Post 1 Persepolis
A critic in The New York Times calls Persepolis: “the latest and one of the most delectable examples of a booming postmodern genre: autobiography by comic book.” Why do you think this genre is so popular? Why did Satrapi chose this format in which to tell her story? What does the visual aspect add that a conventional memoir lacks?
Describe Satrapi’s drawings. How do the drawings add to the narrative of the story?
How does Persepolis compare to other comic books you've seen (if you've seen any)? Would you call this a comic book, or does it transcend this and other categories? Where would you place this book in a bookstore? With memoirs, comic books, current events?
(questions courtesy Western Washington University).
Labels: Required
posted by Erin @ 8:00 AM
25 comments
25 Comments:
I think this book is really enjoyable to read because looking at pictures that are telling a story is much more interesting and catches the readers attention much quicker than just staring at typed words. Sometimes pictures can show expressions stronger than words can. The author's illustrations also showed how she viewed things as a child, rather than how they really were at the time. Persepolis is not a comic book. It is a memoir written in pictures.
Why do you think this genre is so popular?
* Because it stimulates your visual senses. Its like listening and watching a play rather than reading a book.
Why did Satrapi chose this format in which to tell her story?
* Because its more fun, plus she studied illustration and she can express herself in more than 1 way.
What does the visual aspect add that a conventional memoir lacks
* It lets you see what the author thinks and it gives the memoir more "flavor".
Describe Satrapi’s drawings. How do the drawings add to the narrative of the story?
* Her drawings are simple, informative and full of personality. They give you more visual details and say more than words could.
How does Persepolis compare to other comic books you've seen (if you've seen any)? Would you call this a comic book, or does it transcend this and other categories?
* Persepolis in longer than the regular comic book and knowing that there's a 2nd book it shows that this "comic story" has a sense of idea organization, regular comic books don't have this, they are usually unrelated stories that don;t follow an specific order. and . I wouldn't put the 2 in the same category.
Where would you place this book in a bookstore? With memoirs, comic books, current events?
* I would place it in the memoir section because it _is_ the recolection of her life from ages 6-14.
I agree with Blima. Reading while seeing the pictures is a fun way to read. It's like watching a movie with the caption on to get a better understanding of it. Also, her p.o.v of her current situation is very interesting. We can sort of compare it to how our mindset would have been if that were our reality at the time.
THIS IS DEFINETLY MORE INTERESTING THAN READING A REGULAR BOOK BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT FROM THE AUTHOR'S POINT OF VIEW AND ENTER INTO HER IMAGINATION BY LOOKING AT THE PICTURES.
I just finished our new book. I found it to be one of my favorite autobiographies ever!, I had never read any graphic "novels" so it was a unique experience. I won't ruin the story for anyone so here are my comments for pages 1-17: funny, witty and intelligent. I like the combination of history and her life, how we start to see what inlfuenced her ideas. (family-surrounding and books)
The style of writing an autobiography through a comic book is deffinately new and different. I think the style works because is makes for an easy enjoyable read. The pictures lighten the mood as they are often done in a somewhat comical way. This style also allows to see the image the author wants us too instead of having to create our own. This helps the author to get her point across even more clearly. Also because of all the pictures, the read is quick which many people can enjoy. If I were to put this book into a category, I would put it in a the comic book section because that is the style it is written in.
I AGREE WITH NORMA THAT THIS WAY OF WRITING IS MORE INTERESTING THAN A REGUALAR. YOU HAVE A GREATER IMAGINATION WHEN PICTURES ARE SHOWN. I THINK THAT PICTURES ARE A FASTER AND BETTER WAY FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ACTUAL STORY. I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN THAT IT MAKES IT LESS BORING. CANT WAIT TO READ MORE!
I think that the way she wrote this book is very interesting. I have never seen whole book written this way. I have seen comic strips, but not a whole story. I am looking foward to reading the rest of the book, because its really fun and enjoyable. I think its such a good idea that she wrote it with pictures, because it really captures the readers attention and keeps us interested. It also helps the reader really understand what the author is trying to say and imply.
By using visual illustrations, the author catches the reader's attention much more. Thus, the reading is quick and easy, and much more memorable. While reading, you can look at the illustrations and see the expressions of the characters. The pictures also show the point of view of the author because she is the one who drew the pictures, so she drew them the way that she felt best expresses her story. She expresses her memoir in an amusing way and it gives us a glimse of her personality. Unlike comic books, this memoir is a true story and is not written solely for amusement purposes;instead, it is an original and interesting way to portray her life-story. I agree with Carol that this is not like a regular comic book that consists of unrelated stories; therefore, comic books and this memoir should not be put in the same category.
I agree with Rachel in placing "Persepolis" into the memoir category. It is in esence the story of a certain time of her life, I think she tries to catch the reader by using comics but doesnt intend it to be seen as a mere comic strip.
