What particular incidents in the story do you think are conveyed more effectively in pictures than they could have been in words alone?Why do you think Satrapi chose to tell her story in this medium? What does the combination make possible that words or images alone would not?
There are multiple incidents in the story where illustrations nor words would do alone. One instance would be page 43, slide 7, where Marji’s parents are glad that “the devil [ the shah] has left”, even though the demon (Islamic Regime) was still there and still lurking in the background. This combination allows certain feelings and fears to be expressed, and allows the context of each drawing to be given. Marji creates Persepolis as a graphic memoir because that is the only way she can communicate effectively. According to her interview with John Zuarino, Marji tells him that “[her] brain functions with images [and that] words are not enough”. This is because she, according Persepolis 2, has gone to multiple universities to get and has received multiple degrees in art, and not in writing.
ReplyDeletePaul, I agree with you when you say "there are multiple incidents in the story where illustrations nor words would do alone." I strongly believe in your statement because of the way in which you added background information within your quote to further explain your reasoning.
DeleteOne particular incident in the story that I thought was conveyed more effectively in pictures than they could have been in words alone was the incident in which “‘To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society’” (Satrapi 115). Through this image, a man is lying still on a table, followed by a lethal injection of blood. Also, the incident in which “The Germans sell chemical weapons to Iran and Iraq. The wounded are then sent to Germany to be treated. Veritable human guinea pigs” (Satrapi 122) is explained, but is depicted better by the use of an image in which Iranian and Iraqi citizens are bandaged from head to toe in a hospital bed. From both of these pictures, the brutality is depicted in greater detail with the use of an image. Satrapi chose to tell her story in this medium because Satrapi wanted to explain her life all throughout the Islamic Revolution but also wanted to depict her feelings through pictures. The combination makes possible that words or images alone would not, the different perspectives that readers will have when both reading and seeing what is being explained by the text.
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I agree with your opinion, however there are more than two scenes in which the characters’ emotions are displayed better in both images and words. For instance, along with many other instances, on pages 70-71, Marji’s stress and depression are conveyed much more clearly in images than words alone.
DeleteDan I agree with you. Brutality i best described in picture format. When reading about it at a young age like ours, it is hard to imagine. The pictures help everybody's understanding of the book.
DeleteDan, I agree with your statement. The scene where the man was injected with blood was more powerful and heart wrenching due to the illustrations of the man helplessly and inhumanely laying on the table.
DeleteDan, your evidence is good and I agree with your response. However, you could have used a quote from page 153 to explain how images help depict the meaning of scenes better than words alone.
DeleteSatrapi portrays multiple events in combinations of images and words, which aid the depiction of the tone of the story more effectively than words or illustrations alone. For instance, the description of “...one massacre after another” (Satrapi 40) on black friday, along with the image of numerous men being murdered displays the terror of the people who are killed and allows the reader to understand the grief and trauma of this event. Furthermore, on page 83, the combination of “We were overwhelmed…” and the image of Marjane and her family crying display the sentiment that they feel during the playing of the Iranian National Anthem. Lastly, when Marjane is leaving her parents at the airport and “turns around to see them one last time” (Satrapi 153), the reader can see that her parents are distraught and understand the worry felt by Marjane. Because of events such as these, along with many others, one can conclude that Satrapi chooses to illustrate her novel rather than tell the story in words alone because it aids one in feeling the emotions and mood of the characters within intense moments.
ReplyDeleteKatelyn, I agree with you when you say that "Satrapi portrays multiple events in combinations of images and words." I strongly believe that your statement is correct because all throughout the book both gruesome and peaceful images are depicted that later connect with the narration from Satrapi herself.
DeleteI agree with your statement that the images in Persepolis are more effective than words or illustrations alone. Your paragraph is very strong because you used precise evidence to support your claim, such as, "turn around to see them one last time" (Satrapi 153). You also had superior analysis' to explain the images that the author displayed and the effect that they have on the reader.
DeleteKatelyn, I agree with your response and love the strong evidence you use. The quote from page 153 truly displays how images are more effective than words alone.
