Persepolis Book Read Discussion Notes
Persepolis Book Read Discussion – 10/25/11
Conflicts
 Clothing restrictions
 Spiritual – shows her developmental struggles as a child facing the big questions
 Contrast between fundamentalism & modernity
 Revolution brings both internal struggle and outward difficulties
 Social class struggle, hypocrisy of her parents, forging her own identity
Concept of Revolution
 Issue of fairness
 Learn to lie to protect self
 Initial goal of revolution is to improve life for people – more freedom, democracy, one
goal to get rid of the Shah; ends up with some who have power get control and a new form
of oppression
 Once the goal achieved, then the different views of those who are part of the
revolutionary movement results in them starting to fight, argue.
 What fills the vacuum after a revolution depends on the education of the people. When
people have education that provides for critical thinking, they have better chance of forming
govt. with democratic values. When there is not an educated population, then the same
repressive approach to governing easily returns to power.
 The author’s questioning her teacher and calling for the truth is revolutionary. The
death of her uncle shows her how destructive the new revolutionary regime is.
 In US the winners of the revolution write the books to make the narrative of Revolution
sound as good. Those in power institutionalize their views, both in Iran and US.
 Issue of violence being communicated as OK during a revolution becomes hard to
control once the revolution is officially over.
Recommendations
Students
 Important for us to learn about other parts of the world. Good to read books like this,
engaging and fun to read, helps us gain international knowledge.
 Learn that there are many different views. Important to research and explore more
deeply to understand issue. Go beyond just seeing the news media.
 More outreach to students to get them involved in these activities.
 Benefit from learning about different cultures – do theme days on cultures but provide
history, and keep doing these book reads.
 Hungry for different perspectives as a student, global learning is important. Good to
learn that other cultures are diverse within a country that we often hear of as being a
certain way.
NSCC faculty & staff
 Exploring other mediums such as the graphic novel that quickly helps us become
immersed in the perspectives of another person/culture.
 Include in our classes other perspectives, including the views and experiences of others
in the US besides the white ethno-centric view of mainstream, institutionalized oppression.
 Modeling scholarship to our students. Show students that this kind of learning and
critical thinking is important, even when you don’t have time, busy studying your discipline.
11/29/11
Analyze – Economic, Social, and Political conflicts. Inner conflict between her religious connection and
modern/political self. Struggling with her own identity. Classism conflict with the maid falling in love
with the neighbor.
Idea of revolution – how does that fit with maintaining social class advantages while supporting a
revolution focused on freedom? She is aware and struggling with the injustices of social class as a child,
in conflict with her parents who accept the class structure.
Children act out the violence they observe during the revolution in their play.
Discussion about the forced veiling of women that came about after the revolution, as a conflict among
women. Men with beards portrayed as the threat her mom feared when her picture was publicized.
Religious fundamentalism forced clothing changes and behavior alterations or lying about how much
you pray. Issues of revenge, forgiveness, and labeling to put people in categories.
Evaluation – revolution offers the hope of freedom, yet classism resumes in a different way as we see
the poor being recruited to fight the war. The costs of revolution are shown clearly with the images of
torture, violence and death. She shows how reality can be twisted into the ideology of the revolution.
She sees the positive in the revolution at first as a child, then sees the costs more as she grows.
Reflection – Students learning and recommendations:
Wonder what a book by a woman from a lower class and religious background would have offered in
terms of a different perspective.
Repression of alternative views is successful for the regime since she does move away.
People are still mean to each other despite revolution in Iran, the US, etc. Humans have come a long
way in terms of human rights, but there are still invisible walls regarding tolerance/repression.
If you want change to happen you have to make it happen. Showing up makes a difference, especially
when you can get enough people to show up – i.e. Occupy movement, going to Olympia for the special
session.
Find your own purpose and meaning.
Graphic novel is fun alternative to just words and some meaning comes through better with pictures.
Coming of age process of finding own identity, separating from family. Valuable to read about other
cultures is very helpful. Not enough of that happens in education in the US.
English classes should have more readings of different cultures to see our human connections.
Faculty, staff and administrators – use graphic novels. Be respectful of who people are and where they
came from. Don’t make assumptions. Let people tell you about themselves and be open to the
differences. Be aware that one story is a limited view of that particular culture and country.