BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Persepolis Context: - Autobiographically written by Marjane Satrapi, a woman who grew up in Iran right after the Iranian Revolution; people overthrew the ‘Shah’ (the King) and replaced his system with a more religious one - The Shah was a man who supported more secular attitudes in Iran and also someone who supported more Westernized and progressive values - Replaced with a ‘theocracy’ - a society where there is no separation between the religion and the state; it became a fundamentalist Islamic regime that was extremely oppressive for women - ‘Sharia law’ → a set of rules and regulations that many Islamic countries follow whereby women are expected to conform to specific attitudes and behaviors - Examples include how women have to wear a full-body veil (the ‘burqa’) or at the very least a head covering (the ‘hijab’) - These laws are done to limit what women can do because of the perception that if they are allowed to do what they want, they will be heavily sexualized and therefore men will have uncontrollable lust towards them; this is doubly sexist - This essentially a type of victim blaming, whereby women are victimized by men who have lust towards them; women are held accountable for being aggressed upon - Book was originally written in French, but translated into English in 2003; it was published in English in a post 9-11 society; there was widespread islamophobia and xenophobia, which contributed to a lot of hatred against Muslims - George W. Bush, the president of the US at the time, stated that there were three countries that were sources of pure evil in the world - Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Genre: - The graphic novel is a ‘bildungsroman’ (a ‘coming-of-age’ story) - There are various conventions that are expected in this genre: - The protagonist is usually a child/teenager that faces some kind of difficulty (usually an internal one) that they have to overcome - The way that the issue is overcome is typically through a process of maturity - The protagonist at the end of the novel usually has a greater sense of their personal identity - The fact that this is a bildungsroman, which is a universal type of story, is valuable as it allows people to better understand Iranians and see them all as terrorists and people to fear Themes: - Maturity - Cultural/national identity - Culture clash between the East and the West → especially leads to mutual xenophobia - The oppression caused by theocratic power - Gender oppression of women and how it relates to double standards - Family → Marjane’s family is very Westernized; they encourage her to explore more of her own identity - Sexuality → forms a central part of Marjane’s understanding of her personal identity; it constitutes more acceptance of her femininity Global issues (CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT): - Female oppression, specifically how women don’t just suffer due to men, but due to other women - The impact of society on the individual - Xenophobia and racism BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Chapter 1 - The Veil Literal meaning: Describes the setting of Iran post-Revolution, and how religious fundamentalism began to affect various aspects of society, even children, where they had to wear the veil; audiences are introduced to her family which is very Westernized, as well as the characterization of Marjane herself who is very innocent and naive about oppression Thesis: The chapter shows how people struggle with being individuals and having a sense of uniqueness within societies, especially strongly fundamentalist theocracies. Analysis Page 10, Panel 1 Denotation: an image of Marjane split into two halves - one of which has gears, the other of which has tribal/cultural patterns Technique: visual juxtaposition, symbolism Connotation: the gears represent logic, industrialization, progress, things associated to the West; the right hand side symbolizes cultural elements in her identity that she also is attached to; use of clothing indicates different cultural attachments between more liberal Western style and conservative, religious clothing; implies an identity crisis she is undergoing even as as child Page 9, Panel 1 Denotation: showing two different groups of women protesting for and against the veil Technique: juxtaposition, irony Connotation: ‘freedom’ implies that the women on the right appreciate deeper philosophical and political concepts, implying that they are able to think about BY: SAPHYRE#4892 the broader implications of objects such as the veil, whereas the women on the left focus more on dogma rather than broader spiritual/religious meaning; use of clothing between the two groups also suggests ideas of identity and a lack of identity; women on the left look homogenous and vice versa; the facial expression of their eyes being closed implies ignorance - willing ignorance. Page 9, Panel 6 Denotation: shows her mom hiding away from being surveilled Technique: low angle; use of color; juxtaposition; visual set of islamic fundamentalists Connotation: low angle makes the woman look weaker and more vulnerable; the representation of all the men looking at her creates a tone of paranoia; it suggests that in many societies, there is more of an implied feeling of oppression, rather than directly enforced ones Page 9, Panel 3 Denotation: showing Marjane looking at her mom with pride Technique: irony Connotation: implies a sense of innocence and naivete; her mother fighting against Islamic oppression has the potential for extremely dark consequences; Marjane is too young to understand this; relates to a bildungsroman in how Marjane will eventually come to terms the reality of how oppression actually operates in Iran at the time Page 10, Panel 6 Denotation: representing the maid being in a different room from the family Technique: juxtaposition, proxemics, irony Connotation: the proxemics of how the maid is meant to eat separately from the family implies ideas of class superiority/inferiority (classism); relates to a Marxist lens of showing the impacts of class differences; irony is created through firstly how the family still holds conservative views even though they’re more liberal compared to others in Iran; the fact that a child BY: SAPHYRE#4892 understands more about the moral implications of classism reflects ideas of nature/nurture; it highlights how adults may have a warped view on morality due to their exposure to social obligations/expectations Page 12, Panels 6 and 7 Denotation: showing how Marjane wanted to be prophet when she was young Technique: irony, facial expression, juxtaposition Connotation: irony is created through how the teacher is a woman, yet she criticizes Marjane for trying to be herself and believing in the concept that women can achieve whatever they want; it implies that patriarchal societies are not just perpetuated by men solely, but by other women as well who are indoctrinated into supporting such beliefs; the mother’s body language and facial expression show that she is directly in juxtaposition to the teacher, and is offended by the fact that her daughter is limited from what she can/cannot do “The Letter” - page 