DeleteIn Persepolis, there are a few incidents that are more effectively conveyed through the art than words alone. On page 25, when Marjane learns about her maternal grandfather, her constant stoical facial expression does an excellent job of depicting the specific emotions that she feels. Rather than using words, Satrapi could have just as easily conveyed the message she wanted to using the cartoons she had drawn. Additionally, instead of using the sentence, "After Black Friday, there was one massacre after another" (Satrapi 40), Satrapi could have used the image displayed: lost, dead souls of the people that had been killed. Satrapi's art skills art just as effective, if not more effective than the words used throughout the graphic novel. I think Satrapi chose to tell her story in this medium because she wanted all readers to fully understand the chronological events of her life and, most importantly, clearly see the emotions she felt. The combination of both images and words does just that; the readers read the characters' lives and feel the characters' feelings.
ReplyDeleteRoman, I completely agree with your response. The images used to accompany the words do aid the reader in comprehending the characters’ emotions. In addition to your well chosen evidence, another scene that displays this is on pages 95-96 in which the images show the characters’ emotions during brutal rituals.
DeleteI agree with your claim that images are more effective than just words alone in Persepolis. You used strong evidence such as, "After Black Friday, there was one massacre after another" (Satrapi 40). You also included precise analysis' that supported your claim.
DeleteRoman, this is really true. I always have a hard time reading text describing facial features because there is too much to describe and many details are left out. In this picture, my envisioning is already done for me and I can focus more on the storyline
DeleteI, also strongly agree with the claims you have made. In particular the claim that the pictures help the reader full understand Satrapi's intended effect of the powerful meaning of the book. I also agree with the fact that the graphics were more effective in conveying the emotions she felt living through these tough times.
DeleteRoman, I agree with you. Marjane, in her interview during the preview of the film adaptation of Persepolis, saying that she “heard some things” about Iran which were not true. She decided to write the Persepolis series to give another perspective as a graphic artist.
DeleteLink:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9onZpQix_w
Roman, I strongly agree with your statement. Satrapi really did have a perfect combination between her illustrations and text. Also, by connecting her life with the readers lives toward the end of your statement you brought it to the next level and really compared the two nicely in a way they compliment each other
DeleteRoman, I strongly agree with your points, especially the one about how the readers can read the characters lives and feel what their feeling through the pictures. I also agree that the graphics were more effective in portraying Marjane's life.
DeleteRoman, I strongly agree with the points you bring up and believe you answered this question very well. A part from your response that truly resonates with me is when you state " The combination of both images and words does just that; the readers read the characters' lives and feel the characters' feelings". This perfectly responds to the prompt.
DeleteSatrapi chose to write her novel in this medium because as stated on the cover this is the story of a childhood, her childhood, and through the use of pictures and a graphic novel format Marjane is able to translate her story in a way for children to easily understand. Not only does the graphic novel format interest the audience in the story but it also helps support certain events better than words could describe. For example, on page 79, Marjane has an illustration of her and her family's reaction to when they are told they “are at war”. Although words can describe their emotions, the picture in the fourth panel emphasizes their facial expressions and gives the reader a clear and concise view of how they were feeling at that exact moment in time. Another example of this is seen on page 105. Here, Satrapi is able to convey the chaos through illustrations by showing many people with dash lines. These dashes show the commotion and chaos caused by the people running down the stairs as they took shelter from the bombers. After that, Marjane also includes a panel that represents people's different emotions as they call other family members to check in. Through the use of facial expressions, Satrapi shows a variety of emotions that cannot be expressed as througrougly in words.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I strongly agree with your statement. The pictures Satrapi included are essential In order for children to comprehend the genuine complexity of that dreadful time period.
DeleteYou are completely right, Elizabeth. Most memoirs are dark, gritty, and depressing to express dark times but Marjane uses illustrations to create a more uplifting narrative allowing young readers to fully enjoy the book.
