the story of a childhood - miss...

Ms. Heredia .PERSEPOLIS. Name: __________________

11ENG Date: ___________________

Persepolis The Story of a Childhood

CONTEXT &

INTRODUCTION


11ENG Date: ___________________

PLOT ..

Satrapi’s novel traces the major episodes marking the life of Marjane, from age six until age fourteen.

STYLE & CONTEXT ..

Though in literary terms one may classify it as both bildungsroman as well as memoire,

Persepolis is much more than an autobiographical, coming-of-age story about the

universal experience of growing up. It is also a deeply personal narrative concerning

the author’s subjective experience of growing up in a time and place marked by great

cultural change and political turbulence: 1970s-80s Teheran, Iran.

Packed with highly symbolic depictions of historical events– from the outset of the Islamic Revolution (1979)

to the war against Irak (1985), or the fall of the longstanding Shah regime to the establishment of an Islamic

Republic – Persepolis is also an exploration about the ambiguous boundary between history and memory.

MAIN CHARACTERS ..

Marjane

Protagonist of the story, Marjane, nicknamed Marji by her parents, is a highly-

energetic and deeply curious little girl.

Tadji & Ébi (Parents of Marjane)

Educated and modern, Marjane’s parents are also highly affectionate.

As incarcerations for nonconformity become increasingly common,

they refuse the route of self-imposed exile, unlike many of the people

around them.

Uncle Anoosh

One of Marjane’s idols, Anoosh is a militant communist who falls victim

to the Shah’s repression. Fleeing his country he makes his way to the

Soviet Union, where he completes his PhD on Marxist-Leninism. It is not

until the fall of the Shah that he and Marjane first meet. In spite of

extreme consequences, he remains loyal to his beliefs.

Marjane’s Grandmother

Another figure Marji idolizes is her grandmother. However in contrast to

Anoosh, Marji’s grandmother is always present throughout her childhood.

More than a teacher of facts, she is Marji’s source of wisdom. It is she who

influences her behavior and guides her conscious. It is thanks to her that

Marji learns the valuable lesson of being true to herself.


11ENG Date: ___________________

ARTISTIC/ AESTHETIQUE CHOICE TITLE « PERSEPOLIS »

What is Persepolis ? Why might Satrapi have chosen this title?

PERSEPOLIS -> Ancient Capital of the Persia (Iran) and its Empire

1. Remind her reader of the historical importance of Iran, as a place from which

sprung one of the most ancient civilizations as well as one of the most powerful

and important empires in ancient history – The Persian Empire.

2. To emphasize the baffling contrast between ancient and present-day Iran.

LITERARY STYLE/ GENRE

Given what you’ve read and know about the novel, to what literary genres does Persepolis belong?

Why might the author have chosen these particular forms of literature to tell her story?

Bidungsroman (Coming of Age story)

Autobiography

Graphic Novel

POINT OF VIEW & SUBJECTIVITY .

CHILD’s POV

FEMALE/ FEMINIST POV

MIDDLE /UPPER- CLASS POV


11ENG Date: ___________________

HISTORY VS. MEMORY .

AUTOBIOGRAPHY & CHRONOLOGY

Below is a timeline of Marji’s life, from childhood to adolescence. As you read along, make use of this timeline

to keep track of important events mentioned in the novel (both historical as well as personal, for Marji).

Before 10 11 12 13 14 After

‖______________‖_______________‖_______________‖________________‖______________‖ ___________‖


11ENG Date: ___________________

GRAPHIC NOVEL VOCABULAIRY .

Format

Panel – a single segment of the comic, containing a

combination of image and text

Frame – lines and borders that contain the panel

Gutter – the space between panels

Tier – a single row of panels on a page

Shot – (term derived from cinema) e.g. close-up, extreme-close up…

Angle – (term derived from cinema) e.g. low-angle, high-angle…

Text

Caption – panel of text used to provide narration or a description of the physical scene/ setting

Speech bubble/Word Balloon – Text integrated into the panel representing characters’ spoken words or inner

thoughts. The distinction between speech and thought is usually indicated by shape (e.g. round vs. cloud).

Onomatopoeia – words imitating sound (e.g. bang!)

