Guest Blog: Jane Fitzpatrick, Contributing Writer for Religion Matters

Review of Persepolis: The Story of Childhood (2004) by Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi has created an unforgettable artifact of the Iranian Revolution through her autobiographical coming-of-age memoir. Formatted as a black-and-white graphic novel, it was listed as one of the top 100 books of the 21st century by the New York Times. The complete narrative is actually spread across two works: Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. Both volumes were recently re-released (The Complete Persepolis) in honor of the 20th anniversary of Persepolis 1.

About the Book

As an autobiography, the content of this work is honest and insightful. It tells the story of a young girl who faces religious and political turmoil both within herself and across her external environments. Enwrapped in protests and religious tradition, she finds her own path that winds through the artistic side of European culture. Xenophobia, drugs, and heartbreak mark her with emotional wounds that eventually lead to homelessness. When she is finally able to return to Iran, she tries to rebuild her life. She gets married but falls out of love, so her parents encourage her to move back to Europe.

Although Marjane’s story is uniquely individual, her experiences offer an understanding of a tumultuous time in Iranian history and a lived study of Islam. She engages in complex conversations with God that reflect both the difficulties of enjoying a modern lifestyle and her confusion as she seeks her own path of faith and welfare. The dark promises of martyrdom, projected onto young men shoved into the war with Iraq, add to her confusion. Above all else, Marjane seeks freedom.

Europe is certainly filled with looser expectations on self expression and sexuality than Marjane is used to, but she experiences a stronger pull toward her Iranian identity than she had expected upon her arrival to the strangely-new environment. Struggles with emotional health ultimately lead Marjane back to Iran and into a marriage that only doubles the obstacles for attaining a true sense of freedom. In the end, Marjane decides it is best to return to Europe. This time around, however, she offers a more heartfelt farewell to Iran.

Using this Book as a Learning Tool

The graphic novel format makes Persepolis accessible and engaging for a wide age range. However, because of the content, I recommend this work for upper level high school students and college students. The book has also been adapted into a film that maintains the same graphic art style. Dubbed into multiple languages, it’s great for students who struggle with literature, but take an interest in visual arts. Click here to see a trailer.

For teaching this text and its rich coming of age story, I recommend assigning this book within a two to three week time frame, then showing the film and implementing discussions as needed.

The graphic style means that students can read the book fairly quickly, but the historical context may be new or difficult. Be sure to provide the history and implications of the Iranian Revolution, as well as a basic understanding of Islamic culture, so students can grasp the context influencing the main character.

For more information on the Iranian Revolution and Islamic culture, check out these resources:

“The Iranian Revolution – A timeline of events” from the Brookings Institution

“The Graphics of Revolution and War; Iranian Poster Arts” from the University of Chicago Library

Thorough discussions will enhance their experience, making it more profound and more meaningful. These Book Club discussion questions are a great place to start. A number of other sites also offer study guides, lesson plans, and additional teaching resources, so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

Study.com – Persepolis Study Guide

Prestwick House — How to Teach Persepolis

The Practical English Teacher – Free Unit for Persepolis

Quizlet’s Persepolis Study Guide and Flashcards

Teachers Pay Teachers – Persepolis Resources

Trigger Warnings

Persepolis deals with a number of difficult topics, including drug use, sexuality, mental health issues, and suicide. You may already have your own approach to offering trigger warnings. If not, here are a few options to get you started.

Resources for warning students about content featuring mental health challenges

“An Introduction to Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings” from the University of Michigan

“#MHYALit: Talking about mental health related-books and issues with teens”  from the Teen Librarian Toolbox by School Library Journal

Conclusion

I personally read this book in high school and then again in college. I was able to understand more of the political and historical contexts during my second encounter with the book. However, engaging with the story of a girl who experienced the world from a very different perspective than mine, yet who came across as perfectly relatable, was eye-opening for me as a teenager. A critical aspect of teaching religions to young people is demonstrating that it is possible to find connections and common ground with someone who identifies with a different faith or background. Graphic novels are unique and easy to digest, making Persepolis a fantastic classroom resource.

About the Author

Jane Fitzpatrick is an avid researcher of the intersections between religious traditions and international affairs with a passion for opera and art. She earned her master’s degree in International Affairs from Penn State University and has a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from Gettysburg College. Jane has previously provided research assistance for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Strategic Religious Engagement Unit of the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Army War College. Jane’s work has also been published through The Interfaith Observer, The London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog, and more. In 2023, Jane became a Contributing Columnist for AppreciateOpera.org.