, she is very lonely and scared, but it could have helped Marjane if her parents talked to her or visited her more often. She is only fourteen, and moving alone is quite a bit to handle at such a young age.
My parents would have never sent me to a different country all by myself. At fourteen, I was very shy and quiet, and I did not like to try new things, so living in a whole new country all by myself was not an option. Even if my parents had wanted me to go, I could have never been able to survive all alone. For being so young, Marjane did a very good job of living on her own. She still found herself in some difficult and scary situations though. Marjane becomes involved in drugs and begins to hang with the wrong crowd. Yet in the end, everything works out alright for her. Marjane’s parents make a good decision by sending Marjane to Austria. It benefited her and allowed Marjane to discover who she really was.
Carly Kraft
As a young child Marjane Satrapi was an outgoing, outspoken, little girl with an astounding amount of life. She was like any other child in the United States in many ways. She had friends she played with in and outside of school. She did, however, like playing games about war and the revolution. An example of her play is on page 45. Marji and her friends are going on a hunt for Ramin; meanwhile, they are copying some of the tactics used in the revolution. She played with boys quite a bit because she was so outspoken compared to other girls her age.
Marjane was very different from other girls her age, because she had a way of running her mouth, which often-times got her into trouble. She did not care what people thought of her, and she liked to do things her own way. This could be the reason why many of her teachers thought she was disrespectful and delusional. Most children at Marjane’s age want to grow up to be firefighters, or a ballerinas, or supermen. Not Marjane, as she states on page 6, she wanted to be a prophet. Most children her age do not even know what a prophet is, let alone want to be one. Marjane was very in touch with her spiritual side, and in some ways she was very mature.
She may not have known everything about the revolution or known all the details, but she had a good idea. She was so interested in it, but nobody really wanted to share some of the real truths with her. She talked politics, whether she understood it or not, and she enjoyed it. Marjane had real individuality, but she unfortunately did not get to show it at her young age because of the problems in her country. Marjane grew up in a world much different than the one that we all grew up in. We will never know what it was like to have to fear for our lives, or fear for our houses getting bombed because of the government.
Stephanie Munsch
Thoughts on Persepolis
The Complete Persepolis was both engaging and educative. Marjane Satrapi tells us about her life and the struggles in it. I found it shocking that such a small girl knew many things that were going on around her, and she was very direct as well, “I wanted to be justice, love and be wrath god all in one”. Satrapi told her teacher what she wanted to be, and her teacher called her parents in, I think the teacher was incorrect and jumped to conclusions. First of all, she is a little girl; obviously, she will change her mind many times before she comes to the conclusion on what she wants to do. Another thing, even if she did want to be a prophet, it is not the teacher to decide or to even worry about it.
It amazed me that such a small girl was very smart. She read many books, she knew about Fidel Castro and about the revolutionaries in her country, people dying, the water cell and many other things. Her family members would say things in front of her that I personally think is not correct I would not want my child worried about such things as those.
Now, another thing that really gets my attention about Iranians is the veil and how women have to cover up their body in order to get respect, I believe that is somewhat correct and some of it is incorrect. Women in the United States need to cover up a bit more, not a lot, just enough so that men do not look down on us. Women are not doing themselves a favor by wearing half of a mini skirt, but I’m not saying I believe we women have to cover up our entire bodies either. In Iran, it is ridiculous that a woman has to be veiled in order to receive respect and that men are dominant. It’s just simply absurd. We should be considered the same female or male, anywhere we go. It’s not even considered like that in the United States. I have so many thoughts on this book, but the story itself was an excellent a good story.
Persepolis seems to be an attention getter by the vivid cartoon drawings. These drawings allow the reader to follow all of the characters thoughts easily because of their dynamic appeal. This seemed to be the reason people learned from the book about the Islamic Revolution. It shows the book from the view of a Childs mind. Marjane took us through many journeys. The book begins with Marjane in Iran and moving her to Austria, for her own safety. Her parents had to take the roll deciding whether, she should stay in Iran during the bombings, or move her somewhere safe without her parents. Persepolis also had useless information about Marjanes life away from home. It shows that we will be able to make our own decisions, when we live on our own. The book seemed to be an easy read overall, but it was too lengthy for the outcome of the lesson.
Jordan Thilmony
The Complete Persepolis is a very interesting story about the completely foreign culture of Iran. In the western world, fear is not usually an everyday struggle. In Iran, fear defines the existence of Marjane Satrapi, her family, and their country. The Complete Persepolis covers how a young Iranian woman, Marjane Satrapi, and her family cope with the everyday life of their chaotic country. This is an engaging and enlightening look into a life completely different than the world familiar to the west.
Marjane's family, like a majority of their country, wanted to be free from oppressive regimes and war. Unfortunately, oppression was very prevalent, right down to what they could and could not wear. While living under the fear of being tortured or killed, Marjane and her family continued living as best as possible. They found ways to bypass the numerous strict laws about social aspects of life, such as buying punk music from illegal sources (132), and having underground parties with home-made alcohol (106). Even though they knew they could be killed or tortured for these activities, these brave people continued living the way they wanted because they knew if they did not they might as well be dead. This is a very inspiring concept and makes one appreciate the freedoms one has.
Cameron Seibold
The Complete Persepolis was a great choice for a college read in my opinion because almost everyone has gone through what Satrapi wrote about in this book. We all probably have not faced such cruelty and cultural mayhem, but being thrown into new surroundings and feeling as if you don’t fit in is something we definitely can all relate to. We can also relate to having a rebellious side and going against authority to have a good time like Marjane and her friends do, despite the surveillance of the Islamic guards. In Marjane’s situation, she is ashamed of where she comes from. She is so ashamed and states she is “Nothing” (272). She breaks her grandmother’s heart (291), and even attempts suicide (273). I think we all have faced embarrassment from our family at one point or another, but for her to want to hide completely her culture and blood is something I found to be one of the saddest struggles in the book. Family and roots are supposed to give a sense of pride and comfort. Being away at college with new surroundings and all my safety blankets pulled out from underneath me, I find comfort when I talk about my family.
