The past two weeks we have been discussing the graphic narrative “Persepolis”. The narrative is about a young girl, Marji, and her life through the Iranian Revolution, and subsequent Iran-Iraq war. It is about memory, and I have my own memory connection to the narrative. I had read it previously as a child, out of interest. Reading it for a second time, more grown up, I have noticed and analyzed things very differently. I had read the book when I was nine-year-old, around 2008. Almost a decade on, I am older, more experienced, and more well versed with academia.
The first time I read the narrative, I chose it because out of all the books, it was the one with pictures. Such was the logic behind the majority of my classmates at the time. Opening it, I was pleased to discover it had many full page and action drawings that I enjoyed looking at. Being so focused on the parts of the narrative that were depictions of action, I had not fully understood what the genre of the graphic novel/narrative had brought to the story. Reading Persepolis again, I took so much more from it, the richness of the images and the way they could depict metaphors and symbols that a text book could not.
Reading Persepolis for a second time, I realize that I did not fully understand the subsistence and depth of the story that I thought I did reading it for the first time. Previously, my general thought of the story was merely based on the literal narratives such as living in a war-torn country. Reading it a second time, I understand and recognize much more, such as the broader themes; family, loss of youth, and freedom. I can confidently say that I appreciate the story much more than I remember as it has multiple layers and metaphors such as the veil and the golden keys, that I would have previously disregarded as “unimportant”. An actual quote from my book report as a nine-year-old, “Persepolis was interesting at some points but I did not enjoy the pacing in it” Clearly my opinion has diverged much in the decade that has passed since my first reading.
One thing that has really changed in ten years has been my perspective and experience. Being able to travel, and learn different cultures has allowed me to gain a particular appreciation for them. I had a unique experience that connected to many broad concepts that are discussed in the book. Back in Ottawa, I tutored Syrian refugee children in reading and writing. Not only that, but I became more familiar with them after hosting events and participating in fundraisers for the children. They told me stories that have some of the aspects that Marji experiences. Both Marji and the children that I tutored were children growing up in a tumultuous time. They had told me that many of their friends fled the city of Aleppo and they were always worried about the chance of a missile strike. Luckily, they were sponsored by my high school to be given refuge in Canada and have started a new life. This life experience gave me a new perspective on the book Persepolis. When I was first reading it, I did not necessary understand any of the real world implications of war, the tragic outcomes, and the torn families. Reading it a second time, I felt a small part of the children in Marji and what they must have endured. While reading, I felt even more empathy for the characters, having been told firsthand what living in a society set on violence, and devoid of joy was like.
My second reading of Persepolis was quite different than my first. How I view the genre of graphic novels/narratives has changed from purely looking for the cool action pages, to understanding and appreciating the depth that the genre can offer. My perspective has changed through experiences such as working with Syrian refugee youth, and how that has impacted how I read Persepolis.
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself” – Mohsin Hamid