37 Literal meaning: The chapter is about Marjane’s maid who is attracted to the neighbor, and how she tries to get into a relationship with him but is ultimately denied from doing so because of her coming from a different class background. Thesis: From a Marxist/class-based literary lens, it shows injustices that people of the lower class have to face due to the stereotypes and expectations that they face; it shows how deeply embedded classism is within such a society, and how difficult it is to move past such prejudices BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Analysis Page 37, Panel 6 Denotation: describing feelings of guilt that Marjane has from being in a wealthy family Technique: pathos, proxemics, facial expression, body language Connotation: “felt ashamed” specifically suggests that she a level of self-awareness and introspection that her father doesn’t; it shows how children have insight into social injustices that adults may not even willingly be aware about; her body language being turned away from her father indicates that she doesn’t want to be associated with him due to feelings guilt for being part of a class that looks down/alienates others; implies that Marjane has a strong personal sense of justice that is going to be developed as the novel progresses Page 41, Panel 6 Denotation: Marjane reacting to how the maid is treated unfairly Technique: gesture, facial expression, use of color, irony Connotation: she is clearly upset through her expression and gesture; her state of confusion is that direct result of her inability to understand the world around her because she’s a child and she maintains a naive and innocent view on the world; the fact that she says “is it her fault” implies that she insight even more insight - than adults do Page 41, Panel 7 (“We were not in the same social class but at least we were in the same bed.”) Denotation: Marjane talking about how she tries to make her maid feel better Technique: irony Connotation: implies that social class is more of an intangible, discriminatory concept than something that exists objectively; it shows that Marjane is still naive, but has a strong sense of justice and fairness because she treats her maid as her sister even though they’re not of the same class; ironically, this is undermined by the artistic elements of how Marjane is wearing a striped shirt, BY: SAPHYRE#4892 while the maid is wearing a checkered one, showing a purely visual concept of how different they are Page 39, Panel 3 Denotation: Mehri getting a letter from Hossein Technique: facial expression, irony, black background Connotation: the happiness represented in the panel reflects how ironically she finds contentment and peace and joy in perpetuating a lie of her being upper class; it reflects the difficulty of finding joy as someone in the lower class within a classist society; the fact that there’s a black background for most of their interactions suggests an ominous tone that contradicts their happiness; acts as a form of foreshadowing for the loss of her innocence later Page 41, Panel 1 Denotation: showing Hossein wearing a Bee Gees shirt and considering whether to dump the maid Technique: irony, visual symbolism Connotation: Bee Gees represents a more Westernized acceptance that the man may have, which is undermined by how he still has very conservative economic views on how people should only be accepted by their class, which is inherently ironic Panel 41, Panel 5 Denotation: her father telling her why their maid can’t be in a relationship Technique: imperative, high modality Connotation: suggests that if one does not conform to their social class, there the potential for negative consequences; it shows how people in Iran were still fixated on ideas of perception and reputation, and how even though Marjane’s father is more liberal, he still holds some deep-rooted conservative views BY: SAPHYRE#4892 “The Trip”, page 76 Literal meaning: The chapter involves extremism getting out of control, and the government taking power over the rest of society by eliminating and oppressing things that they see as politically incorrect Thesis: The chapter acts as a social commentary about how societies can be extremely oppressive towards people who disagree with the establishment, and how this is made possible through direct political persecutions Analysis Page 77, Panel 2 (“Everything needs to be revised to ensure that our children are not led astray from the true path of Islam.”) Denotation: describing an education minister’s view on how the education system needs to be changed Technique: euphemism Connotation: “everything needs to be revised” suggests ideas of how education is used as a tool by political organizations as a way to gain power over future generations; this is because children are gullible and accept whatever they are told by an authority figure, which leads to cases of indoctrination/brainwashing and a lack of free thought Page 77, Panel 6 (“I wanted to be an educated, liberated woman.”) Denotation: Marjane starting to accept more of her identity as she is maturing into her teenage years Technique: juxtaposition, lexical set of Westernized values Connotations: “educated” and “liberated” are concepts that Islamic fundamentalists do not want women to become, because these concepts cause BY: SAPHYRE#4892 people to value more Western ideas and therefore become more troublesome against a government that simply desires control Page 78 (“They insulted me. They said that women like me should be pushed up against a wall and fucked. And then thrown in the garbage.”) Denotation: Marjane’s mother talking about how she’s prejudiced against due to her having more liberal views Technique: use of expletives, hyperbole Connotations: “pushed up against a wall and fucked” implies ideas of sexual assault and objectification; implies that if people don’t conform to what society tells them to do, then they are essentially seen as subhuman and ultimately devalued; also highlights embedded sexual discrimination within fundamentalist Islamic culture; the black ground indicates ideas of oppression and fear Page 78, panel 6 Denotation: representing her mother’s reaction to threats of sexual assault Technique: facial expression Connotation: eyes wide open and staring into the distance is an indication of “the thousand-yard stare”; this indicates the extent of her trauma, showing that oppression and suffering doesn’t even have to be direct, but it can be indirect through paranoia and threats of potential violence Page 79, panel 1 + 2 (“You showed your opposition to the regime by letting a few strands of hair show.”) Denotation: Marjane is talking about how people show resistance in different ways Technique: visual irony, irony Connotation: “a few strands of hair show” indicates that rebellion/resistance occurs in different ways depending on the context and cultural expectations of a given country; the concept of showing ‘a few strands of hair’ has different connotations in Iran, where the entire female figure is meant to be hidden BY: SAPHYRE#4892 away; it highlights the extent of sexual oppression, as well as how feminism cannot be universally executed in the same manner; double standards