Persepolis Socratic Seminar:

Discussion Notes

These are some helpful starting points for discussion, though you are not limited to these topic:

1. Why did Marjane Satrapi choose a graphic novel for her memoir? What is the power of this
genre beyond that of traditional prose literature? How did this decision affect you as a reader?
And do you believe that this novel is worthy of being read in an IB English HL program?

The graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi was written in the graphic medium to appeal to
a wider audience. The way her story is written from a view of a child makes the story easier to
follow and comprehend along with relate to making it much easier for many different types of
readers to have an understanding of Marjane's experiences. This type of memoir is able to
convey Marjane's feelings and emotions in a way that a regular novel could not as it is displaying
her inner thoughts and internal feelings through icons that could not be described or shown
through traditional literature. I do believe that this novel is worthy of being in the IB English HL
program because it differs from other works we have read so far in the year. Not only does it
introduce us to another culture but it explores different religions and beliefs that we have not
seen represented in other texts so far. It also represents a new type of novel style that hasn't been
explored like the graphic novel; it allows us to learn about the different aspects of a graphic
novel versus regular literature novels. Overall reading Persepolis adds diversity to the literature
we read in the ib english course.

2. Review Satrapi’s reasons for writing her memoir in the novel’s introduction. Do you feel that
she accomplishes her objectives? Why or why not?

What it says in the novel's introduction is that she wished to change the way Iran was viewed
following the issues and chaos of the removal of the shah. It was seen as a terrorist and
fundamentalist place that she wanted to expose and show the truth. She also wished to keep the
memory of those who had sacrificed their lives alive. I think she accomplished this by explaining
the story from the beginning and as a child giving us insight to how it really happened and how
realistically some people within Iran did not agree and by telling the stories of those who died
she was able to accomplish both her goals.

EX: the ppl that have died and protesters she talks about them keeping them alive as we are
aware they existed and sacrifice themselves for the revolution and we can remember them

EX: her own account of the events makes us see the people in Iran in a different light changing
our views on them as we no longer see ALL of them as fundamentalist and terrorist but
individuals under an oppressive regime and we sympathize with them.
Textual evidence: last paragraph of the introduction

3. Discuss Satrapi’s political views on imperialism, socialism, the Iranian Revolution, the Shah,
etc. What intentional choices does she make in how she presents these issues to the reader and
how do they reflect her true feelings? In addition, much of the novel centers around her personal
confliction when it comes to the marriage of religion and politics. How are these issues resolved
within the novel?
imperialism - i think she does not like it (pg 3 “we didn’t really like to wear the veil” she is
against the oppressive nature and imperialism)

socialism - she likes with like Karl Marx and stuff (pg 12 she is reading her favorite book about
Karl Marx which is similar to what he believe in)

Iranian Revolution- she supported bc she wanted the shah removed (pg 10 chanting down with
the king wants the revolution to occur and talking about the bicycle)

Shah- did not like wanted him removed (pg 10)

She shows this to the readers through her stories of the protests and riots and reflects her feelings
as she desperately wants to be part of the revolution. (pg 16 wants to go to the protests)

Idk about the marriage part

She is conflicted between the idea of her religious morals and following the political chaos in her
nation. (pg 6)

4. When does Marjane go from being a child, to being a teenager, to being an adult? What
event(s) account for the shifts? What influences her at each stage? What does this suggest about
the ways we form our beliefs in life? What does it take to go from being a child to being an
adult?

Child: we see she is a child when she does not truly understand what is occurring throughout the
revolution and when she blindly agrees with peers and her parents (pg 80)
(ex when she shouts after her dad shouts copying him not forming her own opinion and being a
child and blindly follows her father)

Teenager: When she tries to be cool and rebel against her mother (pg 117)
Adult: still a young adult but begins to understand the war and have sympathy for those who
have died instead of dismissing the horrors of war and the revolution. ( Pg 125 the emanta
shows she is sad about the death )

It suggests that we form our beliefs in life through our own personal growth and through
experience and time as we can see Marjane become more confident in her morals and beliefs as
she begins to grow. And becoming a child to an adult takes time and experience and education
about the world.

5. Discuss the writer’s voice. Is it appealing? Which aspects of Marji’s character do you identify
with or like the most, the least? Did your reaction to the little girl affect your reading experience?

-The writer's voice is the individual writing style of an author, a combination of typical usage of
syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, dialogue, etc., within a given body of text
(or across several works). Voice can be thought of in terms of the uniqueness of a vocal voice
machine
The way the novel is written and the writer's voice is appealing because it is a new and unique
way to present a memoir and is easier to relate and comprehend. I can identify and relate to
Marjane being young and confused and struggling to form her own opinions as a child as that all
comes with experience and personal growth. My reaction to a little girl made me feel a lot more
emotionally connected and compassionate as it was written with a child like understanding and it
evokes more emotion in the reader.
Her voice is unique and appealing as she presents a memoir that is easy to understand and
identify her confusion as well. Specifically on page 46, when her mother is trying to explain the
concept of forgiveness, she just cant comprehend it, clearly showing her confusion during this
time since shes literally a child in the midst of this whole revolution.

