Thursday, November 6, 2014

Reading Response: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi





Fransheska Sermeño                                                                                                     11-6-14
812                                                                                                                                   ELA

                                                                Persepolis

         Parents and teachers have been banning books and have been debating whether or not to ban them for good or to keep them to help others understand about these topics included in books. A great example of a banned book is Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi because this has a few mature topics like violence and strong language and even sexual content. The book is about this girl named Marji who grew up during the Islamic Revolution in Iran. She lives in Tehran and grows up listening about different opinions and observing violence all over her neighborhood. Many social issues are brought up in the book which could affect the persons opinion on whether or not to ban it. No books should be banned base don ther content because it can teach teens and kids.

Persepolis can be very educational and teach kids and teens about the Islamic Revolution in Iran and what actually happened during this. The character Marji was very little when she wanted to know what was going on during this time and so she grew up with her parents who protested against the dictator beliefs and wanted everyone to know about what they thought about this situation. She was always informed on what was going on so she was always aware. In the book the author wrote ¨To enlighten me they bought me books. I knew everything about the children of Palestine. About Fidel Castro. About the younge vietnamese killed by the Americans. About the revolutionarys of my country. But my favorite was a comic book entitled ¨Dialectic Materialism¨. The younge Marji was every interested and intrigued about this revolution that her parents always mentioned. They even wanted to educate her about the revolution so that she was learning what was going around her neighborhood. Persepolis shows you in pictures about the revolution and teaches children about important things like this which can form groups and opinions that also educate children.

               Throughout some parts of the book the author has some images [because it is a graphic novel] of her life during the revolution that includes torture and coarse language that might worry some parents and teachers. This can really help children to realize in what type of world they live in. In the book the author states ¨The key to paradise was for poor people. Thousands of young kids, promised a better life, exploded on the minefields with their keys around their neck and also ¨ They insulted me. They said women like me should be be pushed up against a wall and fucked. And then thrown in the garbage.¨ These are some of the many coarse language and intense scenes of the book which could make people think that this book should be banned. However, believing that children can't read these books because of there content means they wont grow up knowing these types of things can happen.

Many different cultures have strict rules or certain regulations you need to follow. This book can help children notice that here in America we have very different ways of living. In Iran most women and men had to dress in a certain way and make sure that they followed there religion. Marji was also very religiuos and believed in God. In the book Marji would have conversations with God at night and talk to him about her ideas on life. There conversations would go like this ¨You want to be a doctor? I thought that…¨ started God. ¨ No, no, I will be a prophet but they musn't know. I want to justice, love and the wrath of God all in one.¨ Throughout the book her opinions on religion and culture change and shape her to the women she is now. Children need this type of education; about the world we live in to see how other people live.

The experience of reading Persepolis as a teenager is a great experienceand can inform them about many mature topics in reality like violence torture and language. Pearents and teachers should not ban these types of books beacuse it teaches children and provids them a chance to experience this. Insted of banning them teachers should start to let everyone get interested and inculde them in your curriculum. Don't ban books because of the context they should be allowed for everyone to read!








No comments:

Post a Comment