DeleteThere are many incidents in the story that are conveyed more effectively in pictures than they could be in words alone. For instance, on page 37, Satrapi displays an image of Marji hysterically crying because her maid was no longer allowed to be in a relationship with their neighbor because of the inequality in different social classes. Marji questions “is it her fault that she was born where she was born???” (Satrapi 38). Without the visual image of the distress on Marji’s face, the reader may not be able to realize how upset Marji is. Another example is, Satrapi reveals the image of Mohsen dead in the bathtub to display the fact that “when they found his body, only his head was underwater” (Satrapi 65). This image emphasizes the horrible death that Mohsen experienced. Obviously, the images portrayed in Persepolis have a major impact on the reader’s understanding and emotions towards the story.
ReplyDeleteKristin, I completely agree with your claim and the evidence you used further emphasizes your points. The illustrations allow the reader to have a better idea of how other characters react to situations and what is happening these in situations.
DeleteKristin, I strongly agree with your statement and how the evidence and analysis address the issues during the islamic revolution. I loved your first piece of evidence, conveying how Marji was impacted during these changes to her life.
DeleteMany incidents in the story are conveyed more effectively in pictures. In one instance, a man named Ahmadi is being tortured for being a member of the Guerrillas. However, most of the text is informing dialogue such as "'He suffered the worst torture" and "'How do you like this?'"(Satrapi 54). The events that have taken place in this scene are very specific, I feel words would not have been able to capture the moment as well as pictures. Also, on page 47, 3000 prisoners are released. There are only a few words. But the absence of text allows the pictures to speak for themselves and tell the event in multiple ways. If this was done in text, there would have to have been multiple anecdotes relating to this scene in order to make it effective; however, that many words will weaken the writing. Therefore, pictures convey messages more effectively and in more ways than words can.
ReplyDeleteJoey, I definitely agree with your opinion that many incidents in the story are conveyed more effectively in pictures than with words. This is also very true in incidents of torture, such as the one you mentioned, because it makes it easy for the reader to imagine the scene.
DeletePersepolis is efficiently depicted through the use of illustrations and comic structure, it allows for the reader to comprehend more aspects of the brilliant story. The illustrations in the story are extremely beneficial because they emphasize genuine human emotion to the best of their ability. Emotion, or the state of mind deriving from one’s mood, circumstances, or relationships with others is not often represented efficiently in many pieces of literature. However, in the story of Persepolis, human emotion is brilliantly conveyed through illustration. Marjane Satrapi appeals to the reader strongly when she recounts, “Ahmadi was assassinated. As a member of The Guerillas, he suffered hell...he suffered the worst torture...They burned him with an iron” (Satrapi 51). Satrapi describes the torture the man injured after the man fought for what he believed in and Marji’s devastation upon hearing the news. Instead of being applauded, he was brutally tortured. Satrapi best depicts the convicted man’s persecution with illustrations of the torture and the iron burns. The illustrations fully convey the human suffering the man felt during his maltreatment. Satrapi explains, “They burned down the Rex Cinema tonight. The doors had been locked from the outside a few minutes before the fire. The police...forbade people to rescue those locked inside. Then they attacked them...the BBC said there were 400 victims...The people knew it was the Shah’s fault! (Satrapi 14-15). The human suffering and emotion that occurred during the circumstances was portrayed through the illustrations, more particularly the corpses included across the page.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I strongly agree with your claim and your evidence selection completely supports it. Satrapi's illustrations effectively depict the emotions of the situation extremely accurately. Marjane's images, along with words, provide the reader with a better understanding of the circumstance as opposed to the limited understanding words by themselves apply.
DeleteRebecca, I strongly agree with your claim that the illustrations were very beneficial to the story. Your evidence does a great job of supporting your points and demonstrates how the graphics clearly helped convey the story rather than the words.
DeleteIn the graphic novel Persepolis, the author/illustrator portrays certain scenes in a manner in which the format of illustration is highly more effective than words alone. In this day and age, more people are turning to the digital world and skewing farther away from the traditional format of novels. Because of this, authors are finding new ways to capture the interest of young people, which in Satrapi's case, would be the format of a graphic novel. This has many other perks as well, such as how many scenes and incidences that take place in the story are better told in illustration form, than they would be in the for of a traditional book or novel. for instance, when the author was describing when the "Rex Cinema" was burned down, the illustrations give a level of severity based on the way they are drawn, in contrast to the rest of the story, with rigid lines to depict people in severe pain or experiencing death. Therefore it can be easily concluded that telling this specific story in the form of a graphic novel would portray parts of the novel in a way that a written book could not.