Abbey Peterson
The Complete Persepolis was a great choice for a college read in my opinion because almost everyone has gone through what Satrapi wrote about in this book. We all probably have not faced such cruelty and cultural mayhem, but being thrown into new surroundings and feeling as if you don’t fit in is something we definitely can all relate to. We can also relate to having a rebellious side and going against authority to have a good time like Marjane and her friends do, despite the surveillance of the Islamic guards. In Marjane’s situation, she is ashamed of where she comes from. She is so ashamed and states she is “Nothing” (272). She breaks her grandmother’s heart (291), and even attempts suicide (273). I think we all have faced embarrassment from our family at one point or another, but for her to want to hide completely her culture and blood is something I found to be one of the saddest struggles in the book. Family and roots are supposed to give a sense of pride and comfort. Being away at college with new surroundings and all my safety blankets pulled out from underneath me, I find comfort when I talk about my family.
Abbey Peterson
In The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi talks about her childhood and growing up and living during a war in Tehran, Iran. The novel occurs during the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Marjane, along with her mother and father, lived to view the Islamic Revolution. During her childhood, Marjane tried doing many different things in order to find herself, such as doing drugs with her friends, changing her style of clothing, and altering the way she lived. She grew up fast since she was sent to Austria by herself without her parents when she was about ten years old. Marjane wrote her story to pass on experiences that she went through during her lifetime.
In Marjane’s graphic novel, cartoons were used to help give detail about her life, and they helped express her feelings better than what words could describe. The pictures also helped me better understand what was happening throughout the novel. When I started reading the book, it was not very appealing to me, but the more I read the more I was drawn into it. As I read the novel, I tried to put myself in her shoes to see what I would have done in the same circumstances. When I finished reading the novel, I was amazed at the things Marjane had to go through in order to live her life, and how much easier my life is just because I was born in the United States. I believe that The Complete Persepolis was an interesting read, and it helped me better understand another culture.
The Complete Persepolis
In The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi talks about her childhood and growing up and living during a war in Tehran, Iran. The novel occurs during the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Marjane, along with her mother and father, lived to view the Islamic Revolution. During her childhood, Marjane tried doing many different things in order to find herself, such as doing drugs with her friends, changing her style of clothing, and altering the way she lived. She grew up fast since she was sent to Austria by herself without her parents when she was about ten years old. Marjane wrote her story to pass on experiences that she went through during her lifetime.
In Marjane’s graphic novel, cartoons were used to help give detail about her life, and they helped express her feelings better than what words could describe. The pictures also helped me better understand what was happening throughout the novel. When I started reading the book, it was not very appealing to me, but the more I read the more I was drawn into it. As I read the novel, I tried to put myself in her shoes to see what I would have done in the same circumstances. When I finished reading the novel, I was amazed at the things Marjane had to go through in order to live her life, and how much easier my life is just because I was born in the United States. I believe that The Complete Persepolis was an interesting read, and it helped me better understand another culture.
Zach Hauser
Marjane’s parents decided to stay in Iran instead of leaving with Marjane because they did not want to start over, and at that age in their lives it would have been a very hard change. If they would have left their home country, they would have to start their careers completely over. They probably would have been stuck cleaning hotel rooms, instead of their good money-making jobs they already had in Iran. They also wanted to stay because they wanted to help fix their country. They did not want to run out on their country because they have lived there their entire lives, and they see it as their job to see their country make it through this problem. It would be especially hard for Marjane’s grandmother to move out of the country at her age. That might be the reason for Marjane’s parents staying. If everyone would have just left the country, there would have been no country. Iran needed people like Marjane’s parents to stay and try to turn the country around. Marjane’s parents had pride in their country, and that’s what a country needs to survive. Maybe if more people would have stood up as strongly as her parents, more might have changed for the better.
Travis Rossman
The Complete Persepolis is a very well told story through the images and
depictions shown. She shows with imagery how closely related everyone’s lives are.
Everyday people deal with the same things Marjane and her family did, from the deaths
of family, to children growing up. The first Iranian war changed her into a woman by
showing her the non-glamourous side of life as an Iranian woman. As the story goes on,
she better understands the changes the government went through. Marjane’s changes
are mostly for the better, but there were also some bad experiences (117). When she
moved to Austria, she realizes that she cannot be away from the war. She changes with
the different kinds of friends she acquires and the way her attitude changes as she is
introduced to a more Western civilization. She returns to Iran to find the war over
but the city in shambles. Her parents should have gone with her, or they all should have
stayed in Iran to stick together as a family.
Taylor Klundt
The Complete Persepolis
The book made me realize the differences between government, culture, and the way of life in different countries. In her own country, Iran, they witnessed the destructions of war for years against Iraq, which caused millions of deaths. It resulted in the fanatics to rule the innocent people and many irrelevant rules were imposed. The women had to wear veils and could not show affection towards a man in public, unless they were married. They could not even leave the country for two years because the borders were closed. Being able to see the events that took place throughout her life made the book fun and enjoyable to read. The detailed description of events, which were horrific and simple, helped me understand how hard it must have been for her to grow up on her own.
At the beginning of The Complete Persepolis, Marji was like a normal ten-year-old girl, innocent. She did what she was told and believed what she heard. In 1979 the revolution took place, and afterwards many things changed. For example, before the revolution, they were not required to wear veils, and they went to a co-ed non-religious school, but afterwards they had to wear the veils everywhere and had to go to an all-girls or all-boys Islamic school. This confused Marji because as a ten-year-old she believed what she learned in school. In school they told her that the Shah was chosen by God and they had to wear the veils. The veil was particularly troubling to Marji be she was very religious but her family was very modern and pushed the limits (page 6).
