Marji, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood.
Before I first
picked up the book, I had definitely underestimated the potential value of
reading Persepolis: The Story of a
Childhood. The comic book, written by Marjane Satrapi, demonstrated the
potential of comparative study. Political Science 299: Comparative Politics is
designed as a method of studying the different governments, specifically each
government's level of democratization. We may find ourselves struggling to
understand the actions of leaders of foreign governments because we do not
entirely understand the variety of factors, including those that deal with economics,
religious motivations, and "strange" cultural practices that
influence those decisions. Still, we can always find at least some level of
mutual understanding with the experiences of other people. Persepolis:
The Story of a Childhood successfully adds that human element to our
course of study.
Catholic Nun teaching her “properly
dressed” students.
Marjane Satrapi
utilizes pop culture references that almost anyone can find relatable. As an
alumnus of Catholic Junior High and Catholic High School, I can relate to
Marji's frustration with her school's strict dress code, as well as what she
perceives as her school's attempts to indoctrinate its students. When I was 14
years old, I remember becoming frustrated with what my school was teaching its
students. We all asked a lot of questions, but no one seemed to appreciate our
inquisitive nature. When the woman chastises Marji in the street for dressing
somewhat quirky, proudly displaying her Michael Jackson and Iron Maiden
memorabilia, I definitely could relate to her frustration. How would I have
made it through my pre-teen years if I had not been able to proudly display my
loyalty to the Minnesota Vikings or my favorite band, Nirvana? The angst
we experience when growing up is obviously a universal phenomenon.
After reading Persepolis:
The Story of a Childhood, I became somewhat angry, and I asked myself,
"Why had I not read this sooner?" This comic book, although relevant
for people of all ages, would have the greatest affect on readers the same age
as Marji, the story's main character. Until I traveled to Guatemala, I don't
believe I understood the true meaning of the phrase, "the universal human
experience". I learned that people are people, and everyone, regardless of
their background, tend to have similar desires, regrets, worries, etc.
Holden Caulfield, The
Catcher in the Rye.
Although I do not
want to discredit the power of traveling abroad and experiencing other
cultures, I do not think that we have to wait for such opportunities to begin
to understand the concept, "people are people". If I had read this
book when I was 14, I believe the experience would have had a noticeable impact
on my worldview. When I was in junior high, The
Catcher in the Rye was not a part of our schools curriculum (I assume
that the school believed that the book's content was unsuitable for a Catholic
School). Still, I read the book independent of my English class at school.
Reading The
Catcher in the Rye was a powerful experience. Holden Caulfield, the
book's main character, presented a character universally relatable for almost
all teenagers; anybody who read Catcher in the Rye during
their early teens understands.
These books, The Catcher in
the Rye and Persepolis:
The Story of a Childhood provide an artistic experience that promotes
empathy, an emotion that can have nothing but a positive effect on the world. I
do not understand why these books, as well as other similar books, do not make
up a larger part of middle school and secondary school curriculums.
“Late Thursday afternoon, after losing a series of attempts to include
Hispanic history in state social studies standards, State Board of Education member
Mary Helen Berlanga gazed down at a new stack of amendments — stripping
victories she thought she had gained at a meeting in January, including the
inclusion of Hispanic heroes of the Alamo.” The
Texas Tribune
No comments:
Post a Comment