ReplyDeleteYou are totally right, Allie. More kids these days rather play video games or surf the web than read a book. The simplistic illustrations pique kids’ interest and complement the writing. These are the exact reasons why I love the Diary of the Wimpy Kid series.
DeleteIn Persepolis, the graphic novel by MarJane Satrapi, the story are better portrayed through images than words because in the dark times in the Islamic Revolution and how those times affected the people of the time, including Satrapi. The Islamic Revolution is an important and devastating time in history, which would have not been read by most unless put into a more modern format, like a graphic novel. To add on to that, the emotions and descriptions of the time is shown through Satrapi's childhood and how she had to grow up through this time and almost morph her life to fit the standards of those around her such as government officials, as shown on pages 14 and 15 where the cinema was being burnt down. The cinema being burnt down had"400 victims"(Satrapi 15). On this page there were images showing the souls of the victims flying towards the exit, but not being let out. These images spoke the entire story of the deaths of many behind the quote that could have not been further elaborated on through words. Also, on pages 70 and 71, there are images of Marjane's frustration with herself-conflict between what she is being told between her religion and what she believes about God. She was "lost, without any bearings"(Satrapi 71), which in the image on that same page is her in the universe, lost. This portrays her depression which would not have been shown in the best way possible. In conclusion, The images of Persepolis are better explained than the text, because it truly shows the frustration and devastation of the times of the Islamic Revolution and the effect they had on the people living during that time, such as Marjane.
ReplyDeleteJackie, I agree with your response. I also fell that the images depicted what it was like living through the islamic revolution and the frustration and devestation faced by the people who were impacted by it. I also agree with your statement that the addition of the graphics creates a bridge for the whole new generation to read about the Islamic Revolution.
DeleteJackie, I strongly agree with your prompt because without the illustrations in the text the readers would have been left confused and not be able to understand what is happening in the story.
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ReplyDeleteIn the graphic novel, Persepolis, the author mostly uses pictures to convey her message instead of words. In one example on page 77, Satrapi explains that her family "planned a vacation". The frame that is incorporated with this quote enhances the effect of the vacation in the reader’s mind by portraying Satrapi and her family as floating in a cloud. This symbolizes the bliss of ignorance that the vacation provided from the turmoil of Iran. Also, Satrapi explains that a prisoner of the government, Ahmadi, was tortured, and "burned... with an iron" (Satrapi 51). She provides a vividly descriptive frame to convey the pain of the victim. Words alone would not have such a profound effect. The author writes in this style, because it enables the reader to envision the story and find the meaning in Satrapi's words. The reader can create an empathetic link to the story. Satrapi uses images, because most people do not know what it is like to live in a conflicted setting. Pictures will allow for the readers to understand the complex themes of the novella, even if they are not familiar with the hardships and way of life in Iran at that time.
ReplyDeleteCaleb, I agree with you. Ahmadi’s pain that he suffered during his torture is best shown through the pictures, and would be weakened if the story was told in words or images alone.
DeleteIn the Graphic Novel, Persepolis, the author, Marjane Satrapi tends to use pictures instead of words when conveying her characters feelings and emotions instead of writing them. One example of this occurs on page 79 when Marji's famiy reacts to finding out they officially "are at war". The image depicts the reaction of several different members of her family members,that span over many generations, which really allows the reader to get a sense for what Marjane truly means by her words and clearly see the story the way she intended it too be seen. The whole book allows you to see the emotions of various characters and puts meaning behind the words being said and gives you almost a live look at what it was like growing up during the islamic revolution. We get to see how Marji remembers her parents and grandmother reaction to the news as a child which adds a whole different level to the graphic novel.