6. Education is an important topic throughout the first novel. What does Satrapi have to say
about the power of education? In an individual’s life? In society?

Satrapi along with her parents believe that education is the key to life and those who have it will
eventually succeed. This is the reason for them staying during the bombings in their city because
they wanted Satrapi to have the French education provided in the city; however, the more
dangerous it became, her parents decided to send her to Austria, in order to continue her
education. Another example would connect to when schools were closing down so that they
could change the curriculum, this showed how much power and influence had on the students
and their futures. (Page 73 and 144) When Satrapi’s religion teacher had claimed that there are
no more prisoners under the regime, Satrapi knew the truth and quickly stood up for what’s right
by telling the teacher that her uncle had in fact been executed under the regime. Clearly, her
religion teacher has been teaching the new curriculum that would ultimately brainwash this
future generation to believe that it is the best thing for them.

7. What kinds of captivity and freedom does the author explore in Persepolis? What stifles or
prevents people from being completely free? How do they circumvent and defy the rules
imposed on them and attempt to live ordinary lives despite revolution and war? Give some
examples of their small acts of rebellion.
-the way they wear westernized fashion
-they are not allowed to express themselves
-women in iranian revolution were for the fundementalist movement some

8. What is the role of women in the story? Compare and contrast the various women: Marji, her
mother, her grandmother, her school teachers, the maid, the neighbors, the guardians of the
revolution, etc.
Throughout this graphic novel, the roles of women vary since different people have different
beliefs for the gender roles. For Marji’s family, the women have more freedom and independence
than those who fully abide by the revolution. However, one thing that is consistent within the
book is that all of these women have to follow the rules such as wearing a veil, no matter if they
want or not. Marji's mother, a confident and independent woman, warns her not to be defiant
while walking down the street. This demonstrates the limitations that many Iranian women faced
during this time period. While the Iranian government oppresses women, Persepolis
demonstrates that amid these limitations, strong women can still revolt, as shown by Marji and
her mother's rebellion. On the other hand, women that call themselves the guardians of the
revolution actually follow this regime’s laws to the fullest extent also force other women to
follow them.
Page 76 where her mom says “she should start learning to defend her rights as a woman right
now!” shows the stance that her mother takes as she believes that this world is truly unequal and
there needs to be change established.
Pages 133 where Marji literally gets assaulted for wearing jeans and some sneakers

9. Discuss the role and importance of religion in Persepolis. How does religion define certain
characters in the book, and affect the way they interact with each other? Is the author making a
social commentary on religion, and in particular on fundamentalism? What do you think Satrapi
is saying about religion’s effect on the individual and society?
● Marjane Satrapi shows the difficulties of religion and one’s freedom coexisting.
● In “The Veil,” when Marji is at a young age, there is a caption that describes how she
“didn’t know what to think about the veil. Deep down [she] was very religious but as a
family [they] were very modern and avant-garde”(6). The iconography and the splitting
of her body where one side shows her with a veil and the other without a veil, describes
how her identity is not set on one.
● As Marjane grows up and as the novel progresses, Marjane slowly loses her religious
identity and her relationship with her once personal God, fades. Marjane loses her
passion for religion, as she sees the corruption of the theocratic regime and discovers how
personal freedom is important.
● Overall, the author is trying to show how it is hard for one to follow religion when they
are also trying to achieve democratic ideologies of freedom and self-expression.
10. To what extent should a government regulate a society’s culture (i.e. music, art, literature,
and other forms of creative self-expression)? Should some forms of expression be regulated? To
what extent does Persepolis illuminate the dangers of governmental regulation and censorship of
culture? Why would a government want to regulate forms of self-expression with laws that
could put violators in prison or even put to death? What is such a government really trying to
control?

● It depends on what type of government is in control. For example, theocracies are more
conservative and have more regulations on worldly things and society’s culture because
they are sinful to their religion, while a more democratic government such as the United
States, allows the people to express their own creativity and enjoy the culture.

● Allowing self-expression and freedom to the people is essential to run a stable

government because a government with too much restrictions on the civilians leads to
more rebellious uprising and less trust from the people, but at the same time there should
be a certain amount of freedom allowed because too much freedom could possibly lead to
no direction, as the higher authorities would have less power.

● Certain governments strictly use persecution to create fear amongst the people to follow
their ideologies and avoid following society’s culture. The whole stigma around
self-freedom and western ideals are also spread by the government. For instance, in the
chapter, “Kim-Wilde, Marji walks out of the house to buy her illegal tapes and is stopped
by the guardians of the revolution because they notice her new sneakers her mother
bought her. The two women question Marji, but their questioning is not polite and is
morally wrong. Harassing a young woman for wearing western is a form of the
conservative government spreading the stigma around western ideals.