Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 1: the Story of a Childhood. Pantheon, 2003.
In the story Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, Marjane Satrapi tells the story of her life, growing up
in Tehran. Satrapi portrays her childhood as a happy one, until the Islamic Revolution destroys her life
as she knows it. Very quickly we see the revolution start to happen as mobs of people attack a statue
of the Shah. Protestors begin shouting, massacres take place, and the country is left in chaos. 
Through the drawings and style of a graphic novel, Satrapi paints a picture for her readers to
understand her experiences through the eyes of a young girl. The confusion of all the changes and
her inability to fully comprehend and understand the dangers and turmoil of her country at war can be
found in the pages of this novel. The images are filled with sadness, anger, and confusion. Guns firing,
family and friends disappearing and never heard from again, bombs being dropped. All the images
that one would expect from a war zone. However this so-called war zone was also Satrapi’s home. 
As Satrapi gets older and is able to better understand the dangers of her hometown, she allows her
parents to send her to Vienna to escape the dangers of war. She gives away all her prized possessions;
her rock posters. She collects a jar of Iranian soil, and says her goodbyes to her friends and family. The
story ends as she is heading towards her airplane, leaving her country behind. The reader is left
unknowing whether Satrapi ever reunites with her family again.
 I found this to be a touching story, full of love and compassion with the backdrop of the horrors of war
intermingled. The fact that this story was told from a young child’s perspective can help readers of the
same age resonant and understand what Satrapi was going through and how she felt as she went
through it.     
  
For fans of Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, I recommend checking out the next book in the series, Persepolis: The Story of a Return. Marjane’s story continues as her life takes her away from her beloved Iran.

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