Finally, Marji learned the truth about how the government was really run, and she learned that they were teaching her lies in school. That would be tough for anyone to handle. She was told stuff that some 15-years-olds in America could not handle. She in a way was deprived of her childhood, and she was forced into grown up problems at a far from grown up age.
When I was a 10 year old kid, the problems on my mind were, what’s the next book I should order from the book orders, or if I got a bad grade on test or on a paper, how I was going to tell my parents. These problems are minute compared to the ones Marji was dealing with, such as what to do when sirens are signaling an air raid and what to say to the police when they questioned you about what you were wearing. I am very thankful to have grown up in America, even more so in North Dakota where I may have been somewhat sheltered.
Allison Bopp
In Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis, we live through her eyes as she tells her roller coaster of a life with its many ups and downs and many unexpected turns. For one, there were restrictions for the way the girls could dress, and that was with a veil covering all of their hair and a dress covering all of their skin down to their wrists and ankles. Second, Marjane seemed to be very confused or misled about the good or bad and hero or villain in her country. She thought that if someone went to jail or died, he was a hero, just as she states on page 61.
She also went through many phases, starting as a young child believing in God and wanting to be a prophet, to not accepting Him and turning into a rebellious girl who acted out in school, as seen on page 97, and then she moved to Austria where she soon turned on the traditions she knew and became addicted to drugs, had a couple boyfriends, got kicked out of school, and then became homeless for a few months. Moving from Iran made her very independent, yet very lonely. She returned home to Iran for a little while before leaving for good for Paris, France.
I think The Complete Persepolis is very similar to the way we grow up in America, except it is seen from a different perspective. For example, we all grow up confused about the world and our identity. During adolescence, with freedom in America, we choose to move away from our parents until we have a difficult time and struggle to live on our own. It is then that we choose to move back to our parents’ home for a while, so we can get back on our own two feet.
Carlie Schmidt
There are a few times where I do not sympathize with Marjane Satrapi, and one in particular is when Satrapi attends school in Vienna (155). When Satrapi resides in Vienna, she experiences rejection, drug use, and sex, all which leave her alone and damaged. I simply cannot sympathize with Satrapi because she is one of the limited few who get to leave the dictatorship in Tehran, and she finally has a chance to have freedom. She gets to experience something many people, at that time, did not get to experience before. Instead, she keeps going down the wrong path, and she claims it is not her fault. I do, however, sympathize with Satrapi because being only fourteen and having to move to Vienna all by yourself can be very traumatic. Satrapi’s parents were not there to guide her down the right path or comfort her when she made wrong decisions. I also sympathize with all of the women in Tehran having to wear a veil. I personally believe requiring a woman to wear a veil is an act of violence. It is not morally right. If a woman did not wear her veil, she got put in jail, or in Marjane’s position, expelled from school. Covering up your hair is not going to change or make matters better.
Jacey Pulver
This novel really made an impact on how I perceive the world. It single-handedly shattered all my pre-conceived notions about Iranians and their way of life. Having the story told through Marjane's point of view really helped me to immerse myself into her life. The story was filled with many interesting points of conflict, which made it extremely easy to continue turning the pages. This book was already a good read, and the addition of it being a graphic novel just made it even more interesting to me.
While this story was entertaining, it was also intellectually stimulating, and when a book has both of these qualities I cannot help but to fall in love with it. The best part about books like that is all the knowledge to be gained from them. In the case of Persepolis I learned things about Iran that I probably would never have learned otherwise. One thing that I did not know about Iran was that most of the people did not like the government that they lived under. I also did not know how commonplace communism was in Iran during that time period. Thanks to Persepolis, I have a better understanding of a culture which is often misunderstood.
Luke Hushagen
The Complete Persepolis was the first graphic novel that I have read. I really enjoyed the graphics because I believe it helps us as Americans better understand what goes on in other countries. It is mind boggling to me how much Americans take for granted. If a goverment took all of our freedoms away, we would be absolutely lost. Persepolis, I believe, helped paint pictures in our minds of the torture and the cruelty that Marjane had to witness. This book really made me take a step back and look at the differences between America and Iran. What I thought about was how everyone hears about Iran in the news adn media today, so to me I can only wonder how much different Iran is today compared to back then. My opinion is that it has not really changed at all. Power and money is still the driving of force of every country today.
After reading The Complete Persepolis, I was more aware of the lifestyle in Iran. In Iran they have to be careful the moment they walk out their front door. While I was reading the book, all I could think of were the horrible stories that I had heard about Iran. The things that I knew briefly I now know more in depth. For example, I knew that women were treated unfairly; however, I never knew that they could not show any bare skin except on their faces. Another reason I thought the country was very controlling was that the people did not have a lot of freedom. They are not able to listen to the kind of music they wanted to. The women were not allowed to wear makeup. The people were not allowed to drink alcohol nor have parties. For example, one of Marijane's friends said, "I saw a patrol of guardians of the revolution out the window! I think they are coming to arrest us!" (306). All of these things and many others were controlled by the government. If the people were caught with these things, they were sent to jail, and they had to pay a fine in order to get bailed out, or they were beaten.
Stephanie Milbrath
The Complete Persepolis is a very unique book compared to most other books. The main reason it is very different is because of the images, which I think add to the story by showing vivid details of situations that create pictures and make the readers feel right there in the story. I am a person that does not pick up a book and start reading it. I am the one who will read only magazine articles and things that interests me. When I picked up this book and opened it, I was relieved to see that it was in comic book form. I really liked how I could read the text and look at the picture to see what was going on. It made it much more enjoyable to read.