This book is quite differnet from those that I have read before. It tells the story in a strange and intresting way. It shows you event that happen to help discribe the story in many differnet ways. This makes this book or comic what ever you feel like calling it very intrest to read.
I really enjoyed reading this book last night. I think the pictures helped to give me a visual image of what was going on in the writers head. I was able to feel as if I was thinking and experiencing the same feelings as her. I think the pictures help to catch the readers attention and keep them intrigued throughout the book.It is a really interesting way to write a story. I wouldnt classify "Persepolis" as a comic book, because this book is much longer then a comic book and it has a story and history to it, which is not the context of a normal comic book.
This book is suprisingly fun to read. The use of illustrations make it all the more interesting, this is probably the reason Satrapi chose this format. I won't call this a comic book.
I think that the pictures make the book much more interesting than it would be if there were no pictures there. I don't think I would enjoy the story as much if it didn't contain pictures. The pictures show you the character's expressions and add personality. A picture can say 1,000 words. They also help to make the story sort of comical. I don't think Persepolis is a comic book. I think the way Satrapi wrote this autobiography is very creative, interesting, and different.
I think that this genre is so popular, because it is very unique, in that it's an autobiography that gives a historical background as well as a visual of the author's perspective. I think that Satrapi chose this format,maybe because she didn't feel capable enough to express herself only in words. Maybe she also figured that her story would stay in people's memories longer if they could visualize it. I don't think that the visual aspect is necessarily better than a conventional memoir, since the reader is forced to see it through the author's eyes and can't use his/her own imagination. However, maybe Satrapi didn't want us to use our imaginations, rather try to understand her the way that she sees things. After all, authors of memoirs want their readers to see things from their points of view. Satrapi's drawings are very simple. When she draws herself among a group of other people, she does not distinguish herself from the others. Maybe that aspect of her drawings is trying to tell us that many people had some of the same experiences that she had.
I thought the first 17 pages of this novel were entertaining and well written. I have never read a graphic novel before this, and i think it is a brillant idea. For people who hate to read, like myself, it is a great way to convey a story, with pictures! I think the pictures add humor to the story, which would not necessarily be funny if just read. I am a big fan of this book so far and can't wait to continue reading.
I also agree with Linda Hoffmans post. I have never read a book like this before and I am looking forward to continue reading the book.
i agree with rachel. i would put this book under memoir. i think rachel made a really good point, when she said it doesnt matter how its presented...in the end its still a memoir
An image is worth million words. This genre is popular because it provides visual images. I think Satrapi chose this format because it is another way she can express herself. Her drawings are very simple which adds a different tone to the novel. I would not put this book in the comic section because it is about Satrapi's life and includes historical references. I would place this in the memoir section because it is about her eraly life.
The book is an easy read. Satrapi's pictures make it esy to visualize what she is experiencing.
i would place this this book under a memior, its just a matter of how she presents her memior and she does it through pictures.
There seem to be several reasons why I feel a genre like this: autobiography by comic book, is successful, especially for this topic. Marjane Satrapi is writing about such a serious topic that the genre type provides for the comic relief as well as a visual relief. Our contemporary times have shed very negative light about the middle east, Satrapi tells us this in her introduction that those views seen in the media are lacking in positive aspects about her culture and religion. Therefore, a comic book is a perfect way to inform others about the good things and about the human experience involved in the capricious government systems in Iran. As well, it is not nearly half as scary to buy a comic then it is to buy the huge political books so often seen addressing the Middle East.
I know that most of us, including myself, have commented that we would categorize this book as a memoir, however, I was doing research on complete-review.com and it clearly says that this book is under the genre of comic books. I don't really understand why. I felt this book was more serious and realistic than a regular comic book. Its not just some made up story for enjoyment. It is about the authors real life. I think if I was the one who had to decide, I would still place this in a genre of memoir.
The use of visuals is a good addition to Satrapi's autobiography because it adds a dose of much needed comic relief to such a serious subject. I think this type of autobiography is gaining popularity because it is a much easier read than anything else. I think Satrapi chose to write in an unconventional style, because she herself does not adhere to the conventional norms of her society. I would classify her book as a memoir.
I agree with Rachel that Persepolis should be considered a memoir and not a comic strip. This is just the way that the author presents her life. This is not meant for entertainment purposes necessarily. Satrapi's main purpose was for us to be aware of the facts. As an Iranian, she does not want to be judged based on a few extremists' wrongdoings, as she points out in her introduction.
In my opinion, this book is more interesting than some of the books I have already read for my other English classes, or at least just as interesting. This genre is popular because it is a new and unconventional way of reading about someone's past. Satrapi most likely choose this format because she wanted her novel to stand out from the other novels of that type. Most conventional memoirs lack pictures(pretty obvious), but this memoir allows the reader to get a sense or feel of the emotions the protagonist was feeling at that time. It also allows us to get a better understanding of the environment in which she lived. Persepolis is somewhat similar to some of the comics you see in the newspapers that involve political and economic humorour jokes.
Post a Comment
<< Home