are also shown in how the fundamentalist woman has to be fully covered up, while the man is allowed to wear essentially whatever he wants, indicating how women are especially discriminated against Page 79, last panel Denotation: Marjane lying about how many times she prays Technique: irony, hyperbole Connotation: “sometimes twelve” shows an exaggerated representation of how religious she is; indicates how people have to conform to society by making outright lies about themselves in order to find acceptance; her “learning to lie” indicates ideas of her indoctrination; also subverts expectations of morality that religion is meant to promote, showing the futility of fundamentalist values Page 80, panel 3 Denotation: Marjane’s mother talking about how Marjane needs to value her rights Technique: visual juxtaposition, contrast, gesture, foreshadowing Connotation: white and black halves represent ideas of mixed hope and grim reality that indicates a loss of innocence that Marjane will go through eventually; indicates how Marjane is slowly coming to terms with the reality of the world that she’s in and how brutal it can be Page 82, panel 2 Denotation: a news report about the outside world views Iran Technique: metaphor Connotation: “black cloud” indicates ideas of oppression that have been caused by the change in the regime towards a more oppressive and fundamentalist society that Marjane suffers under; these views can be related to the context of production in the early 2000s, where George W. Bush labelled Iran, Iraq and North Korea as part of an ‘axis of evil’ BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Page 81 Denotation: representing them on their trip to Europe Technique: emanata (lines that emanate from something); visual symbolism Connotation: the emanata create a dreamlike tone, something fantastical that is also represented through the allusion to ‘Arabian Nights’ in the magic carpet; a bittersweet tone is created here though how her happiness is only temporary Page 79, second last panel Denotation: her mother telling her what to do Technique: ellipsis, imperative Connotation: ellipsis indicates ideas of how she lacks assuredness but goes along with social expectation; two question marks at the end; this at first shows how her mother submits to social pressure to conform because of her fear, indicates how even a character as strong as her mother can crack under expectation Page 80, panel 5 Denotation: fundamentalists attacking protestors Technique: use of people and clothing Connotation: the men all collectively look the same due to their identical clothing and beards, showing a lack of identity that is a motif in the whole novel; this ultimately implies that they’re indoctrinated and have lost their ability to individually think for themselves; indicates that sexism and prejudice is systematic and deeply embedded within the culture and government of Iran, which contrasts how Western concepts of oppression are more based on subtle prejudices that are implicit rather than directly explicit Page 80, panel 2 Denotation: the father saying that Marjane can’t go to the protests + is overridden by the mother Technique: juxtaposition BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Connotation: “she’s coming too” is given a declarative statement that shows how strong the mother is authoritatively in the household; indicates that their family is non-traditional in the sense that she has power and the father simply submits to the demands that she makes; indicates culture conflicts between their personal views and that of their broader societies Page 130 - Kim Wilde Literal meaning: Marjane’s parents smuggle in Western clothing and various posters for their daughter, which she is excited about until she nearly gets arrested by the Guardians of the Revolution; she is eventually let go, and then she dances to Western music at home Thesis: the novel relates to the concept of oppression by showing how widespread it is, and the various ways that people struggle with finding their identities within a society that restricts it; it also reflects how people can never fully be oppressed and limited from having freedoms because they can still be rebellious in their own, different, private ways. Analysis: Page 136, panel 3 Denotation: Marjane scoping the area at the black market Technique: black background, expression, gesture Connotation: illustrates paranoia she feels while purchasing Western media; black background further creates an oppressive tone that emphasizes the paranoia; shows how fundamentalist societies oppress those who accept or enjoy the West, highlighting the restrictions of freedom that such xenophobic societies have Page 136, last panel BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Denotation: Marjane after going out to buy tapes is called out by the Guardians of the Revolution Technique: imperative; irony Connotation: they’re shaming her for wearing Western clothes, directly threatening her for doing so because it goes against their ideology; also ironic as they’re women oppressing other women, showing that patriarchal societies is also perpetuated by indoctrinated women as well; also missing identities because of the full body veil, looking homogenous; the use of levels between the women and Marjane shows the difference in power as well that they have as well Page 132, first three panels Denotation: parents packing Marjane’s presents Technique: moment-to-moment framing Connotations: the fact she has go to such a complicated process to give her daughter gifts represents the extent of oppression that was occurring in Iran at the time; the fact that it’s her mother doing it as well subverts expectations of women being obedient and submissive, especially in an Islamic context Page 135, panel 3 and 4 Denotation: Marjane wearing Western clothing Technique: irony Connotation: she still proceeds to wear the veil and ignores what she’s been told; also reflects her childish naivete and simplicity when going out, showing that she doesn’t understand the true extent of how oppressive Iran is; she says “of course, my headscarf” which shows that she still submits to specific forms of oppression and expectation on her; visual juxtaposition in the symbolism of what she’s wearing that shows her conflicted cultural identity Page 138, last panel Denotation: Marjane dancing and enjoying music by Kim Wilde Technique: irony BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Connotation: image is ironic as she gains freedom through breaking the law and buying smuggled goods; also ironic because it shows her desire to be free while being restricted indoors; the song itself that she’s dancing to is about being able to be a kid in America and be free and be oneself, which is symbolic of what she wants to do as well; her dancing uncontrollably at home also shows how futile the regime’s desire to oppress people are; shows that the more you rob people of something, the more they’re going to want it Page 135, panel 1 Denotation: Marjane headbanging to Iron Maiden, a metal band Technique: irony Connotation: she’s doing it indoors, which shows limitation; it also shows the extent of her imagination in the racket she’s