I think Marjane wrote the book in this style to give us a better understanding of what she went though. It creates images for us so we can more easily view the story from her eyes. For example, she would very often see the police on the streets treating the citizens in a harsh manner. Another reason she wrote it in this way is to show what she actually went through herself. She went through quite a few hurdles throughout her childhood, and it shows in detail her move to Austria away from home.
By putting so many images in this book, she ensured that people of many different ages would enjoy it. The images draw in a large variety of people, from young to old. I have no doubt that many who read this book really enjoyed it. It is the kind of book that is hard not to enjoy, just because it is a different style that is easy to understand and to comprehend. Overall, I think the BSC Campus Read Book Committee did a good job of picking out a book for the student to read. It was especially good for people like me who do not really enjoy reading book. Next year, I think they should pick a similar book because I believe quite a few readers enjoyed the unique writing style of this book.
When I first opened the book of Persepolis, I dreaded reading it. I thought there was no way I could get into reading a book that was in the format of a comic, but I came to realize that I actually enjoyed it. I think this story was the perfect story to be told in a comic book form. I think Satrapi chose to put the book in this form to catch the eye of the younger generations. I also think she chose to write it this way because her type of story was easier told with pictures.
To be honest, if there were not pictures in this novel, I do not think I would have understood it, for the way each chapter jumped from one scene to the next made it difficult to understand. With the pictures and images there to help guide me along, it was easier to understand. It was great to not have to make up an image in my mind because with all the action and all the drama going on in this story, my images would have been way different than what she had down in the book.
The pictures also helped to keep the names of people straight. With names like Siamak Jari and Mehri, it was hard to remember who was who. Being able to see a face and put names to those faces made the book easier to follow. Although many of the characters looked the same, it was still easier to keep track of everyone.
I think that Satrapi wrote this book perfectly. With all the action going on in the book, the pictures pulled everything together. She planned out everything perfectly. The riots that went on were explained perfectly with the pictures. The description of her war-torn country along with pictures made the book so much more interesting. I could not imagine reading this book without pictures.
Kylee Ternes
Images can convey a story that words cannot. Pictures can do so by being able to show emotion and physical characteristics more effectively. When someone is mad or angry, pictures are able to show that emotion more effectively with the facial expressions of the actual character. By using the pictures, readers are able to see what the character looks like, instead of just using their imagination and guessing. There is also a down side to using images versus just words. One flaw it has is that it takes away the creativity of using words to describe characters, physical features, emotions, items, and places. By using just words, the reader uses her imagination to conjure up an image that she believes the author is trying to paint. Another flaw is that the author is not able to put as much detail into the writing so that she is able to show the reader what it is she wants to show, rather than telling. There are ups and downs to both methods of writing. To me the picture way is easier to read, but not as enjoyable because I am not able to use my imagination. The picture way allows me to see exactly what the author wants to show.
Cortney West
I thought that Persepolis showed many different things in the text. This story showed, through a comic-style view, the lifestyle of the Iranians during the revolution through a child’s perspective. The author, in my opinion, used the graphic novel format to help show this through her childhood. Most adults do not read comic books, so this was the technique chosen by the author to make sure all her readers were reading this like a child saw it. I like the graphic novel format for the book. I felt that reading this story through a comic format, I was able to connect with her during her childhood. Had Marjane decided to write this story like a typical novel, she would not as easily made the reader see it through her eyes back in her childhood. I also felt this style was a good way to mix it up from the traditional styles of reading that I do most days. I read formulas out of a calculus book, I read chemical equations out of a different textbook, and I read novels for fun; this was a nice change from a typical story. This format also made the story easier to follow the history she is trying to in cooperate in her storyline.
When Marjane decided to write this book in graphic novel form, I think it was a great idea. It helped me to understand her story. In many parts of the book, she talks about the Iranian culture and how women were required to wear the veil. If she would not have shown pictures, I do not think I would have understood the correct way to wear the veil. Another thing that would have been harder to understand would have been her explaining what she looked like when she grew up. On page 189 she talked about how one eye grew, how her chin got bigger, and how many other parts of her body changed. Without pictures, it would have been hard to imagine what she looked like, and my perception of what she looked like would have been wrong.
If she would not have used pictures, many people would have thought of Iran differently, possibly worse than if she decided not to use them. The pictures showed how strict the police really were. Page 51 shows how the rule breakers were whipped and burned with an iron. Although her pictures did not have much for detail, they still explained everything well and got the point across to the reader. When I opened the book, I did not think I was going to like the graphic novel part. I learned later that it helped me understand what was going on better, and if the pictures would not have been there, I would not have understood the book as well.
Briitany Schlenker
My first reaction when I opened the book The Complete Persepolis was that it is written differently than any other book I have ever seen. I had never read a book that had graphics behind the words, and I have to admit it took me a few pages to get used to it. I believe that by using the graphic novel format, Marjane Satrapi is able to make the reader see what she wants them to see.
The book The Complete Persepolis is more effective because it was about Marjane's real life. The events in the book actually took place and give the book more meaning to what people in Iran had to live through in that time in history. Throughout the book, the reader sees Marjane grow. First, the reader knows her as a naive girl who could not understnad what was really happening in her country, and later she is a young woman who learned about why her country was persecuting its own people. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was entertaining and also educational. I learned about the history of Iran, and now have a different perspective of the country. I am able to see Iran as a rebuilding country that has had to overcome persecution and fight for its freedom.
Colette Nagel
Before reading this book, I really had very little prior knowledge of Iran and its culture, with the exception that it is in the Middle East and is rich with oil. In reading this book, I learned of their cruel fundamentalist government that took over power and strictly enforced the religious laws. The punishment for disobeying the law was very harsh. Women had to have their hair completely covered as it was seen as something sexual. They also had to wear long dresses to mask their figures, and they could not wear make-up. If so much as a deck of playing cards was found in a house, that was grounds for a punishment that could involve a series of whippings and a fine. All while this was happening, they were also at war with Iraq. Bombings in the cities were regular occurrences.
