A World Of Someone Else

The ability to identify with the book you read is what creates that everlasting impression we so often strive for from literature. So, what happens when you are engulfed by a world that is not your own? I don't mean somewhere far, far away in the galaxy. What I mean is this; a country with rules and restrictions that are so dehumanizing, that it doesn't seem like Earth at all. How do you identify with that? This is the exact scenario we see in Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. As I read this book, it was easy to feel invincible like the little girl at the beginning of the book who wants nothing more than to be a modern day prophet. But then, we are exposed to mass killings, and find our main character in the midst of war. What would it feel like to be inside your own version of Holocaust? I couldn't give you an answer to that, ever. Discrimination, oppression, death...something we associate with history textbooks becomes all too real in this memoir. I would like to say that I could empathize with the main character, but I feel as if that would be a disservice to her message for others. As an American in the modern world, my life is privileged without question. I am able to think for myself, say what I want, dress how I like, and work where I'm comfortable. So, yes, it's hard to connect with this book. But that's not to say that I'm not shocked and left with a lasting impression on what life could be like for me. Taking a look at the artwork, we see images that are defined by their lines. I'll use pages 76 and 77 as an example. Page 77 features swirling lines that suggest a dreamlike state, as the narrator mentions that her family escapes on vacation to Spain. I can imagine that a trip like this might seem like going to Disneyland for us. The swirling lines allow us to feel comforted and calm. However, on page 76, motion lines and jagged word bubbles create tension and chaos. We are meant to feel the stress that the narrator takes us through. This patterns is repeated throughout the novel, and provides insight to the author's emotions during each event laid out in the novel. This is truly a remarkable piece of literature.

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ENG 4433: Topics in World Lit

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