holding, which shows that the only way to be free in such a society is through imagination; Iron Maiden is also stereotypically more of a masculine band, which shows she subverts gender expectations; the right hand side also shows her trying to embrace her sexuality and femininity, which is even more heavily oppressed in Iran Page 137, Panel 7 Denotation: the Guardians of the Revolution are calling Marjane promiscuous Technique: imperative Connotation: shows that they have authority; calling her a “whore” indicates the extent to which sexuality being oppressed causes people to overly sexualize things that were previously not sexualized at all, showing how futile and counterintuitive limiting people’s freedoms are Panel 138, Panel 4 Denotation: Marjane making excuses for herself in front of the Guardians Technique: bold typography, facial expression, anaphora Connotation: distortion shows the extent to which Marjane emotionally invested into lying to the Guardians, indicates how oppressive Islamic society BY: SAPHYRE#4892 is towards those who don’t conform; bold typography and anaphora of “maybe” shows desperation to get out of the situation Page 136, Panel 1 Denotation: Marjane walking through the black market Technique: idiolect Connotation: the incorrect phrasing of the various names at the market shows that the men are only there for financial gain, rather than an actual understanding of the West and pop culture; it also shows how flawed the system is, to where these people can actually exist; the fact that they catch Marjane out for wearing these clothes shows that they are more concerned with women obeying than men Page 130, Panel 5 Denotation: Marjane talking about how she idolizes Europe and the States Technique: juxtaposition of character Connotation: the fact that she’s idolizing the West in the first place shows that she’s ignorant to the issues that are present there as well, such as cultural isolation, mistreatment of minorities, racism, prejudice; this also indicates how naive she is, to where she thinks that the West is flawless and ‘cool’ which she comes to realize is untrue when she goes to Vienna Page 134, panel 7 Denotation: Marjane giving her father thanks for getting the gifts when it was her mother Technique: irony Connotation: the fact that she hugs her father rather than her mother indicates that she has preconceived notions about gender roles and how men have confidence and the desire to break the rules/be rebellious when in reality women can do the same thing; the fact that Marjane is a woman that is raised in a feminist family indicates how people can be indoctrinated as well BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Page 137, panel 5 Denotation: the Guardians calling Micheal Jackson decadent Technique: irony Connotation: the fact that they know who MJ is indicates that they have already been exposed to Western culture and are aware of pop culture that’s present there; this shows how they have fundamentally failed at their own duties because of how it implies that they watch him/have watched him, showing that it’s almost impossible to limit oneself from exposure to other cultures in a more globalized and multicultural world The Pill (Page 183) Literal meaning: The chapter is about Marjane exposing herself more to the liberal and Westernized that is Europe/Vienna; there are more liberal perspectives on the concept of sex and sexuality, which makes Marjane uncomfortable; this contributes to her growing self-awareness in terms of her femininity and personal identity Thesis: This chapter is important because it acts as a pivotal moment for Marjane’s development into adulthood; it is one of the key points of peripeteia in the novel, as it is the first moment where she is exposed to sexual concepts that dramatically change her view on the world 3 main ideas: Analysis: - Sexuality - Bildungsroman (‘coming-of-age’ genre) - The loss of innocence BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Page 185; panel 3 Denotation: Julie talking to Marjane about the way that she views her as naive Technique: listing; lexical set of purity/childishness Connotation: pure/timid etc relates to later in the novel when Marjane juxtaposes these values when she becomes more comfortable with her female identity, even within Iran; Julie bragging about her sexual experiences symbolizes different cultural perceptions on sex; in the West, people are open about it, while in the East, it’s heavily repressed/oppressed Page 185, panel 7 Denotation: Marjane almost hiding under the covers after hearing about how sex works Technique: visual juxtaposition, use of clothing, gestures, facial expression Connotation: the two types of clothes shown in the panels reflects different personality traits, where Marjane is wearing pyjamas that symbolizes youth and childishness, while Julie wears more casual clothes, which reflects a more casual attitude in life; the gesture and facial expression of Marjane also reflects shock and a loss of innocence because of her growing awareness about more mature concepts of love, romance, and sex; Marjane looking out into the distance is a representation of the ‘thousand yard stare’ - a symptom of PTSD Page 187, Panel 2 Denotation: Julie putting makeup on Marjane Technique: juxtaposition in her characterization Connotation: relates to ideas of sexuality because makeup is meant to be a symbol of seduction, showing the contrasting cultures between Iran and Vienna; also relates to the next panel where she says that she did this “from then on”, showing the impact of this feminine awakening inside herself; ‘looked very beautiful’ also suggests that she was never able to embrace ideas of beauty/female self-empowerment up until this point Page 187, Panel 6/7 BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Denotation: Marjane and Julie are laughing at sexual jokes Technique: juxtaposition, sexual innuendo Connotation: Marjane is starting to make sexual jokes that show her ability to do so compared to Iran; also shows her sexual maturity because she’s getting more comfortable discussing such topics; also contrasts directly earlier when she was still in shock simply at hearing the word ‘vagina’ Page 187, panel 9 Denotation: flashback panel that shows Marjane thinking about her family Technique: use of clothing Connotation: reflects that her parents also have more liberal attitudes represented through the clothing of what they wore when they could in Iran; the flashback also indicates attachments that she still has to her home/parents Page 188 Denotation: Marjane talking about parties in Iran and Vienna Technique: short syntax (sentence structure); visual juxtaposition; emanata; use of clothing and color; high angle Connotation: the short syntax reflects her state of shock at what sees around her; Marjane is clearly shown to be an outcast through the proxemics of her being in the corner, hidden away; her facial expressions show her to be lost and confused contrasted with the happier facial expressions the rest of the people in the room; the use of the emanata represents the feelings of those who are intoxicated in the rest of the room; also creates a surreal, dreamlike tone to the panel; the