I had never read a graphic novel before, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought many incidents in the book were more effectively portrayed because of the pictures. For example, the proper and improper way of wearing the head scarf is made clearer, and the reading helps to understand just how ridiculous and harsh some of the laws were. Also, the expressions that are shown on the faces gives a better idea of the emotions the characters were feeling.
Andrew Ault
I love the fact that the book is a memoir rather than a fictional story. Marjane Satrapi writes it as how she wants readers to picture it rather than them picturing it some different way. I also love that the book is sort of like a comic book. It makes it very interesting to read. Rather than just reading text, Satrapi formulated it so the reader can see images of the events taking place. However, the images are childish to keep the reader focused on the ideas rather than forgetting what was just read because of getting lost in the pictures. Satrapi may have done this style to keep the size of the book smaller. Without the images, she would have had to explain everything into text. For example, the events where people were tortured, there were images to show what was taking place. It would have been more difficult to put it into words.
It was a good book to read for the campus read. I now know some facts about Iran which I never knew before. I believe their religion is very strong and they believe in their country which many people should. I would recommend this book to people who want a better understanding of what went on in Iran during the Revolution.
Kelsey Schaaf
When I first picked up The Complete Persepolis and saw that it was basically a big comic book. I was a little turned off to say the least. Although a little hesitant, I began to read it, and after getting through about the first 100 pages, I was sucked in. There were many things that kept me interested, one thing was the pictures. Even though the pictures were simple and cartoonish, they showed the scenes in great detail. One example of this is the riot scenes, they showed how crazy and hectic the events were (116). I also enjoyed seeing how many people in Iran are just like you and me. They aren’t all just religious extremists; many of them like the same music and even wear the same clothes as us. An example of this is when Marjane wants her parents to bring her back a poster of Iron Maiden (131). Another thing that was very interesting to me was how the government controlled everything. They decide what to wear and what to do, and coming from a country where I can do anything I want that seems pretty bizarre to me. So, after all was said and done, it actually turned out to be a good interesting book. I really enjoyed reading it.
Erik Krabbenhoft
Before reading The Complete Persepolis, I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about Iran. All I knew was that Iran was basically a war zone, a bad place. After reading the book, I realized that good, normal, everyday people lived there. They just led more difficult lives than we do in America. Women must follow very strict laws, and they have almost no rights. I liked how Marjane rebelled along with others for rights. I liked that she was a strong individual who questioned the authorities. I thought the book would be cheesy because it has a comic book-like structure. After I started reading Persepolis, I found that the book was anything but cheesy. If the book had been fictional, I would not have believed Iran was actually like that. It was real, the memories of a girl growing up, in Iran, during a war. By using the pictures, Marjane did not need to go into as much detail as most authors do because she can show what she’s talking about through the pictures. For example, on page 50, it depicts how Mohsen shows Marjane how bad his feet are. Had the book been fiction, I would have figured that the story was more imaginative and exaggerated than real life. Persepolis had a big effect on me because I learned many facts about the Islamic Revolution that I never knew before. The book is full of her memories. She lived in Iran. She experienced it all. Reading the book made me feel like I was there, beside her, while everything happened. She told her story as it was. She did not exaggerate or imagine things she had never seen before. Marjane actually witnessed the horrible things happening in her country. I really enjoyed reading this book; it is a one of a kind!
Kelsey Kauffmann
Satrapi chooses to tell her story in graphic images to portray the picture for us. Having just text or just images, takes away from the story. It is meaningful to have the pictures along with the story, especially in this case. Not a lot of us visit Iran, and Satrapi’s using images, along with text,t gives a better idea of what it is really like, without our imaginations coming up with the wrong picture. A graphic image makes the book easier to read and involves the reader. Satrapi uses black and white drawings in Persepolis. Color graphics are better but also very expensive. Her drawings are simple, yet describe everything. In my opinion, Satrapi uses the comic book style of writing to grab the attention of more people. For example, this type of reading excites everyday readers and these images intrigue the nonreaders to participate in this adventure. In this book, Satrapi uses the images to portray the differences that her young body went through. She shows us exactly how her body changes with the images (189). In this particular part of the book, it is great to have the pictures and the text because there is no way I would be able to imagine in my head exactly how her body changes (189).
Kylea Myers
“How are America and American culture represented in the book?” I chose this question to detail the differences between Iran’s strict rules and America’s land of opportunity. It seems as though Marjane changes into a completely different person as she travels to Austria, where Marjane seems to feel that she has no rules or no bounds. For the first time in her entire life, she feels free. With this freedom, come some negative points. For example, Marjane experiences the drug lifestyle, which in turn, seems to ruin her. Luckily, Marjane overcomes this addiction to drugs and moves on in life. Although this drug fetish she has is temporary, it is still something she would have never seen in Iran, due to its strict rules.
In a way, Iran kept any negative substances, such as alcohol and drugs, away from most people. In America, there is no limit to how much you could party, as long as you are of age. In Iran, it doesn’t matter what age you are. Parties are basically forbidden. Western culture seemed to have taken a big toll on Marjane. Also, in Austria, there was no need for veils, which was probably the biggest change for Marjane at the time. Austria had an American-type culture, which is why this relates to American culture. Freedom for Marjane for the very first time proved to be of both good and bad experiences.
Complete Persepoils
Marjane grew up in a culture that was differnt then the culture she later moved to. In Iran, girls and women were not able to wear any types of nail polish on their hands or feet. She could not even leave her house without wearing a veil and had to cover all skin that was showen besides her face.
