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Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi
Background
- graphic novel/memoir/autobiography
- originally published in France in four volumes from 2000-2003; published in the U.S. shortly after
- written by Marjane Satrapi about her coming-of-age before, during, and after the Iranian revolution
- received a lot of critical acclaim, sold over a million copies, the film was nominated for an Oscar
- several attempts to ban the book from schools
Satrapi's Goals
"If people are given the chance to experience life in more than one country, they will hate a little less. It's not a miracle potion, but little by little you can solve problems in the 'basement' of a country, not on the surface. That is why I wanted people in other countries to read Persepolis, to see that I grew up just as other children do."
— Marjane Satrapi
Goals
- step into a story about a culture/time/place that is largely unfamiliar to a lot of us -- a story we might hear about from an American point-of-view, less often from an Iranian voice
- Mindful Learning: potential anxieties of offending/being offended -- how can we best care for each other as we learn together?
Goals
Colbert Report
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/07hrs5/the-colbert-report-marjane-satrapi
Colbert Report
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- What is the commentary or subtext of Colbert's interview with Satrapi? What is he trying to communicate?
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Satrapi says she loves American people, not American government -- do you think this is a fair distinction? Can people be entirely seperated from their governments?
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Journal Entry 21
Before we start reading the book, let's take inventory of our own knowledge and experience. The sole goal of this exercise is to honestly reflect on what you know, how you know it, and what you'd like to know. With that in mind, spend some time writing about the following questions:
1. Without overthinking it, list the first ten words that come to mind when you think of Iran.
2. Based on the list you wrote, how would you summarize your main associations with Iran?
3. Describe where these associations originated for you. Have you read stories, gleaned information from the news, word-of-mouth, personal relationships or experiences?
Once you've taken an assessment of your prior knowledge, read the following link:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/questions/types/index.html
When you've read it over, answer the following questions:
1. Name three ideas that surprised you or stood out the most. What did you find so striking about these ideas?
2. What do you still not understand and what would you like to know?
Reflecting on Stereotypes
Homework: Introduction - pp 17
Share with a partner:
- Thinking back on the brief article you read about Islamic/Middle-Eastern/American stereotypes, what surprised you the most? What details stood out to you? What did you learn? What are you confused by?
A reflective exercise:
- List identities you hold (e.g. mid-westerner, private school student, teenager, etc.)
- Choose one and list some of the most common stereotypes or assumptions people make about that identity (e.g. uncultured, snobby, lazy etc.)
- Make another list that describes all that the stereotypes miss or fail to see or misunderstand
Definition and implications:
- How do we define "stereotype"?
- What are the implications or the effects of "stereotyping"?
Overview of Assignments
- Groups of 2-4 will present on one of the following topics:
- the graphic novel/memoir form
- the Iranian Revolution
- Iranian feminism
- the veil (e.g. burka, hijab, niqab, etc.)
- Western culture in Iran
- Includes 10-15 minute presentation, and 3-5 questions to lead discussion for roughly 15-20 minutes
- Each group will be given a list of resources to use for their presentations. (If you find additional resources you want to use, make sure to run them by me first), and each group member will write an annotated bibliography that covers two sources.