Image

ideogram – image/symbol conveying a feeling or thought

personification – representation of an animal or object with

human attributes

flashback – (term derived from cinema) when an event that has taken place before the present time of the

narrative is inserted into the chronological structure of the work


11ENG Date: ___________________

LITERARY TERMS .

Allusion – a word/image that evokes or makes indirect reference to a person, figure, work, event etc.

(usually used with the assumption that there is a body of knowledge shared between reader and author)

Dialogue – lines spoken by characters in a text (in this case, a graphic novel)

Graphic novel – a full-length novel that usually presents serious subject matter in comic-book form

Mood – the effect of literature on the reader: usually controlled by imagery

Metaphor – an idea/thing that represents another idea/thing

Personification – (go to previous page)

MORE VOCABULARY .

Historical context – the social/ religious/ political/ literary mood, attitude, or condition of the time period in

which a work/narrative is either written OR set

Secular – (adj) not pertaining or connected to religion or spirituality (antonym: religious)

Dictatorship – a political regime or form of government in which absolute power is exercised, sometimes by a

group, but usually by a single individual (a dictator)

Theocracy – a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler; the God's

or deity's laws being interpreted by the religious authorities

The West (adj. Western) – countries of the Occident (mainly Europe and the Americas) as distinguished

historically and culturally from countries of the Orient (known as The East), as well as Africa


11ENG Date: ___________________

HOME WORK (Pre-Reading) Write down 5-6 words/ideas that come to mind when you think about the Middle East (in the left column) and Iran (in the right column). MIDDLE EAST IRAN

Important Allusions: Characters, Ideas, Events and Places In order to fully understand the events and references in Persepolis, you need to know about these important people, places, and ideas. Research each of the terms listed below. For each, write down just a few sentences.

1. Persepolis –

2. capitalism –

3. socialism (or Marxism) –

4. dialectical materialism –


11ENG Date: ___________________

5. totalitarianism –

6. The Shah - (formerly, in Iran) king; sovereign. In the 1900s there were two, the original “Reza” Shah,

who abdicated in 1941, and later his son, overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

7. Islamic Revolution – Iran 1979 – a state of revolt when the Iranian Shah was overthrown and an Islamic

theocracy was put in place.

8. Zarathustra - 6th century b.c., Persian religious teacher.

9. Fidel Castro - A Cuban political leader of the twentieth century. He led the revolution that in 1959

overthrew the dictator of Cuba, who had the support of the United States. Castro then presided over his

country's transformation into a communist state.

10. Che Guevara - Theoretician and tactician of guerrilla warfare and prominent figure in Fidel Castro's

revolution in Cuba (1956–59).

11. Trotsky, Leon (1879-1940) – Russian Communist revolutionary, one of the principal leaders in the

establishment of the USSR

12. Hossein Fatemi, PhD - was a famous politician of Iran, born in 1919 in Nain and was executed on 10

November 1954. He proposed the thesis of nationalization of Iranian oil and gas assets to Premiere

Mossadegh


11ENG Date: ___________________

Chapter Questions

Essential Questions to Think About:

Why is childhood an important time of life? When does it begin and when does it end?

How do people cope when their lives are changed by forces they cannot control?

Why might an author chose the graphic novel genre to tell their story?

INTRODUCTION.

1. According to the introduction, what stereotypical image is Satrapi trying to dispel?

2. The author indicates two motives for writing Persepolis. What are they?

THE VEIL.

3. How was education affected by the new regime? Why?

4. What did bilingual schools represent to the new regime?

5. What did the veil symbolize? How did Iranian women respond to the veil?

6. Why was a picture of Marjane’s mother published in the newspaper?

7. How did Marjane, Marjane’s mother, as well as the public respond? Why?


11ENG Date: ___________________

8. Describe the symbolism and internal conflict represented in the panel (top, left of page 6) depicting Marjane

following this event.

9. Why does Marji want to be a prophet? (3 reasons)

a)

b)

c)

10. How are her two first reasons related to the internal conflict represented in the previous image?

11. According to Marjane, who is Zarathustra, and what are his three rules for living?

1.

2.

3.

12. How do others respond to Marji’s belief in her religious calling?

THE BICYCLE.