When Marjane moved to Austria she felt a part of freedom, that she could go somewhere without being watched over. Marjane felt she had that freedom, and could change her life a differnt way. She changed her life by being introduced to cigarettes and becoming addicted. She also changed changed the way she looked by removing body hair, getting rid of her clothes, purchasing new clothes, cutting up a new hairstyle, and wearing make up (274). Austria is a culture that is not strict compared to Iran. When Marjane left Austria, she felt a part of freedom compared to when she came back to Iran where she was being watched over every moment. She had to change habits when she was back in Iran. The leaders would know the smallest things like showing a wrist, having a loud laugh, and having a walkman, as mentioned on page 302. Living in Iran has more rules that need to be followed than living in Austria. In Austria, she is also not being watched over every moment.
I cannot imagine leaving my house, not knowing if it will exist when I return. I cannot imagine hearing bombs go off blocks away from where I stand. I cannot imagine watching people fight over petty rice, not seeing food on the shelves at the grocery store. Walking past a friend’s house and recognizing her bracelet still on her corpse, lying under pieces of what was once her home.
Marjane Satrapi witnessed this growing up. There is no question as to why she rebelled in younger years. I believe any child old enough to understand, who has lived through these conditions and witness incidents such as these, would have anger issues.
Marjane’s anger issues got her in to trouble at school. She was suspended. She hit her principal, so she was expelled from school (143). Marjane attended another school; she told off (really she educated) the religion teacher. Her parents then decided it was time for her to leave the country.
While in Austria, she habitually turned the channel on the TV whenever war in Iran was mentioned. Marjane wanted to forget her past. She wanted it to disappear; good and bad memories alike, they hurt just the same (194). In Austria Marjane made new friends. Some of her friends were sincere, but others pressured her to do things she would not otherwise do. Marjane became a drug dealer. First, she did it for love. Next, she acquired many new friends. Marjane wanted to be popular; she was tired of simply existing. Customers and friends were one in the same; she did them all favors. Subconsciously, I believe she needed them around. She was all alone; being acknowledged and having the feeling that someone cares is comforting.
I was pleased with the book. I perceive Marjane as a strong woman, who has overcome a lot in her life and is lucky to be alive. I am able to identify with some of her mistakes; in short, mistakes need to be made in order to learn and make better choices. Finding out who you truly are inside, or who you want to become is a journey in itself.
Treva Jahner
The Complete Persepolis
When I found out that The Complete Persepolis was the campus read, and I saw it was a comic book, I was not pleased. I typically do not read comic books, their being of no interest to me, but as I read the book, I became more interested. The story about Marjane growing up in Iran, a world that I really had no knowledge of, opened my eyes to what was really happening in the whole world, and not just mine. The words and images pulled me in, and I could not put the book down. Persepolis was different from any other book that I have read. The fact that it had pictures made it very interesting to me. Some of the imagery really made me think about what was actually happening in Iran. For example on page 51 when the prisoners were tortured by getting burned with an iron, that picture really put in perspective for me what was actually happening. The images made me feel like I right there in the middle of all the action.
The one thing that I noticed was that all the drawings were done in black and white. For me that represented the state of the country at that time. The black represented the way the people lived, such as women having to restrictions in clothes, and emotions, and their appearance made women depressed. The government took away their identity. The white represented hope and the future. A future that many people were fighting for including Marjane’s parents, grandmother, and many other family members and friends. The white was a path to their heaven. The images told a story within a story. They had just enough detail to them so I knew exactly what was going on. The story, in my opinion, could not have been told any other way. Persepolis was a great story that I will recommend to many people.
Whitney Lytle
The Complete Persepolis is a very amazing book. Although the story is very deep with many characters revolving around a young girl’s life, what really makes the book stand out is the format it is written in. The Complete Persepolis is a graphic novel which at first polarized the student body. Some thought the idea was fresh, while others could not take something that appears like a comic strip seriously.
One of the first characteristics to pop up is the black and white format. This format helps show how this world is black and white, that either the character is either right or wrong living in this world. At first, Marjane always wears western clothing, which is usually white, but when the new regime takes power, the veils are black.
With attention to the background, one can tell what the situation is about. When the background is white, that is when the situation is about Marjane’s childlike innocence. However, when the background shifts toward a black color, the war is usually brought up, or the people are becoming more oppressed. This helps on an unconscious level because whenever something dark like the war is mentioned during a white background, the dark event is usually a very shocking surprise (142).
Although The Complete Persepolis is in a different format from most books, it allows a deeper understanding than if it were written in text. It allows the readers to see how bi-polar and black and white everything is.
Ashley Grenz
Before reading The Complete Persepolis, I thought of Iran as sort of a backwards third-world country. I thought it was full of terrorists and people who hated America. I have always thought of myself as a fairly cultured person open to other people’s beliefs. I pride myself on that, but somewhere along the line of my life, most likely do to our involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, I got a negative image and stereotype of Iran. I never did much research or study of the history or culture of Iran, so I had no reason to disregard my stereotype of Iran. After reading this book though, I have come to realize that I was totally and completely wrong. I now have a better understanding of what the Iranian people had to go through and how they are not much different than we are. The people of Iran have suffered a great deal and have had to deal with many wars and changes to their leadership and government. I now have sympathy for the Iranian people. The one thing I hope people take from this book is learning to open your eyes to other peoples, cultures, and customs. If we all live our lives closed-minded and ignorant, we will never get anywhere in life. If we can open our minds to other people and their beliefs, we can learn from them and they can learn from us, which will lead to more and better global equality. We can only go on fighting each other for so long before we completely destroy each other and the human race.
