Persepolis

Top frame on page 102. The young boys dying with the “keys to Paradise” around their necks. So, so sad to see children die for a cause they did not understand. With war going on, the financially poor children did not know what to believe in anymore. This was taken advantage of as mentioned in the panels before it. This single large frame just shows how easily some are so willing to drag others into a conflict. Not a care in the world for the well-being of others. Nearly impoverished, the boys were willing to accept those lies fed to them in the shape of a key because anything was better than what they had then; virtually nothing. Also, it could also be seen as a form of ordered genocide. Well, the most of Iran the media pumps out is nothing in direct relation to the war back in the 1980s. All we see is political conflict and not… militarized conflict. Without researching we have no choice, but to accept Satrapi’s memoir as a historical record. Not to say it’s inaccurate or misleading. She remembers this event as a twelve-year old would then. If she were an adult then the perhaps this memoir would have been different. Generally speaking, a child is more innocent and less biased. So, it can be said that this depiction is accurate and instead of confirming or dispelling my preconceived notions about the conflict (considering I had none to begin with) it gives me one for a change.

Panels 2 through 4 on page 142. The significance can only be told through a sequence like this. Where Satrapi and her mother see the bracelet still attached to… Well, I’d rather not say. Their neighbor Neda.. Her death. Death is a very devastating thing. When I saw these panels I felt like I could rally connect. Everyone experiences the death of friends… Family… But it really doesn’t really hit you when you imagine the loss that comes with it. If America was war torn and neighborhoods were being destroyed the fear of the ones you love consumes you. Satrapi, I think, wants the readers to realize the natural occurrence of death is circumstantial. It really hit me hard when I let my imagination run wild and think if my family, my friends, or anyone I knew died from a missile attack. I had to stop reading for a good 30 minutes due to the scenario being not only scary, but traumatizing. Not to sound too political or anything of the sort, but safety within a country is taken for granted here. But “freedom” is too in a sense. America has enough artillery to glass the planet several times over (70 times last time I heard). I personally think we need to pull out and rely on our artillery to counter ICBMs. We need to focus on our internal affairs instead. Now I feel like I contradicted myself… Hrmm… oh well. Working on this at 5 am isn't a smart idea after all.