color of her clothing could be seen as blending her into the background; could be seen as a willing choice so she can hide away from this new situation that she finds herself in; the high angle also creates a feeling of inferiority in the subject of the panel - Marjane herself; the monotonous clothing she wears also reflects her lack of unique identity at this point Page 189, panel 2 Denotation: Marjane trying to wash makeup with water BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Technique: irony; facial expressions Connotation: the concept of trying to wash off makeup, a symbol of femininity, with water indicates that she still has a childlike mentality and attitude towards more feminine and adult experiences; the last three panels specifically indicate a slow loss of innocence, which is both positive and negative - positive in terms of her development into adulthood, but negative because she’s lost her naivete that she can no longer regain Page 190, panel 1 Denotation: Marjane trying to escape reality through reading Technique: personification; use of objects Connotation: “my best friend, a book” suggests that Marjane has frequently relied on literature as a means of escapism, which also suggests that she has difficulty coping with the situations that she is put in reality; the positioning of the book that hides her sight from the rest of the world is symbolic of this concept of escapism Page 191, panel 3 Denotation: Marjane’s father talking about balls to her daughter Technique: juxtaposition/irony Connotation: the father talking openly about male anatomy reflects a non-conformist attitude to social and cultural taboos relating to sex specifically “The Vegetable” - page 192 Literal meaning: Marjane is in the process of understanding who she is as a woman as well as who she is in terms of her national identity as Iranian; she fakes being from Vienna to try and hide her insecurities, but eventually snaps and explicitly states that she is proud of who she is BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Thesis: this chapter is important as it highlights aspects of the psychoanalytic lens of how difficult it is to create a definable ego for oneself; it also highlights struggles with maturity that relate to the concept of a bildungsroman Analysis: Page 195, third last panel Denotation: Marjane faking smoking a joint Technique: irony Connotation: irony is created in how Marjane tried to escape social conformity in Iran by going to Vienna, but here she also conforms, albeit to a different social code instead Page 198, panel 1 Denotation: Marjane trying to hide her national identity because how Iran was seen as evil Technique: irony Connotation: implies that Marjane has low-self esteem because of how she desires to change her entire sense of self in order to fit in; also shows how powerful peer pressure is within this context; also represented through the blank facial expression that Marjane has, showing the internal struggle she has Page 200, last panel Denotation: Marjane leaving the restaurant feeling pride in her nationality Technique: juxtaposition, reference to the bildungsroman Connotation: shows her character development where now she feels pride in being Iran whereas earlier she felt shame in that association and desired to be seen as Western; shows her rising maturity and slow acceptance of who she is; facial expression of smiling creates a sense of contentment in who she is Page 196, bottom panel Denotation: Marjane talking on the phone with her parents BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Technique: visual imagery Connotation: lack of direct eye contact between the panels implies ideas of her lying and potentially feeling shame for having to do so; the fact that she feels shame in the first place implies that she partially knows that what she is doing is wrong; the juxtaposition between “happy” and “ashamed” shows internal struggle with her character, reflecting a psychoanalytic struggle with her sense of ego (identity); “they wouldn’t call me their dream child” is a form psychological projection that indicates Marjane’s insecurities about who she is, due to how liberal her parents have been throughout the novel Page 192, panel 1 Denotation: showing Marjane as monstrous Technique: emanata, hyperbole Connotation: size, emanata, and the diction ‘metamorphosis’ implies that she is fully animalistic, indicating how much she’s changed from being in Vienna; relates back to to a bildungsroman concept of how she is also maturing into adulthood Page 193, panel 8 and earlier Denotation: Marjane is dressed up Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: the representation of her clothing shows a direct contrast to the more oppressive clothing she had to wear in Iran; the scarf also parallels the similar headscarf she had to wear due to religious oppression; shows a transition of culture between the East and the West; also highlights her uniqueness that contrasts her conformity in the earlier sections of the novel; earlier panels also reflect how she differentiates herself more and more, experimenting with her visual representation that shows a greater level of self-identification Page 196, panel 1 Denotation: Marjane feeling distant from her family and heritage BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Technique: visual imagery/symbolism Connotation: parents being black shadows suggests disconnection; the exaggerated leap away from them symbolizes her distancing herself away from her original culture as well Page 199, panel 1 and 2 Denotation: Marjane is being mocked for the way that she looks and speaks Technique: lexical set of identity Connotation: the way one ‘talks’ is a representation of one’s culture and personal identity; the fact that they mock her for this highlights a potentially racist view on her; also highlights how some racial barriers and discriminatory prejudices are difficult if not impossible to overcome Page 200, panel 1 Denotation: Marjane affirming her national identity Technique: declarative statement Connotation: the fact that she gives this as a declarative clearly shows that she’s trying to take more pride in who she is/who she’s born as; however, the fact that she’s saying this only in response to being mocked reflects that this may just be facade of strength that she puts on rather than something genuine she actually believes in “Hide and Seek” - page 210 Literal meaning: Marjane finds a boyfriend, she has a greater level of intimacy with him, and she faces extreme racism and prejudice as a result of it Thesis: Analysis: Page 224, panel 4 BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Denotation: Marjane being accused of prostitution Technique: facial expression Connotation: Marjane is dissatisfied; the fact that she is labelled a prostitute simply for having an Austrian boyfriend as a Iranian highlights prejudiced views against those from the Middle-East as filthy, impure, immoral Page 225, panel 3 Denotation: Marjane goes to buy cheap hash Technique: emanata, juxtaposition Connotation: the fear indicated in the body posture, facial expression, and emanata all contrast how she does it ‘out of love’; shows that she’s peer pressured