The Complete Persepolis
I believe The Complete Persepolis teaches us what goes on in a revolution and how to deal with it. Before the Iranian Revolution, Iranians could wear what they want, do what they want, and even eat what they want. During the revolution Iranian modern women had to cover their hair with a veil and could not wear lipstick or nail polish. The fundamentalist women were covered completely, looking like they have a big blanket over them with only their face showing. The Iranian fundamentalist men have beards and leave their shirt not tucked in their pants. The progressive men are shaved, with or without a mustache, and their shirt is tucked in. On page 75, I believe, Marjane Satrapi did a great job in showing this.
The book shows us that she was very involved in her country and questioning everything that goes on. Wow, that a girl! Just imagine if you had to wear a veil, and if it was on wrong to have hair showing. People would say rude things, and you could get in trouble with the government. It is like wearing a cap the wrong way or not perfectly centered. Think about the young kids, and teenagers trying to adjust to the surrounding. During this hard time, things were limited such as food, gas and other necessities. Clubs and alcohol were taken away because they turned into a no-no, so not only could they not be themselves, but they couldn’t even party with family or friends. They also even took education away. Again, I’m surprised people would stay to support their country with everything taken away.
Katy Reis
Unknown Differences
The Complete Persepolis is a very easy to read and culturally educating book. It has many historical facts about Iran and is a great way to take a look into the life of the average Iranian child. It really displays many of the things that we take for granted living in America, like women’s rights, freedom of speech, and safety. The fact that The Complete Persepolis is a graphic novel is a very interesting thing and in my opinion adds a great deal to Marjane’s story. It helps to bring the book to life, especially how it shows the torture, war, and drug use scenes. It also helps the reader to picture all the different situations and appreciate them much more.
Jake Moscho
Persepolis is a graphic novel that was interesting to a lot of people, but I just was not one of those people. At parts it was interesting, and at others it was boring and seemed to take forever to get through. I found myself urging a chapter a chapter to be over because I just could not get into it, while at other times I would bury myself into the pages as I began to understand what was going on. One of those main reasons was because of the graphics in the novel showed what was going on.
In the beginning, it was really confusing because they spoke of many rulers and democracies, and I had not heard of barely any of them. As it got into the details of the effects of the war and her rebellion because of it, it soon became very interesting. She began to do things that were absolutely unheard of in her home country when she was sent to Austria, almost simply because she could. She disobeyed her home principals and soon came to regret it. When she went home, she had to readapt herself to her surroundings and the behaviors of her home country, and she had a hard time doing so. This was almost the best part of the book, in my view, because of everything that was going on, including the war and her life, as well as the lives of her friends and family. I could understand what was happening because of the views and opinions. You could feel what they were feeling at the time.
As readers we are taught to read from left to right and top to bottom. Illustrations are there to help picture something, so that your imagination has a place to start exploring. Marjane Satrapi took a new approach and put her novel Persepolis into a style all her own, throwing convention to the side. I have never been one to keep my attention on a book long enough to get all the way through it. The comic style illustrations of Persepolis maintained my interest and made the book easy to read, and if I were having a hard time understanding any of the content, the pictures clarified that too. The innocence and naivety of childhood was captured in the first few pages and continues through the entire work, (46-47). Persepolis also made a foreign subject, and a confusing one at that, Iran, into something approachable. Iran is very different from the United States; therefore, it is difficult to relate to. Marjane tells her story through the sometimes rose-colored spectacles of her youth, but never without her own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Her family raised her to be a free thinker. She owned every one of her thoughts. That, for someone of any age, is a great accomplishment.
“When a big wave comes, lower your head and let it pass.” This quotation on page 94 is in reference to Islam and the belief, or desire, for the stronger to rule over the weaker in Iranian culture. To a large degree, this is a symbol of resignation. What do people do if they know they can never win? If they do speak out, they may be persecuted or killed, and even then, they still would not sway the thoughts and ideas of their opponent. “Let it pass” is easy. Standing up for your beliefs is hard. To what end?
Derek Harper
The Complete Persepolis
What the news portrays about Iran is nothing like what I have found in the book. The news shows Iran as a country that is just out to kill everyone when in reality the civilians are much like us. It is their government, not the people, that is terrible. Their country is falling apart, and they do not tell us that on the news. They only show all of the bombings and shootings going on there. Our views are shaped around what we see on the news. Since we have no other way of knowing what is actually happening, we believe what we see. We are pretty much made to believe that the Iranians are bad people.
It was nice to see that they think of America as a safe place to run to. It portrayed our culture as a welcoming one that allows all kinds of different people into our country. Here they have opportunities that they would not have back home. I am proud to live in a place like that.
I think that the fact that this is based on a woman telling her real life story is more effective than a history book. In a history book, it tells only facts about exactly what happened and that is all. In this book, she tells about how the actual people were feeling. She showed us through her drawings what her life was like, even showing the expressions on their faces. This makes it easier to get into the story and feel for the people that had to go through it. In history books, we just read it and do not think twice about the poor people who had to go through and experience it. This book really made me think and realize that we sometimes take for granted what we have.
The beginning of The Complete Persepolis got my attention right away. It was interesting to see how the author interpreted everything through pictures and word bubbles. It is amazing to think that different areas have such different ways of living. I cannot imagine leaving my home and starting a new life all by myself at such a young age. Marjane went through so many changes and struggles when she moved to Austria, but I feel that it was a very smart decision considering what was happening back on her homeland. I also felt that she should have kept God in her life, instead of pushing him away, because she really needed his guidance when she was going through hard times. I found it odd that one religion should reign superior over all others and force their ideals and customs onto everyone else, regardless of the individual’s beliefs. People should not have to live their lives according to someone else’s way of life. They have the right to choose what to believe in and decide how to live their own lives.
