Preparing for Class: November 19

Persepolis, pp. 80-153

At this point, we might start going section by section, since we're moving quickly toward the novel's conclusion and by now I expect you have the methodology for reading a graphic novel down:

• The F-14s
  • We start with a boom that further destabilizes Marji's life; explain.
  • In the concluding frames, Marji presents her patriotic take on the war, but the final words are from her friend Pardisse, who paraphrases a famous quote from Achilles in The Odyssey. What does she say?
• The Jewels
  • How does Marji show the hypocracy inherent in trying to preserve life on the home front while she and her mom are shopping?
  • What's the story of Mali and her family? What does it suggest about the deteriorization of life in Iran during the war?
  • This section concludes, most symetrically, in the grocery store, but what's the new lesson to be learned on this shopping trip?
• The Key
  • We start with another one of those stunning full-page illustrations; what skill is Marji learning at school? Why is it being taught?
  • What's a nuptial chamber?
  • How does this section suggest Marji's changing attitude toward the war and to her school?
  • Who is Mrs. Nasrine and why does she have a gold-painted plastic key?
  • What does Cousin Shahab contribute to Marji's understanding of the realities of war?
  • Check the illustrations on page 102. What's more important to her at this point: the war or punk rock?
• The Wine
  • War is not the Satrapi family's only problem. Why is Marji's mom putting both masking tape and black curtains on the windows?
  • The opening illustrations for this chapter cover a lot of emotional ground. Be ready to talk about them.
  • Describe the party for Marji's cousin's new baby. Why does she end up holding the baby?
  • How does the trip home from the party remind us of the way this chapter opened, with masking tape and black curtains?
• The Cigarette
  • At 12, Marji is predictably hanging out with older girls; what draws them to Kansas, the club?
  • What's her mother's response to her activities?
  • Beginning on page 14, Marji relates the story of the war from her point of view, leading up to the quote in the final frame of page 115. What's your response to that slogan?
  • Don't miss the illustration on page 116: what's going on in Marji's head? Why is smoking her first cigarette so significant for her? What's she thinking about as she tries to smoke?
• The Passport
  • Who's Uncle Taher and why is he so stressed? Is there some foreshadowing in this section?
  • Why is it so hard to get Uncle Taher to a place where he can have open heart surgery? What's the final irony of his life?
  • In this section we also meet Uncle Anoosh's prison mate, Khosro and Niloufar, the 18 year old girl he's hiding in his basement. What are their stories?
• Kim Wilde
  • Mom and Dad go off for a little time alone in Turkey; what does Marji want from there and how hard do they try to bring it back? How much danger are her parents actually in when they smuggle the posters in her dad's coat?
  • What happens when Marji actually suits up in her new clothes and goes off alone to buy contraband tapes? What does the final frame suggest about her chances of surviving her teen years in Tehran?
• The Shabbat
  • This section seems to be covering old ground until the concluding frames. How does Satrapi show us her feelings? Do you feel what she's feeling in these frames?
• The Dowry
  • Why do you think Marji's parents continued to encourage her to be her own person, irreligious and rebellious, in a society that requires women to be subservient and committed to Islam? Why don't they just take her out of the city, where she might be less noticable?
  • Why does her mother tell her the story of Niloufar and her dowry? Why does that make her think about the slogan she saw quite a while ago about what the blood of martyrs contributes to society?
  • One week later, her parents make a life-changing decision for her. What is it and why are they doing it?
  • How does Marji prepare for her trip? What does this tell us about her?
  • What advice does her grandmother give her? Why is it so important? Why does Grandmother so clearly understand what's in store for Marji?
  • The final frame of the story is highly dramatic. How does Marji draw the image of her own pain and loss?

• One final question: Why does Marjane Satrapi call her story of her childhood Persepolis?

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