to do things that she’s clearly uncomfortable doing Page 215, panel 2 Denotation: Marjane and friends getting ready to go to sleep Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: “kissing in public was a sexual act” suggests how sexually conservative Iran was compared to the West, and how she almost got arrested for doing even more innocuous things in earlier chapters Page 223, panel 5 Denotation: Marjane being told to leave Technique: shape, size, color Connotation: face being larger and color contrast implies that Markus’s mother is superior; Marjane’s gesture putting her hands up is also like surrender showing her lack of power in response, implying vulnerability Page 223, panel 4 Denotation: Marjane still being told to leave Technique: hyperbole BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Connotation: ‘witch’ relates to the concept of Othering and Orientalism (the concept that people in the East have historically been as exotic and mystical), showing racist stereotypes Page 223, panel 1 Denotation: Marjane hanging out with her boyfriend Technique: irony Connotation: in Iran, it would be illegal to do this; her actions here directly contrast social norms and expectations at the time, firstly by being in the same room with a man that she is not married two, and her going out with someone who is Caucasian implies that she also cares little for attitudes towards racial distancing common in many cultures Page 223, panel 6 Denotation: Markus’s mother kicking Marjane out of the house Technique: use of negative space Connotation: emphasizes the use of space in panel; mother’s size in the panel further shows the power that she has over Marjane; Marjane’s size comparatively shows her lack of power over the mother; the exclamatory speech bubble also indicates aggression and anger; repetition of the diction “raus” suggests how demanding she is Marjane to leave “The Return” - page 249 Literal meaning: - The chapter is about Marjane returning to Iran, whereby she feels extremely out of place due to the clashing cultures of Vienna and Iran; this immediately implies irony due to how she previously stated that she was proud of Iranian but now feels dread at returning Thesis: BY: SAPHYRE#4892 - The chapter is a commentary on how home is more complex than just a place that one returns to or a pure sense of belonging, but rather a mix of positives and negatives that contribute to a more true sense of identity and how confused it may be, even for someone who has reached ‘adulthood’ Analysis: Page 249, panel 1 (“I immediately felt the repressive air of my country.”) Denotation: Marjane’s first reaction when returning to Iran Technique: irony Connotation: “repressive air” reflects ideas of how identity and expression were limited in Iran; the fact that she only realizes this when she returns from being Vienna highlights how difficult it is for one to truly see the flaws of one’s country if they’ve never been elsewhere/gotten external cultural understanding Page 249, last panel (“He...was about the same size as me.”) Denotation: Marjane describing her father Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: implies that Marjane’s journey into maturity and adulthood according to the bildungsroman genre due to her seeing her parents more as equals than as figures of authority; juxtaposes her more childish and dependent representations earlier in the novel Page 250, panel 2 (“I no longer asked these kinds of questions…”) Denotation: Marjane describing the differing wealth that her parents have undergone during her stay in Vienna Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: implies that Marjane has lost the previously naive and innocent, childish view she had on the concept of wealth; when she was young she was almost ashamed of it because she didn’t understand the value of wealth given her lack of world experience; partially ironic because her maturity has caused BY: SAPHYRE#4892 her to change her values from being idealistic to more pragmatic, even adopting a more materialistic view on the world Page 250, panel 3, 6, 7 Denotation: Marjane describing her comfort at returning home Technique: lexical set of home and pathos Connotation: “most comforting words” shows that Marjane’s main issue was her inability to find a place of safety and belonging; irony as her sense of home was always in Iran, even though she still has conflicting feelings about the country itself; reveals here that the concept of home and personal identity is extremely complex, to where one can identify a country that is extremely repressive and full of paranoia still as a place of ‘home’ and ‘safety’ Page 254, panel 6 Denotation: Marjane hurrying home after feeling overwhelmed Technique: hyperbole Connotation: “unbearable” implies that she has survivor’s guilt for leaving Iran during a time of great conflict, and how she feels partially responsible for not doing anything otherwise; the concept of her guilt is also shown through the symbolism of being surrounded by ghosts Page 253, last panel Denotation: Marjane wandering around her town and feeling detached Technique: low angle Connotation: implies that she feels vulnerable; her making eye contact with the martyr shows discomfort through her facial expression; the low angle also makes the buildings seem as if they’re closing in on her; creates a feeling of claustrophobia and further discomfort due to the cultural differences of two countries; contrast between the ruins and the propaganda emphasizes how symbolically martyrdom leads to potential destruction; the metaphor “the road to readjustment” emphasizes the distance that Marjane feels to her own ‘home country’ BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Page 260, panel 6 Denotation: Marjane’s father explaining the aftereffects of the war Technique: lexical set of destruction Connotation: reflects the dystopian mood/tone of the society they’re in; black background also shows a dark and oppressive mood; facial expression of the ‘thousand-yard-stare’ also implies PTSD that the father has undergone specifically because of the horrors that he’s witnessed in the area; partially ironic as it implies that Marjane still maintains elements of her innocence and youth Page 252, panel 4-5 Denotation: Marjane’s mother offers her a cigarette Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: the offer juxtaposes her relationship earlier; also shows that the mother perceives Marjane as an adult; reflects a bildungsroman due to her emotional/mental maturity; this is verified through how her mother treats her directly like adult and how she allows her to do what she wants Page 259 Denotation: showing the people who got executed in Iran Technique: negative space, color, use of people Connotation: their blindness, representation, and clothing all imply a lack of identity, showing how they aren’t erven given human dignity leading up to their deaths; black background creates an oppressive tone Page 260, last panel Denotation: Marjane is thinking about the past compared to now Technique: irony Connotation: irony is created in how earlier she was on the streets of Vienna and struggling/had no-one to go to, but now that she compares it to Iran she