ReplyDeleteKyra, I 100% agree with your response. Indeed, on page 79, the exclamation of Satrapi's family members is certainly more effective than it would have been with just a line of text reading: "WHAT!?" Satrapi masters the combination of art and storytelling as she creates Persepolis.
DeleteIn Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoir, there are multiple events that are successfully expressed in pictures as opposed to being conveyed through words. To demonstrate, on page 89, the chaos created by people who are fleeing north, because “every border town was targeted by bombers” (Satrapi 89), is clearly depicted. The illusionistic, swirling lines evoke a sense of disorder and urgency to leave. Later in the memoir, Marjane effectively illustrates how her and her peers are lined “up twice a day to mourn the war dead” (Satrapi 95). To honor the “martyrs”, the students are forced to hit themselves in the chests because it is an Islamic tradition. The enlarged illustration on page 95 portrays how brainwashed these girls look as opposed to the session being described in words. In both instances, it would have been difficult for Marjane to create a lucid image in the readers’ minds of what she is describing through words only. Satrapi choses to tell her story in this medium because she is an obviously talented artist. The combination of words and images is ideal because it explains what is happening visibly, and the words provide extra information to help the reader understand the situation better.
ReplyDeleteLea, I agree with you because of Satrapi's use of an illustration on page 89 help depicts the dangers that people like Marjane had gone through during the Islamic Revolution. With the illustrations, the readers can understand the novel more and what is happening.
DeleteLike the panel on page 3 that we discussed in class, Lea, this panel also conveys the idea of uniformity in Iranian society; however, by varying the facial features of each woman, Satrapi allows the reader to ponder the unique qualities of each woman in a very restrictive society.
DeleteThroughout Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi uses a hybrid of pictures and text to help convey her perspective of life during the Islamic Revolution. Graphic novels help assist the reader to understand the author’s view of her life experiences. Specifically, on page 75, Satrapi compares the “two kinds of women”, the modern and the fundamentalist woman, and the “two kinds of men”, the progressive and the fundamentalist man of the Islamic Revolution. With these illustrations, the readers are able to perceive the different social systems that were present during the Revolution. Moreover, Marjane illustrates through pictures, the true and distinct emotions of the characters, whether it is depression or contentment. With this type of literary medium, Satrapi elucidates the complicated and distraught era of the Revolution to the readers. Together the illustrations and the text bind together to help convey the theme of the novel. Without the illustrations, the readers would be lost and unable to fully comprehend both the subject matter of the novel and the comprehensive lessons that are being conveyed.
ReplyDeleteSam, I completely agree with your views on the question and condone your masterful diction and word choice throughout the response. When you mentioned the example of the types of people on page 75, I immediately recalled the moment I first read that section over the summer and how the images greatly helped me understand Satrapi's full interpretation.
DeleteWithin the graphic novel, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Satrapi displays scenes more efficiently through images than words alone. One particular example is the illustration of the torture Ahmadi, a member of the Guerrillas. Jari and Moshen mention Ahmadi, who died in jail, is put through endless amounts of painful torture sessions as a member of the Guerrillas (Satrapi 51). Without the images illustrating Ahmadi’s suffering, the reader may not notice the true hatred the government has for revolutionaries. Additionally, the author captures the very emotional scene at the end of the novel through illustrations. The author states, “I turned around to see them one last time. It would have been better to just go” (Satrapi 153). In this heartbreaking scene, the tone of the words clearly express sadness, but do not capture the heartbreak effectively. The image allows the reader to witness Marjane’s parents breaking down in sadness as Marjane leaves them to go to Europe. Satrapi chooses to tell her story in this graphic novel form to attract a younger audience. Most children are not fond of reading long novels, but Persepolis allows them to learn about important world happenings, in a more entertaining manner. The combinations of words and pictures allow to display what each cannot do alone. The pictures display the scene to convey a deeper meaning, while the words summarize the importance of the images but are kept short and simple in order to not lose the reader's attention.
ReplyDeleteGood point about catering to a wider audience. Look at my comment below regarding the juxtaposition of graphic material and childish art.
