Persepolis

This year must be the year of films, literature, and their adaptations. It seems that most of the films I want to see have been adapted, and consequently I want to read their literary counterpart.

After seeing the trailer for Persepolis, I found myself desperately wanting to read The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Persepolis is a autobiographic graphic novel following the life of Marjane, a young girl struggling to come to terms with changes in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. This series beautifully tells of the struggles with growing up a girl, more difficult than ever with the radical changes brought about by the revolution.

This collection completely engrossed me. Each panel I found myself trying to absorb every detail in the pictures, the contradictions between the talk bubbles and the actions, and the overall understanding one gains from reading this memoir.

While there is no way I could understand the struggles that a young Iranian woman goes through during this time period, Satrapi's piece does an eloquent job of giving the reader a great perspective. From Iran to Europe, and back and forth many more times, the transition between cultures, to the desperation in trying to connect with people no matter where you are, followed by the rebellion against your parents, culture, and society, Satrapi plays with feelings that are universally understood. Beyond that, she opens our eyes to a culture that is very different from Western culture but often struggles with the same issues.



I can't wait for the film to be released in the Mid-West or at least on DVD.