realizes how little her experiences meant compared to the horrors of what BY: SAPHYRE#4892 occurred in Iran; implies that suffering needs to be put into perspective, and how people need to have a more holistic view on just how bad things can become; shows how we need to be more humble in terms of the importance we place on things that may be seemingly important Page 251, panel 3 and 7 Denotation: Marjane dismissing previous elements of what she used to like Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: shows that fantasy in many cases does not corroborate with reality, which is partially why Marjane was so tempted to go the West; she buys more into the illusion of it than the actual reality of what it is; the contrast here shows her greater awareness about the complexities of culture and their nuances (their pros and cons); the fact that she still likes Kim Wilde indicates that elements of our ego remain the same as we mature and age, and these elements are core aspects of our personalities; shows us that elements of our nature supercede our nurture “The Convocation” Literal meaning: - Marjane returns to Iran and becomes a student who rebels against the expectations forced on her within a patriarchal society; she questions core gender expectations such as inequalities of rights between men and women Thesis: - The chapter reveals how hypocritical the rules in Iran are; it highlights how they’re grounded more in superficiality than actual moral/religious values Analysis: Page 299 BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Denotation: the administration is talking about how women should cover themselves up Technique: facial expression, repetition, high modality, imperative Connotation: the girls are shocked/discontent which contrasts the lack of facial expression that the man has in the bottom left hand corner, showing how the rules apply differently for the genders; “to show us the right path” uses a collective pronoun in an ironic sense because of how it only applies for women, not everyone; “you should” creates irony in terms of how women are being held responsible for the lusts of men, rather than men themselves; this is a form of victim blaming Page 296, last panel Denotation: Marjane talks about the veil Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: shows how conversative Iran is as a country because of how they were “winning an eight of an inch” per year; however the fact that more is allowed to be shown in the first place indicates that progress and change is still possible, but gradual; “winning” implies that feminism is existent in Iran, except to a much more minor and subdued degree Page 300, last panel Denotation: Marjane confronts the school about what they have to undergo Technique: catharsis Connotations: Marjane is finally taking action against an issue that has been bothering her for a long while; this indicates that she is developing in terms of her maturity, which part of a bildungsroman, reflecting her emerging sense of pride in self; Page 295, panel 5 Denotation: shows how the boys and girls are flirting Technique: irony BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Connotation: panel shows how they’re not meant to mix; however, in reality this isn’t actually true in practice and Marjane herself is in a relationship with another man; implies that even though the government dictates what they see as socially appropriate or inappropriate, this does not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the population itself; “these were human beings” shows how the instincts/id of people can’t be fully controlled; further adds irony due to how the boys flirt with the girls and find them attractive even though the veil is meant to prevent exactly that from happening, showing how pointless the veil Page 301, panel 5 Denotation: Marjane being told that wearing the veil is a form of freedom Technique: sarcasm, irony Connotation: the sarcasm implies that Marjane rejects what she’s been told by the man; the body language indicates dissatisfaction through her folded arms and her shoulders slouched; indicates her rebelliousness; irony here is created in how women are being indoctrinated into believing that wearing the veil ‘frees’ them when in reality all it does is limit them - a form of ‘doublethink’ Page 301, panel 8 Denotation: showing Marjane’s new uniform Technique: irony Connotation: irony is created through how the uniform wouldn’t be typically seen as something revolutionary/new, but the fact that it’s greatly accepted by Marjane shows that feminist change occurs, though in more nuanced ways than it is in the West Page 300, panel 4 Denotation: Marjane criticizing religious values Technique: rhetorical question, sarcasm Connotation: “just opposed to fashion” creates satirical commentary on how completely superficial and pointless a lot of Islamic fundamentalist views are; she highlights that people are more concerned with making the appearance of BY: SAPHYRE#4892 actually having moral values rather than having genuine care/a desire to have moral integrity “The Socks” - page 302 Literal meaning: - Describing Marjane’s experiences being at school and her getting more and more used to the setting of Iran that she’s returned back to Thesis: Analysis: Page 302, panel 3 Denotation: the girls drawing the woman in the middle Technique: irony Connotation: the woman herself represents the ideal form of a woman in the Islamic regime; irony is created because of how the woman’s anatomy can’t be seen at all given the clothes that she’s wearing, highlighting how pointless a lot of the rules etc are within Islamic fundamentalism Page 304, panel 7+8 Denotation: the guards explaining why she shouldn’t run Technique: irony, exclamatory, facial expression Connotation: the government has rules as to why women have to cover themselves up in order to prevent men from having sexual desires towards women; ironic given that the guards here are sexualizing things that shouldn’t even be sexualized, like running - highlights how counterintuitive it is; her shouting shows her frustration at being ‘victim-blamed’; shows that even after wearing the veil, she is being sexualized; the facial expression of the guards implies shock at being told, showing how little resistance they typically face BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Page 303, panel 5 Denotation: Marjane told to stop looking at a man Technique: irony Connotation: irony given that Marjane is only using the man as a model, but is being interpreted as acting immorally; this highlights how it is the ones who are in charge that have inappropriate thoughts; further ironic in how men blame women, while vice versa, the woman is blamed even though she’s doing something innocent/complete her work; the rhetorical question highlights her frustration as well “The End” - page 331 Literal meaning: it is the final chapter of the novel, where Marjane and her boyfriend Reza are settling down in Iran; Marjane decides to leave Iran in order to go to France permanently, concluding her character arc Thesis: the chapter is important because it shows a semi-resolution to her character development as a completion of the bildungsroman genre; however, given