DeleteIn the graphic novel Persepolis Marjane Satrapi combines the use of drawn pictures and text in order to portray tragic events using a simple art style. For example the scene on page 51 on which the guerrilla soldiers are tortured. The art style adds to the magnitude of the heart retching scene. Satrapi chose to tell her story in this medium to juxtapose it serious nature with a somewhat childish art style. This medium works well and panders to a wider audience that enjoy graphic novels, Satrapi tells a melancholic story through simple visuals.
ReplyDeleteLogan I agree with your statement, however, I am confused on what you mean when you say that "Satrapi chose to tell her story in this medium to juxtapose it serious nature with a somewhat childish art style," since the whole book has the same art style.
DeleteLogan, I totally agree with your claim however I also agree with Frank because your wording was a bit confusing. Other than that, your evidence it spot on and overall you did a very nice job with vocabulary and focusing in on how her story was meant to be perceived.
DeleteLogan,
DeleteYou make an insightful point about the juxtaposition of the serious material and the childish art. I'm curious as to why you think Satrapi employed this style.
Elizabeth, Frank thank you for this insightful feedback; i now realize how my wording could have been misinterpreted. What I meant was Satrapi's art style is not very detailed and gives off a sense of lightheartedness while the events being portrayed in the story are very serious. I hope this clears up any confusions you may have had regarding my response.
DeleteMarjane Satrapi, the author of the graphic novel Persepolis, decides to tell her story using pictures instead of words to enhance the meaning of emotional scenes. To illustrate, the fact that the reader can see the brutality and torture methods rebels had to endure such as whipping and flat irons (Satrapi 51) to invoke strong feelings of hatred towards these group of people so the reader knows exactly how Marjane Satrapi felt. Another example would be when Marjane Satrapi learned that Anoosh died and she felt like she was so lost which was illustrated by her floating around in empty space (Satrapi 71) to enhance how lonely she really felt. But, I think the real reason why Marjane Satrapi chose to do a graphic novel instead of a memoir is because she wanted to attract young readers despite the fact that her book is pretty dark. It helps young adults understand the meaning of certain scenes better.
ReplyDeleteOlivia, I completely agree with your response. Page 71 also stood out to me as well due to the fact that it was a very clever way illustrate the way that Marji feels in a literal way.
DeleteMarjane Satrapi, in the graphic novel Persepolis, uses pictures to illustrate what is going on in the story more than she uses words to show the emotional circumstances in the story. This is shown on page 71, when she finds out that Anoosh has perished. Marji felt lost without Anoosh, and this is emphasized by the image of her in the middle of open space. This image helps to show Marji's emotions at a horrible time like this. Furthermore, the use of images over words is shown even more when on page 40, Marji speaks of the glut of deaths following Black Friday. The image that goes along with that piece of texts is an image of the souls of the dead that had been murdered in those horrific days. Had the words been there without the picture, it most definitely would not have had the same effect.
ReplyDeleteTake a closer look at the panel you mention on page 40. What artistic strategy or technique does Satrapi utilize to achieve a certain effect? Notice facial expressions of the souls.
DeleteThere are numerous instances in the graphic novel, Persepolis, where the pictures tell Marji’s true feelings, rather than the words. Especially on page 17, when Marji is telling her parents that she wants to demonstrate on the street, her dad yells at her and says, “It is very dangerous, they shoot people!” By looking at the picture Marji's emotions are shown clearly, and you can tell how devastated she is that her parents will not let her fight for what she believes in. Marjane Satrapi uses these images to further convey what the words are saying, in a deeper meaning. Another example of this is when Marji says “we were overwhelmed”(Satrapi 83). The tears streaming down her face indicate how much her religion means to her, and how traumatized she was a such a young age. Satrapi choses to tell her story in this medium so people of all ages, including children, could easily understand it. Marjane Satrapi uses the combination of the images and words coincide with each other to create a more empowering and story.
ReplyDeleteLeah I completely agree with your strong claim and the evidence you used to back it up. For instance, when you used the first example about her parents going to the demonstration and not letting her go, was clearly portrayed in the faces of the parents.
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