Introduction
We have gotten started on Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis. Thus far in the story, she talks about how her life was and how it has changed with the Islamic Revolution beginning. Scroll down and follow the links to answer the questions and share your thoughts on Persepolis so far. Not all of the sections will require a website so please carefully read the directions for each section.
Below is a video clip of the movie:
Task
Section One: Root Words and other Affixes
This first part does not require any website. Go through and fill in the parts of the graph which are missing. Part of the graph is filled in for you to reference.
| Word | Identifiable Root Words or Affixes (IRWA) | Definition |
| discovered | dis - / cover - hide | To uncover |
| discussed | dis - apart / cuss - investigate | To talk and investigate |
| geographic | geo - / graph - | Writing of the Earth |
| returned | re - to do over again / turn - come | To come back |
| exports | ex - to leave / port - items which are portable | |
| invaders | in - to enter / vade - come without permission | |
| connection | con - to be with / nec - binding | to be with in some way |
| retaliation | re - to redo / tali - in return | to do something in return, often out of spite |
| bilingual | bi - / lingual - | two languages |
| democracy | dem - people / cracy - rule or power |
Section Two: Vocabulary
Refer to this website and fill in the missing definitions for any words which you might not recognize: https://www.dictionary.com/
1) Decadence
2) Capitalism
3) Decadence
4) Prophet
5) Martyr
6) Guerilla
7) Democracy
8) Effigy
Section Three: Questions about Persepolis
1) What are the roles of these characters? (What is something they believe in? Who are they to Marji? What do they do in the novel? ect.)
Marji:
Grandma:
Marji's parents:
Mehri (page 34):
The Shah (introduction):
Siamak (page 47):
Uncle Anoosh (page 54):
2) Who took in the Shah when he fled Iran? Page 43.
3) Why was Marji's mother afraid when her picture was taken and published in an Iranian newspaper? (page 5)
4) Explain what happened on page 14-15.
5) On page 52, what do you believe that Marji is feeling when Laly tells her that her dad is alive and a hero? Why?
6) Why is Marji confused when her teacher tells them to rip out the pictures of the Shah from her book? Page 44.
7) Why do you think that Marji will not confess to wanting to be the last prophet? Pages 8-13.
8) What are some methods of torture used by the Shah's army? Why were they torturing people? Page 50-52.
9) Define Symbolism.
10) Something happens with Anoosh between pages 61-72 in the chapter entitled, "The Sheep". What happens and why?
11) Pick a chapter and discuss why it is called what it is. Use page numbers from the text to support your answer.
12) Pick a panel of the graphics and discuss why it stands out to you. Do the illustrations stand out to you? They colors used in them? How well the illustrations help us to understand how a character is feeling?
13) On pages 45 and 50, nails are mentioned in two different contexts yet they are a symbol for something. What do you believe they symbolize? Reference the text.
14) The text opens up with a discussion about the requirement of wearing a veil. What do you believe this means for Marji? Keep in mind that the veil takes away Mar Page 3-4.
Section Four: Watch this video and respond with your favorite thing about it.