13. Che Guevara, Fidel, and Trotsky; how are they related and why are they relevant/important?

14. How does Marji’s relationship with God begin to change?

15. According to the following people, what has happened at the Rex Cinema?

… BBC?

… Shah and his regime?

… the people (including Marjane’s parents)?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE WATER CELL.

16. According to Marji, how are kings chosen? What is her rationale?

17. Why did Marji’s parents react to her statement about the Shah (hint: her family history)?

18. What was Marji’s grandfather’s job under Reza? How did his beliefs change, and how did his life change?

19. Why does God return to Marji after a long absence?

PERSEPOLIS.

20. How did the new Shah’s rule compare to his father’s?

21. Describe the symbolism of the panel depicting Cyrus (top of page 28).

22. What does Marji’s father do every day that makes her mother so nervous? Why is this activity strictly

forbidden?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE LETTER.

23. What causes Marji to feel so ashamed? Why?

24. How does Marji view Mehri? How does Mehri view Marji?

25. What does Marji do for six months to help Mehri? Why?

26. What is the outcome when the news of Mehri’s clandestine affair reaches Marji’s father? Why?

27. What is Marji’s reaction to the break-up?

28. What happened on Black Friday? Why?

29. What painful lesson does Marji learn?


11ENG Date: ___________________

.THE PARTY.

30. How does the Shah attempt to appease the people? Why does he fail?

31. How does the U.S. change its public policy toward Iran?

32. According to Marji’s dad, why will their never be peace in the Middle East? What do you think?

33. What contributes to Marji’s anger and confusion when she returns to school?

34. What two lessons does Marji learn from her mother?

THE HEROES.

35. Where have Siamak and Mohsen been for the last several years? Why?

36. Who led the training in torture practices?


11ENG Date: ___________________

37. According to Marji, what makes a hero?

MOSCOW.

38. Who is Anoosh? How does Marji feel about him? Why?

39. Who was Fereydoon? What was his goal?

40. Where did Anoosh go after Fereydoon’s arrest? How would you characterize him?

41. When he had to leave, where did he go?

42. What did Anoosh study in the USSR?

43. What gift does Anoosh give to Marji? What might it symbolize?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE SHEEP.

44. What is the significance of the title? How does it help to characterize the people of Iran?

45. According to Anoosh, why is it nearly impossible to persuade the population to follow Marxism?

46. What was the reported outcome of the elections? How does Marji’s father explain these results?

47. Why do Marji’s parents subject themselves to political upheaval and refuse to leave Iran? What is their

opinion of those who leave?

48. What makes Marji suspect that something has happened to Anoosh?

49. What is Anoosh’s final wish? Why?

50. Who comes to visit Marji after Anoosh’s death? How does Marji react?

51. At the end of the chapter, what life-changing news is revealed?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE TRIP.

52. What do the fundamentalist students do? How does this event affect Marji’s plans?

53. Why does the new regime close the universities?

54. What event causes Marji’s mom to take to her bed for several days?

55. What does the illustration on pg. 77 reveal about Marji’s feelings about the vacation?

56. What does Saddam Hussein do at the end of this chapter? Why?

57. How does Marji feel about the new war?

THE F-14S.

58. Does Marji’s father intend to fight against the Iraqis? Why?

59. In what way does Marji’s way of thinking reflect the way of thinking of the stereotypical Iranian? How does

Marji’s dad cut through her propaganda-induced thinking?

60. The last panel on page 81 reflects an idea about war. Describe what the illustration seems to say.

61. What does Pardisse describe in her paper? How does Marji try to console her friend? What is Pardisse’s

response? What does Marji learn from this experience?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE JEWELS.

62. What is one of the ramifications of the nation’s political conflict?

63. What criticism does Marji’s mom make of capitalism? What confusing thing does she suggest as they leave

the store?

64. Describe the symbolism in the panel at the bottom of page 89.

65. Besides their possessions, what else do refugee families lose?

THE KEY.

66. What is the primary difference between the Iranian and Iraqi armies?

67. What might be the purpose of publishing Iran’s “martyrs”?

68. Comment on the panel depicting the veiled women on page 95.

69. Why was Marji’s generation so rebellious? On who or what does the teacher place blame?


11ENG Date: ___________________

70. What injustices do the parents see in the educational system? Which restriction is particularly ironic?

71. Who does the government recruit to serve on the front lines of the war? How does the government persuade

them? Can you think of a time in the past when this practice has been used?

