Christina Houck - Persepolis

By Anonymous -
I am not a big fan of graphic novels.  I have always been sort of a traditionalist when it comes to literature.  My preference is a long book with no pictures, as it leaves much to the imagination.  Graphic novels, although creative, have always taken away a sense of wonder to a book.  As my minds eye creates the character, a picture might ruin that image and leave me disappointed with the outcome.  For this reason, I do not really like the idea of using a graphic novel in the classroom.  However, I know that there are many people who lack the creative imagination that comes with reading.  These graphic novels make literature interesting to them because they do not have to conjure an image that they are unsure of how to produce.

On the actual topic of Persepolis, I was very shocked by the events that were described in this book.  I will admit ignorance to a lot of their cultural traits including their religion, morals, and social lives, but after reading this book, I feel more informed on the lifestyles I knew nothing about.  I was not a fan of fully opening our borders to immigrants who have experienced the touches of war, but reading this novel has given me a new perspective.  I cannot say for sure that it has changed my mind, but I understand more of what the fears they face.

The overbearing and obvious sexism that occurs as a result of the war caught me off guard.  From what I have known, for many women they had a choice in the modesty of their appearance.  Persepolis has somewhat countered what I have believed, showing me that some are indeed forced to be dressed in a "modest" appearance, while the men are not held accountable for their "lustful" behavior.  To be very honest, I know nothing of this war (past what the novel tells me).  I did not know how severely the people of the countries suffered, nor how tortured the innocent have become.

A good book opens the mind for the reevaluation of things.  It makes you question what you know.  It challenges your beliefs and shakes your mind to accept a new knowledge.  I feel that Persepolis does these things.

This novel has given me a lot to think about.

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