Heather Herbel
When first skimming through this book a few thoughts popped into my head the first one being completely put off by the comic book pictures. I was never the comic book type, when I was younger I don't even recall having one comic book. So needless to say I judged the book by its cover and was really having a hard time getting into the book. A couple pages in though the book made me giggle which was the book's first great move to getting my interest. I loved how real the book felt, nothing was sugar coated every feeling she didn't hide any of it. From alcohol to drugs to losing her virginity she talked about it all and the feelings that came with it. All of a sudden this book was charming me so to speak, I was laughing at it and found myself thinking in some odd way I could relate to this girl. It almost shocked me I could find myself thinking there are a few things in common with a girl on the other side of the world who has experienced more then I could ever imagine. Marjane Satrapi really had a way of describing her adolescence that I hadn't read in any book before, and I was really starting to like the book it continued to keep my attention, I truly enjoyed reading it.
I felt that the book The Complete Persepolis was a story that most Americans should read. The story although biographical of one person's life explains a great deal about the political strife in Iran. News currently talks of a heavy Islamic lead nation that supports violence and hatred for America. The book shows an Iranian life that few outsiders will ever know.
Throughout the book Marjane gives a memoir of her life growing up in Iran. She shows a side of Iran that few see. A society of Iranians that want peace and freedom for all throughout Iran. She recalls the revolution to over throw the government, but once it is over thrown the new government is just as bad if not worse. She explains the views of her parents and grandparents. Most of their views are similar to any other parent here in America. They love their daughter and want to see her succeed; they believe in women's rights, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. They appear to have the same values as a typical caring person. They even encourage her late in the book when she is planning on getting a divorce. The government of Iran throughout the book tries to instill a heavy Islamic faith with few freedoms to keep the people under control. To be different in Iran could mean to be hanged or tortured. There is a type of underground society that acts like a typical American young adult that parties and watches MTV, which is dangerous activity.
Marjane also explains a life as an adolescent very typical to one of our own. A life full of challenges that each of us had to come to face. That of drug addiction, our stance on premartial sex, and what we stand for and believe. During her adolescent years she becomes heavily involved in drug use trying to fit in. She also makes a conscious decision to have premartial sex, a decision that in her country could get her killed. She speaks out against authority for what she believes risking her life in the process.
In the beginning of the book, Marji and God are very close. Marji has the dream of being a prophet and living the rest of her life for God. She relied on Him for everything, comforting her and giving her advice when she needed it. When telling her family she wanted to be a prophet, they listened and let it go. Soon enough, Marji also forgot about her promise to God and turned away from Him. Some time in the book, especially when she hit such a low time, Marji would eventually go running back to God, however, that never happened. If she would have stayed close to God and continued to trust him in everything, going to Austria could have been a whole different experience. The rest of her life could have changed, for she probably would have hung out with a different crowd and not made the mistake of trying drugs and partying. Were her parents big into God and religion? The book never mentioned anything about her parents. If they would have encouraged her with her religion, that could have changed her whole path in life, and she may have never hit rock bottom. I wish the book would have explained this aspect a bit more because religion was an important part to Marji in the beginning of the book.
Lisa Makedonski
All my life I have not been a very strong reader, well let me just say I despised reading with a passion deep in my soul, but this book got me trapped inside of it and hooked my mind like a worm and a hook. I hardly every wanted to put it down. Usually I end up falling asleep while in the middle of reading a sentence. I can only get through a few pages at a time in order to read a book. Persepolis was a totally different book, it kept me interested and my mind didn’t wander and I didn’t fall asleep at all reading it. I absolutely loved how the whole book was in a comic book style and the content of the book was sort of familiar.
At age 14 Marji was sent to live with her mom’s friend in Austria, but the friend didn’t want Marji around so she found her a new home at a catholic church (page 151). It doesn’t seem right to let your kids leave the country to live some place on there own at such a young age. My life was kind of like this. At the age of 14 also I was home alone a lot more than I should have been. More than a 14 year old should have been. My parents were much too busy because they owned a bar and grill 10 miles from where our home was. So I had to cook and clean for myself a lot of the time. I had to also learn how to do my own laundry, and if you have seen a 14 year old do their laundry, they mess it up pretty bad. Other than this, her life and mine doesn’t really seem the same. If I was a parent my kids would never be left home alone, or even sent to live in another country for awhile.
The Complete Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, is a very interesting read. It is extremely informative as far as Iranian culture and customs and is an inspiring story about the strong will and courage of a family during the Iranian Revolution. The novel's illustrations add to the enjoyment of reading it. They help the reader with visualizing the situations described, especially since in the United States we are unfamiliar with Iranian ways. The graphic novel may have largely contributed to the success of the book, as the pictures are something different which might draw quite a bit of attention. Marjane and her family display so much dedication to their homeland that they undergo many hardships caused by breaking laws with the belief that it is morally the right thing to do. They stick to their decision to rebel until the end, even though they had the option of fleeing the country or remaining passive just like so many other citizens.
Complete Persepoils
Marjane grew up in a culture that was differnt then the culture she later moved to. In Iran, girls and women were not able to wear any types of nail polish on their hands or feet. She could not even leave her house without wearing a veil and had to cover all skin that was showen besides her face.
When Marjane moved to Austria she felt a part of freedom, that she could go somewhere without being watched over. Marjane felt she had that freedom, and could change her life a differnt way. She changed her life by being introduced to cigarettes and becoming addicted. She also changed changed the way she looked by removing body hair, getting rid of her clothes, purchasing new clothes, cutting up a new hairstyle, and wearing make up (274). Austria is a culture that is not strict compared to Iran. When Marjane left Austria, she felt a part of freedom compared to when she came back to Iran where she was being watched over every moment. She had to change habits when she was back in Iran. The leaders would know the smallest things like showing a wrist, having a loud laugh, and having a walkman, as mentioned on page 302. Living in Iran has more rules that need to be followed than living in Austria. In Austria, she is also not being watched over every moment.
Kelsea Kuch
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