Simon hattenstone interviews marjane satrapi, whose bestselling. In powerful blackandwhite comic strip images, satrapi tells the story of her life in tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the shahs regime, the triumph of the islamic revolution, and the devastating effects of war with iraq. Heres a brief history of the iranian revolution of 1979, in which islamic clerics overthrew shah pahlavi and established the islamic republic of iran. That the socalled islamic revolution began as a populist revolt that included secular, leftwing socialists is just one of this books many surprises for someone like myself. List of books and articles about iranian revolution. Iranian revolution and comic book persepolis 16 words. Set in a garden in tehran, iran in the early 1940s, where three families live under the tyranny of a paranoid patriarch, my uncle napoleon is a rich, comic and brilliantly ontarget sendup of iranian society. So, are you old enough to remember the shah and the iranian revolution.
Marjane satrapi iranian artist and writer britannica. It was written and directed by satrapi in collaboration with vincent paronnaud. Symbolism in the persepolis book education seattle pi. From a minister to the shah to a leader of resistance by manouchehr ganji praeger, 2002 ps primary source a primary source is a work that is being studied, or that provides firsthand or direct evidence on a topic. Time, newsweek and the new york times praised satrapis autobiography, both for its innovative use of comicbook format and for the insight it provides into life in revolutionary and post. Soraya esfandiari also see pahlavi also see women millionaire lover.
It tells the tale of marji, a young girl living in tehran just before the 1979 iranian revolution. Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, persepolis is marjane satrapis graphic memoir of growing up in iran during the islamic revolution. Have students research and read the works of descartes and marx and then have them stage that. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the iranian revolution. Iranian revolution and comic book persepolis free essay. Iranian revolution, also called islamic revolution, persian enqelabe eslami, popular uprising in iran in 197879 that resulted in the toppling of the monarchy on february 11, 1979, and led to the establishment of an islamic republic. Iranian revolution and comic book persepolis 16 words 5 pages. The story of a childhood by marjane satrapi goodreads. In january of 1979, however, tipton finds himself in the middle of the iranian revolution. The best books on iranian history five books expert. Her most famous works are the comic book persepolis and its film adaptation, and chicken with plums. Its about real people, real life, tragedy, perspective, and in the end, hope. Presented here is a study of the emergence of horizontal divisions, or socioeconomic classes, in a country with strong vertical divisions based on. In powerful blackandwhite comic strip images, satrapi tells the story of her life.
I suppose my favorite memories maybe somewhat exaggerated are from my childhood in tehran before the revolution. The book is nafisis memoir of the period following the iranian revolution in the 1970s. Marjane is a passive witness to life under the late, deposed shah, and then to the iranian revolution, and then to teen decadence in europe. The book owes its quality not only to the currency of its subject matter but also to its distinguished contributors, who address such issues as the failure of the iranian revolution to replicate itself in other countries and the extent to which irans experience has shaped the politics, economics, and cultures of. Uneducated about the islamic revolution in 1980, i saw this book and knew i. Persepolis is an autobiographical comic by marjane satrapi about her early life in iran during the islamic revolution. Many comic book movies are far behind the comics that inspired them. Marjane satrapi, iranian artist and writer whose graphic novels explore the gaps and the junctures between east and west. In 1970s iran, marjane marji satrapi watches events through her young eyes and her idealistic family of a long dream being fulfilled of the hated shahs defeat in the iranian revolution of 1979.
Yes, abrahamian is one of the leading historians of modern iran. Satrap is persian for governor and english for a selfimportant official. Interview with marjane satrapi, author of persepolis, memoir in comic strip form about growing up in postrevolutionary iran, rebelling against repression of. The title references the historical city of persepolis. Background and causes of the iranian revolution wikipedia.
Farm, using fish and cranes to represent the 1979 iranian revolution. The students stories intertwine with the books they read by austen, nabokov, fitzgerald, and other authors. Local creators explore the history of iranian revolution in a comic about talking fish. He always writes very interesting things about the social and political history of the country and this book is actually a collection of essays that he has written on the islamic revolution and its aftermath. Persepolis is a 2007 adult animated film based upon the marjane satrapi autobiographical graphic novel of the same name.
Pantheon books north america and jonathan cape united kingdom. Your first book is khomeinism by ervand abrahamian. The celebrations of the revolution take on a bittersweetness when imprisoned members of satrapis family are freed and return with tales of torture and murder. However as marji grows up, she witnesses first hand how the new iran, now ruled by islamic fundamentalists, has become a repressive tyranny on its own. Persepolis is a site that includes 125,00 square meter terrace, partly constructed artificially and partly cut. This is a memoir of growing up as a girl in revolutionary iran.
