Dear, blogging world inspired by the recent GOP nomination race and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi I want to further look at the concept of Islamophobia and it impact on writing. Ever since Donald Trump has announced he’s nomination for President he has blamed Islam and Muslims for must of American problems. Combining this talk that is consuming all news outlets with my recent reading of Persepolis I wonder the effect this mind set could have on a Life narrative or a memoir coming from an Islamic region.
Jelodar, esmaeil Zeiny, Noraini Md Yusof, and Ruzy Suliza Hashim credit the grow in Muslim women memoir in the literary market in the West to the falling of the Twin Towers on September 11th 2001. (Jelodar 215) With this spike in growth however came the hand of western influences. Jelodar question the validity of many of the memoirs in the literary market place, “these depictions are rarely thruthful and realistic; they are, oftentimes, replete with stereotypes and generalizations.” (Jelodar 215) with this understanding it makes it hard for me to think how can I tell the different between the real struggles of and Islamic women and what the West wants me to think. However, Jelodar give praise to the work of Marjane Satrapi and Persepolis which gives me validity in the knowledge I am able to take from it. (Jelodar 218)
Persepolis used and relatively new medium to describe her story. Creating a graphic novel memoir, this distinguished her from other Iranian women memoirs. (Jeldoar 219) As well “Satrapi’s graphic narrative assists her to connect to a broader and more diverse readership than other Iranian memoirs.” (Jeldoar 219) I agree with this although I never read comic books as a child, I did read some graphic novels and I found this the most interesting and easiest book to read all year. Jeldoar also credits some of the success Persepolis was able to achieve to its publishing date and how soon after 9/11 is came. (Jeldoar 219) The after math of 9/11 gave birth to a strong curiosity of western to understand the Middle East more. Amy Malek shares these ideas of a strong market place of these memoirs. (Malek 353)
It clear that a significant event such as 9/11 can have a strong impact on a nation, as well it can have a strong impact on a literary market. Creating new interest in different subjects or regions. Allowing for more writing to come from those people or that place. However, its clear that the west can have a strong influence on what comes out. With this conclusion I wonder what other events in history have cause shifts like this one.
Work Cited
Amy Malek. “Memoir as Iranian Exile Cultural Production: A Case Study of Marjane Satrapi’s “persepolis” Series”. Iranian Studies 39.3 (2006): 353–380. Web 18 Mar. 2016 .
Jelodar, Esmaeil Zeiny, Noraini Md Yusof, and Ruzy Suliza Hashim. “Muslim Women’s Memoirs: Disclosing Violence Or Reproducing Islamophobia?” Asian Social Science 10.14 (2014): 215-23. ProQuest. 18 Mar. 2016 .
