Overview
-briefly discussed final project options
-topic will be covered more in the future
The presentations (which of course related to Persepolis) explored themes of public and private life in Iran, as well as, duality. Both presenters referenced the part of the novel in which Marjane struggles to sketch a woman's veiled figure in an art class, and her and the other students secretly meeting to draw each other. The second presentation was an analysis of Marjanes spirituality versus her secular sensibilities.
Discussed questions 4 and 5 of Zen Scavenger Hunt
We discussed our reactions, as readers, to the conclusion of Persepolis and whether or not the novel benefitted from being split into seperate books in it's original publication. We also watched a clip from the animated film.
Presentations:
Presentation # 1 — Alexa — “Try to make the best of it”
-analyzed p. 299, The Socks chapter head
-change — nude vs. covered
-gutter role — change in thoughts of Marji and classmate
-tried the impossible task — just learned to draw drapes
-more black in frames as mood darkens and page progresses
-without frustration, Marji would not have sought a creative outlet with friends (p. 304)
-becomes an adult and makes the best out of of everything, and prof. congratulates her and her friends actions in drawing each other in private
Presentation # 2 — Leon — Duality in Persepolis
-analyzed p. 305 (with the two large “schizophrenic” panels) in conjunction with several other instances of duality in the book
-p. 5 — modern vs. traditionalist
-p. ? — veiled vs. unveiled — protestors
-p. 102 — impoverished vs. higher social class
-p. 189 — growing up — beauty mark — physical change — still same inside
-p. 210 — Marji’s reaction to anarchists playing in the forest vs. her childhood
-p. 262 and p. 54 — goes to see friend in wheel chair — wanted her father in that situation so he would be a hero
-p. 279 — comparing Marjane and her husband
-p. 318 — who he wanted to marry vs. who he really married
-p. 299-300 — cultural differences with painting the veiled vs. unveiled
Class Highlights
We continued the Zen scavenger hunt, the answers to the hunt were revealed:
1) Marjane's greatest influence
2) Best example of Marjane's immaturity
3) Best example of Marjane's independence
4) A confrontation that reveals the outermost limits of authority
5) The most meaningless death
Debate over differing reactions to Marjane and the ending of the novel
Discussed the ending (or absence of an ending) of Persepolis and the class’ reactions to it
-twitter feed showed a lot of confusion and unsatisfaction with the ending
-discussed the confusion in actually ending a memoir when your life is not really over yet — nor the conflict and turmoil that your memoir focuses on
Thought about how reactions might vary if we had read the book in two or four segments
-decided that the experience might be different, but it would be very hard to make an entire class actually stop reading where they were supposed to if it was read in segments throughout the semester
Marjane Satrapi's interview with Stephen Colbert, in which she discusses her attempt to humanize Iranians in Persepolis
Watched Satrapi interview on the Colbert Report
-Satrapi mentioned that a large reason for the comic and the movie was to humanize the Iranian people
Film clip from Persepolis
Watched a few minutes of Persepolis movie for style contrasts between the movie and the comic book
-made the veiled women seem serpent-like and creepier
-movie left out several scenes in the comic book in order to better focus on Marji and her reactions
-the music soundtrack lent to the film’s suspense and overall effect
Keywords
Waltz with Bashir another graphic novel exploring youth in Iran
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