Persepolis is a autobiographical graphic novel written and illustrated by marjane satrapi, an iranianfrench cartoonist. This is a story that describes her life during the islamic revolution which includes her moral, physical. The title, persepolis, refers to the ancient capital of the persian empire. Author and artist marjane satrapi was a child of ten during the revolution in 1980. The original persepolis graphic novel tells the story of her childhood during that troubled time. Essay on iranian revolution and comic book persepolis. This cataclysmic event led to the creation of the first modern islamic republic and has served as a model for other islamic fundamentalists. The title persepolis is a reference to the ancient capital of the persian empire. Iranian comicbook artists seek a unique, local identity. The complete persepolis by marjane satrapi, persepolis. The story of a childhood by marjane satrapi, the septembers.
Rewriting the iranian revolution a new book attempts to portray the shah of iran as a frustrated democrat. It describes how nafisi continued to teach female students in secret even after such actions became illegal. So, yes, these comic book collages are reminders of a time and place that no longer exists. Persepolis and the middle east today alaska public media. A religious revolution that was part of constitutionalization attempts in iran. Iranian comicbook artists have won international acclaim but are still struggling for acceptance at home. Marjane satrapis personal version and vision of the iranian revolution marjane satrapis persepolis is a graphic novel that suggests that there is a sharp discrepancy between the world of the iranian revolution, as depicted in the western media, versus how many iranians experienced it in the context of their own lives. This book is best suited for someone who enjoys politics or memoirs, however it is aimed at a wider audience.
Satrapi mentions her favorite book a comic book entitled dialectic materialism, in which descartes and marx discuss the material world. Why francobelgian comicbook movies are more fun than marvel and dc. Have students investigate the contribution rezat, fatemi, and ashraf made to the iranian revolution. Local creators explore the history of iranian revolution. Marjane satrapy is a spoiled, sheltered girl, the descendant of iranian royalty. Another acclaimed and frequently challenged graphic memoir the 2nd most challenged book in 2014, in fact marjane satrapis true story about growing up during the iranian revolution has clear educational value and has long been a staple of middle school and high school curriculums.
Iranian calligraphy meets comic books and western pop. This accounts her life before, during, and after the iranian revolution, where she lives through threats to her wellbeing and xenophobia. The iranian revolution was the islamic revolution that replaced the secular monarchy of shah mohammad reza pahlavi with a religious republic led by ayatollah ruhollah khomeini its causes continue to be the subject of historical debate and are believed to have stemmed partly from a conservative backlash opposing the westernization, modernization and secularization efforts of the. Persepolis and the iranian revolution 1917 words bartleby. The lord of light project had set designs drawn and designed by famed comic artist jack kirby. This is a story that describes her life during the islamic revolution which includes her moral, physical, religious, and psychological struggles she. The 30 comic books you should have read movies empire. I enjoyed reading comic books and playing street soccer as boys do in tehran. Persepolis the memoir of marjane satrapi growing up in iran is written as a very personal account in the comic book persepolis.
Persepolis is a autobiographical series of bande dessinees french comics by marjane satrapi that depicts her childhood up to her early adult years in iran during and after the islamic revolution. The roles her family played in iran, from being princes to revolutionaries and communists the iraniraq war and the role played by islamic. The complete persepolis is a graphic novel written by marjane satrapi that covers her life. An animaldriven richmond comic book series that takes a leftist perspective of the iranian revolution of 1979 is coming to an end friday, june 2. To make the story seem believable to iranian officials the cia created a hollywood production office and used parts of an abandoned hollywood project the lord of light based on the 1967 science fiction novel of the same name. What is the legacy of irans islamic revolution and how does it affect iranian society more than three decades later. Now she has turned her comic book memoir into an awardwinning. Richmond comic book on iranian revolution set to conclude. Emphasizing the interaction between political organizations and social forces, ervand abrahamian discusses iranian society and politics during the period between the constitutional revolution of 19051909 and the islamic revolution of 19771979. Although there is political unrestthe ayatollah khomeini has emerged from relative obscurity in paris and has become the spiritual leader of a new movementlife flows relatively smoothly. Gretchen schwartz and cristina crenshaw of rhode island university consider it a. This is a story that describes her life during the islamic revolution which includes her moral, physical, religious, and psychological struggles she endured. This wonderful book describes the iranian revolution of 1979 which has far reaching greatly impacts our current environment.
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