Persepolis discussion exercise (1)
In some ways, many readers relate to Satrapi’s graphic memoir-fiction of growing up and find her experiences relevant and comparable. In other ways, readers are brought into a very different and sometimes alien world remarkably different from their own experiences and find what she describes as “untranslatable” to what they know.
Note: This exercise has three steps.
Step 1: Identify one example from her text that you find relatable — or that you imagine other readers would find relatable. Explain why it’s significant. Please clearly identify the example, provide textual support, and identify the chapter title and clearly cite the PDF page number or printed page number. Aim for about 100 – 150 words for Step 1.
Step 2: Identify one example from her text that you find to be an experience with which you or other readers cannot relate. Again, explain why it’s significant. And again, clearly identify the example, provide textual support, and identify the chapter title and clearly cite the PDF page number or printed page number. Aim for about 100 – 150 words for Step 2.
Steps 1 and 2 can be composed as one posting or posted separately.
Important:
Please remember to provide direct textual support for each of your examples (Steps 1 and 2) – quoting from the passage or providing a screen shot of the text – and identifying the chapter title and /or page number.
Please be sure that the writing is your own and adheres to policies regarding academic honesty. In constructing your responses, feel free to consult material on our Canvas course site. Any other references used must be clearly cited. I caution you against using generative AI tools for composing the writing. You are on your honor to follow the rules of academic honesty.
Draw on Persepolis through p. 153 (the chapter titled “The Dowry”). Avoid examples from the first chapter, “The Veil.”
Goals:
Practice analysis and comparison.
Develop your own perspective.
Respond to a peer’s writing.
Persepolis discussion exercise (2)
this exercise asks you to respond to Persepolis. I do ask that you focus your work on the chapters in the second half of the book. [The second half begins with the chapter titled “The Soup” or on page 155 of the printed edition.] In your work, be sure to provide direct textual support.
This discussion exercise works a little differently. I’m not requiring a peer response, although I am leaving it as an option. Think of your discussion posting as a mini-essay. I also invite you to draw on the Persepolis: Readings and resources page for help.
Choose ONE of the following topics for your posting:
#1. Analyze a specific panel or set of panels. Obviously, this is very open-ended. However, you might address a theme such as war, religion, guilt, displacement, exile, romance, etc. Alternatively, you might approach the theme in terms of visual or drawing style
#2. Draw a comparison to another text. Here you can think of other graphic texts, memoirs, fiction, etc. You can also think of “text” as not in just a written medium – so films or other media are fair game. [Note: the comparative text will need a clear citation.]
#4. Identify someone to write a new introduction to Persepolis. You may have noticed that Satrapi’s introduction to Persepolis is very short – a mere one-and-a-half pages. It’s common for contemporary literary texts to include extensive introductions written by other contemporary writers, artists, scholars, filmmakers or cultural authorities. Make the case for a writer or artist other than Satrapi to compose a new or additional introduction to Persepolis. This might be a graphic artist, fiction writer, or expert on the cultural ideas associated with Satrapi’s work. You’ll still need to tie your suggestion back to Persepolis with specific textual citations. Note: This is a challenging approach, so consider it carefully.
A note about citations for Persepolis:
Most folks are using the PDF that does not have page members corresponding to the print edition. Be sure to identify the chapter title in your references within the posting. Because we’re working with a graphic text, I also strongly suggest including a screen capture of the specific panel(s) to help your reader understand your analysis.
Important reminders:
Please sure to provide textual support – quoting from the passage or providing a screen shot of the text – and identify the chapter title. For those using the print edition, cite the page numbers.
Please be sure that the writing is your own and adheres to policies regarding academic honesty. In constructing your responses, feel free to consult material on our Canvas course site. Any other references used must be clearly cited. I caution you against using generative AI tools for composing the writing. You are on your honor to follow the rules of academic honesty.
Please try to focus your work on the chapters in the second half of the book.
Aim for at least 200 – 250 words for your posting.
Provide analysis rather than summary.
