Persepolis: A Literary Analysis

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood is a graphic novel written by Marjane Satrapi that illustrates the issues with growing up an Iranian child during times of conflict and political unrest. Following the childhood life of Satrapi, a first-hand view of unrest is given to the audience in a simple art form and well-paced story that is easy to follow and stay interested in. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood is a prime example of why the genre of graphic novel functions well as a vessel to convey the issues in the Middle East while still telling an entertaining story of Satrapi’s childhood. The importance of graphic novels as a genre is often lost in the association with comic books, although graphic novels offer a much more comprehensive view

of the events within the story while changing the model in which it is given to us, such as in Maus, where the sharp and graphic art style gives severity to the story of cats oppressing mice in a metaphorical holocaust; while in Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood we are given a more simple art style that is essential to help the western reader better understand a conflict that they may not understand or know as well as a holocaust allegory. Satrapi molds the genre of graphic novel to better suit her audience and makes it a perfect vehicle to portray the turmoil in Iran along with her story, which gives her the ultimate power of making a hard to understand issue, easy for the western eye.
One question that is often brought up about the genre of graphic novel is whether it is legitimate or just a form used of a different Genre.

A scholarly article by Kristin Fletcher-Spear argues that the term graphic novel is a form and not a genre. She claims that “They lure teen boys, while retaining the qualities beloved by teen girls. They work for ESL students, teach visual literacy and sequencing, and, above all else, they are wildly popular within an adolescent audience.” While this could be true, and naturally might be due to the connection with illustrations and similarities to comic books, graphic novels do just as well as conveying a message and giving deeper meaning than what is just on the surface. When Satrapi meets god in one of her dreams and denounces him we can see not only the state that she is in emotionally, but it contrasts the disparity of Iran at the time and how religion affects the area. As a western audience we may not be able to fully understand the religious strain that comes over Iran at the time, but for many readers seeing a simple God versus no God situation can sum it up well. In a different scholarly article written by Amy Malek, she states “I will argue that Persepolis is a prime example of exile cultural production—as a site for experimentation within various genres (here, that of the memoir and graphic novel), and also for identity negotiation, self-reflection, and cultural translation.” Here Malek agrees that the genre of graphic novels can indeed effectively portray complex issues

well.
Another example and perhaps the important reason for the graphic novel genre was to simplify complex issues that a western reader may not be able to understand. Along with bringing light to the plight of citizens within Iran, readers can grasp a better understanding of how things work through the family ties given within the novel and simplified through a young girls mind. When Satrapi explains that her grandfather was a prince before Reza Shah came to power and then had been the Prime Minister of Iran, but was then overthrown by the current leader for greed, but now has been forced out for more fundamentalist ideals, it is easier to understand than knowing the whole story and every little detail.
From a more personal view, readers get a better understanding of the effects when Satrapi’s dreams are broken and changed when the fundamentalist regime begins closing the schools and the embassies. Visually we get to see her life goals change and this shows a greater emotional impact and can be better related to as a reader. These devices and choices also lead the reader to become more ethically involved and try for a deeper understanding of the text. Joseph Darda a member of the John Hopkins University literature department claims this in his article, “Critics indicate that the graphic memoir is uniquely capable of making an ethical appeal to the reader. In considering the ethics of the graphic memoir, I first trace the origin of the debate within comics’ criticism. Second, calling on Judith Butler's theorization of the Levinasian notion of "the face," I establish an ethical framework to substantiate the thus-far-unclear claims connecting formal destabilization to reader obligation. Third, I demonstrate this ethical import as it operates within Marjane Satrapi's emigre graphic memoir "Persepolis."
As important as the imagery and the illustrations were withing Persepolis, the narrative and point of view were just as important as conveying the story to the reader. Many times within the novel we see Satrapi discussing one topic only to be derailed by a traumatic event that happens in her life but only when she comes to it. Graphic novels, particularly Persepolis do well by not foreshadowing as much as a regular text-only book would. When we see Satrapi happily buying jeans and being a rebel in one page, only several later we see that her neighbor’s house had been destroyed and one of her friends had been killed. Graphic novels bring the story to the reader much like a character in the book would actually experience it. We are given a human experience rather than a birds eye view on the events of the novel. Another great example of this is the relative lack of fear of going to Austria for school amongst the conflict. We see Satrapi worry about her parents but we see a lack of narrative discussing her feelings over the transition. Perhaps this is posed to us in this fashion because for many of us a situation like this is hard to put into words or visuals. This can also lead to a confusion between cultures and remind us that we have different experiences even though we relate with Satrapi. When Satrapi is confronted by the guardian women who accost her and almost get her arrested, we see and understand that it is a major event but what was hard for me to understand is how easily she let it go. Many people in our culture, if posed with the same situation would have told many people and reacted less mildly to something that was a very real threat.
Graphic novels as a genre are increasingly important to the literary world and can offer many unique things to the audience. Satrapi used the genre perfectly to give many unique points of view and situations that gave a more ‘real’ feeling to the reader, give a simplified version of a very complex and convoluted situation, and to make someone consider the ethics behind her novel and better relate with the characters. Despite much of the criticism of the genre as a whole it still remains important and effective in shaping a story of any type and forming it to fit the intended audience. Persepolis would have been a very different novel with very different meanings if the art would have been very visceral and colorful; but I doubt this would have the same effect as many of the meanings would become too literal and much of the relatability and innocence of the novel would have been lost on much of the audience. Such as the scene when her neighbor’s house is bombed. Imagine if it would have been realistically drawn. While it may have been more visually appealing and traumatic, it would have been unrealistic to the characters, such in life when many traumatic events become blurry snapshots of what they once were. On the other hand, as a reader it would have been less relatable and become just a ‘snapshot’ instead of the relatable and powerful scene that it was. Satrapi effectively used the genre of graphic novel to make a perfect vehicle to portray struggles of her childhood, while making it understandable and relatable to a wide audience.