Comic Notes: Persepolis 2

November 15th, 2006

Persepolis 2, a autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, documents Marjane’s growth through adolescence and into young adulthood. By book’s end, she has experienced more in the first quarter of her life than most go through in the entirety of theirs.

The graphic novel continues on where Persepolis 1 left off. Marjane’s parents have sent her from Iran (still at war with Iraq) to live in Vienna. She experiences the typical growing pains of teenager-hood, except mixed with the “outsider” status of an Iranian immigrant without a family to support her. She feels guilt because people are dying in her country and she is not experiencing it, but also resentment towards her own culture, in that she is free to experience the artistic and sexual freedoms of the west.

However, these freedoms fail Marjane as she is shuffled from home to home, and at last spends a period of time homeless on the streets. Eventually, she returns to Iran, hoping for a more sensible life, but falls into another situation of uncertain identity. Her marriage to a stable, Iranian man is initially embraced but soon falls apart. It’s clear that the free thinking Marjane experienced (and sometimes resisted) while away from Iran actually changed her more than she realized. She now lives in Paris.

That said, there is still much opportunity for humor and wry observations along the way. Especially funny to me, is her relationship with a particularly wimpy writer Markus, and her art-school experiences in Iran. Marjane also has an ability to make openness and confession entertaining in a way that doesn’t seem like you’re just reading someone’s self-centered diary (or blog). I think it’s because she understands the cultural context for her experiences. Even the break-up of two lovers is somehow given a political analogy.

Note: Here’s a link to Marjane’s blog. Also, Persepolis is being made into an animated film, to be released in 2007. It looks like the film retains the stark, graphic design look of the comic. I for one will want to see it.