.THE WINE.

72. How do the interior of homes reflect the external changes that are occurring? What two things do people

need to protect themselves against?

73. What forbidden items does the government find at the house of Timoosh’s dad? What is his punishment?

Which period in American history does this resemble?

74. Why does Marji’s family continue to hold parties despite the danger?

75. Even though Mrs Nassrin’s comments on page 106 bring humor, how are her actions also symbolic?

76. Name one violation that Marji’s dad is guilty of at the traffic stop. How does his wife respond to the

situation? What is the condition of their release?

77. What story does Marji’s grandmother use to stall the officers? What is she really planning to do?

Ultimately, how do they get rid of the officer?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE CIGARETTE.

78. What does the local news report about the war? What does Marji realize about this information?

79. What is Marji’s motive in violating her parents’ rules?

80. Where does Marji go, and what is the reputation of this place? How do you think such a place is able to

survive the regime’s repression?

81. How would you describe the relationship between Marji and her mother?

82. Describe the efforts made toward bringing an end to the war between Iran and Iraq.

83. What is the motivation for launching an attack on Karbala?

84. What does the survival of the regime depend upon? What is the human cost of this survival?

85. How does the regime become more repressive?


11ENG Date: ___________________

86. What act of rebellion does Marji commit to symbolize the death of her childhood?

THE PASSEPORT.

87. What has become a bigger conflict than the war against Iraq? How does this manifest itself?

88. How long are the borders of Iran closed?

89. What surprising philosophical comment does Marji make to her parents (page 119)? What is your view on

her statement?

90. In front of the hospital, what request is made of the Iranian people? What is the double meaning here?

91. People in need of hospital care face a dilemma: describe this problem.

92. How does the government delegate positions of power? Describe the encounter between Marji’s aunt and

the Minister of Health.

93. Where do many of the seriously wounded travel for treatment? Why is this ironic?

94. What is Taher’s only wish? What prevents him from realizing his dream? Ironically what happens three

weeks later?


11ENG Date: ___________________

KIM WILDE.

95. When do Marji’s parents receive their passports? What does Marji ask them to bring from their trip?

96. What problem do Marji’s parents face as they return from their trip from Istanbul? How does Marji’s mom

show her ingenuity (cleverness, resourcefulness)?

97. How does Marji’s reaction to the Kim Wilde poster reinforce an existing conflict?

98. How does Marji’s mother compare to other Iranian mothers? How does Marji’s relationship with her mother

seem to reflect typical parent-child issues?

99. How is Iran’s food shortage resolved? What is appealing about Gandhi Avenue?

100. What is the purpose of the Guardians of the Revolution? What happens when they encounter Marji?

How does Marji respond?

101. Why does Marji allegedly have to go before the Committee? According to Marji, what might happen

there? How does Marji avoid the whole unpleasant scenario?

102. Analyze Marji’s behavior when she returns home.


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE SHABBAT.

103. What is the new strategy? How does the author characterize Iranians? How does she characterize her

father? Her mother?

104. What do the sirens signify? What does Marji realize for the first time? What does this show?

105. How does the panel on the top of page 137 reflect the mood? Where does Marji’s only hope lie?

106. What motivated the Baba-Levy family to stay in Iran? Why is this so unusual? What was Neda’s dream?

What ultimately happens to her and her family?

107. What happens to Iran’s economy during the war? Is this unusual?

108. How does Marji’s mother attempt to protect her daughter? How does Marji discover the truth? What

does the last panel on page 142 reflect?


11ENG Date: ___________________

THE DOWRY.

109. How does Marji’s life change after Neda’s death? How does she behave in school?

110. What does Satrapi learn about the government in her new school? How does she respond?

111. What happens to Niloufar? Why? How do you know? What is Marji’s reaction?

112. Where do Marji’s parents decide to send their daughter? Why? What is Marji’s reaction?

113. What piece of advice does her grandmother pass down to her?

114. Who makes up a large segment of those leaving the country?

115. What is the last memory she keeps of her parents before leaving?

the story of a childhood - miss...

Documents