her lack of full clarity as to who she is, this shows how maturity and self-development is a continuous process Analysis: Page 333, panel 4 Denotation: Marjane describing how she wants Iran for what it actually is Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: “motifs are American” implies that things in Iran are rarely culturally isolated, and that in many cases, they’re affected by Western values; Marjane wants to have a purer sense of Iran through her artwork; reflects how she still has a great deal of attachment to Iran Page 334, panel 1 and 2 BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Denotation: Marjane getting rejected from meeting the mayor and his deputy Technique: lexical set Connotation: “hooded head-scarf” shows how oppressed and limited Marjane is typically because of the high expectations people have; also shows how Iran was still quite backwards given how even makeup was seen as symbol of sin Page 334, panel 6 and 7 Denotation: Marjane being told that her art project is not suitable because it’s not conservative enough Technique: symbolism Connotation: “see their shapes and hair” implies sexuality which women are forbidden from expressing; ‘what they want are religious symbols’ shows manipulation through concepts of propaganda that the government was trying to create at the time as a form of control; shows that even cultural symbols and things from the past are elements that the government controls Page 334, panel 4-8 Denotation: men attempting to flirt with Marjane’s friend’s sister Technique: repetition, facial expression Connotation: the various men are of different classes and jobs but share exact behaviors reflected through the repetition of their gestures; reflects how this concept of ‘toxic masculinity’ is widespread in Iranian society; her changing expression reflects her frustration at behind objectified in such a demeaning way Page 338, panel 3 Denotation: talking about what happened in jail Technique: irony Connotations: the irony is that he gets beaten up due to his desire to obey the law, but even after doing so people think he is mocking the Islamic regime; shows the complete irrationality of a system that doesn’t allow freedom of BY: SAPHYRE#4892 speech; “bearded men are sissies” shows the extent to which people are defensive over their masculinity Page 335, last panel Denotation: friend tells her the consequences of being divorced Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: highlights how women are forced to suffer constantly due to the expectation they have to conform to their gender roles; there is no situation whereby they are able to be free/feel happiness because of how not obeying these rules results in direct prejudice by men within a patriarchal society Page 337, panel 4 Denotation: people assume what happened to the illustrator Technique: lexical set of suffering Connotation: the lexical set highlights the oppression in Iran because of how it creates a constant feeling of fear and oppression, leading them to be constantly scared; also reflects that this oppression is counterintuitive because of how it makes people distrust the government and disobey it more Page 337, last panel Denotation: he was arrested because the illustration included a bearded man Technique: irony Connotation: ironic even though he had good intentions, he was arrested anyway, showing how the regime cares less about the safety of its people and more about control within it Page 337, panel 5 Denotation: describing the government controlling the media Technique: juxtaposition Connotation: the magnifying the class shows how specific and controlling the government is compared to the west; the control of the media itself shows how BY: SAPHYRE#4892 they want complete control over the population; used all as a form of propaganda and indoctrination Page 336, panel 4 Denotation: the grandmother telling Marjane not wear the veil Technique: rhetorical question Connotation: shows how assertive her grandmother is, where she stays true to herself; her negative tone reflects that she acknowledges how oppressed women are, rather than be ignorant and comply; relates back to the concept of family and how important it is for people to support one another to help their personal development Page 336, panel 5 Denotation: Marjane telling her grandmother she wants to separate Technique: juxtaposition, facial expression Connotation: contrasting facial expressions of sadness and annoyance shows that her grandmother doesn’t care about judgement; also showing how her grandmother is a non-conformist BY: SAPHYRE#4892 Essay - Based on a global issue that is explored throughout the year - Identity - Societal oppression - Xenophobia/racism - Cultural loss and conflict - Female rights/a lack thereof - Class differences Structure: Introduction - Contextualize your global issue - State how your issue is global, national, and local, and why it is an ‘issue’ in the first place - Relate the global issue to your chosen chapter by discussing how it’s shown in it - Give the thesis (what the text reveals about the global issue) - State the main ideas - Themes - Techniques Body paragraph - Topic sentence relates the global issue to the main idea and the effect on the audience - [Writer] firstly explores [global issue/thesis] through [main idea 1] in order to [commentary on the global issue]. - Evidence must be based on embedding it if it is a quote into a denotation OR contextualizing the image based on the panel and page number - - This is shown when Satrapi describes [denotation], in how “[quote]”. Explanation is based on mentioning the technique, the connotations of individual words (or components of the image) and relating these connotations back to the global issue BY: SAPHYRE#4892 - Through the use of [technique] in “[diction]”, Satrapi shows [connotations of individual words]. This shows [relate back to the global issue]. Sample: The global issue of how difficult it is to determine one’s personal identity in an increasingly changing world is one that can be seen through constant cultural crises worldwide from immigration and multiculturalism, to even local cultural issues in Hong Kong due to postcolonialism. This issue is represented in Chapter 1 of Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis”, wherein Marjane as a child struggles with finding a certain sense of self due to religious changes that occurred from the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Overall, this chapter reveals the extent to which people, and even children, can struggle with having a sense of individuality, especially within strongly fundamentalist societies. This is primarily explored through ____, ____, and _____. Satrapi firstly explores the global issue of one undergoing an identity crisis through the way in which Marjane struggles between Eastern and Western influences in her life, in order to reflect on how children can be greatly affected due them still being in the process of maturing. This is visually represented on page 7, panel 1 and 2, where Marjane and her classmates are shown sitting at a desk, arms folded, with neutral expressions on their faces and wearing hijabs. Through the use of clothing...