Illustrated Revolution

[commonpeople1]

Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, 2004
Marjane Satrapi was ten-years-old when the Islamic revolution took away her freedom and rights, thrusting Iran back into the Dark Ages. Through simple but elegant illustrations, Satrapi tells the story of her childhood in Tehran during this time in her country's history. She shows the horrors and deprivations caused by the rise of religious extremists, as well as the bitter humour and courage that each ordinary citizen found to survive such a period.

The amazing thing about this graphic novel is how Satrapi can convey and stir emotions through illustrations. The themes she explores are universal - families torn apart, innocents persecuted, evil gaining power - but she makes them all the more powerful by injecting her young self's punk humour into the storytelling and making the reader care for her and her family. There's a sequel, which I can't wait to read, as well as a film, which is being touted as 2008's winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar.

With Iran so often villified in the media, it's good to be reminded that the people in that country are just like you and I: not necessarily the choosers of their regime; and certainly not deserving of any bombs coming their way.

Comments

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It's deceptively simple, I think. Looking closely at some of the scenes, I think she put a lot of time and thought into it - she kinda distilled the images and packed a punch in most cases.

[vyxle.livejournal.com]

Oh, she obviously put a lot of time and thought into it--by simple I mean clean lines, flattened perspective, blocky coloring, etc. At first glance it seems almost like an immature or unskilled style, which was perhaps why it was in the end, so mind blowing (to me)--she would constantly surprise with really strong, powerful imagery. I read a lot of graphic novels, and it was a big stylistic departure from anything I've seen at a mainstream level.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yes, I totally agree.