Fire In Persepolis
Persepolis is a graphic novel written by Marjane
Satrapi, who was growing up during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970’s. The novel displays her experience during the Revolution and shows how it impacted her as a child and the environment she lived. Almost all of the pictures she draws in the graphic novel have a lot more thought put into them than the average reader might think. For example the image to the right (Persepolis, page 44, far-right center) shows many different things when looked at a little more closely. To add some context to the image first, Satrapi is explaining the Cinema Rex Fire, she explains that the fire was started by the government and that they locked all the doors in the cinema and, as the caption says, “forbade …show more content…
While the theatre was full of people the government soldiers set fire to the building and locked the doors so no one could escape. When family members realized their loved ones were inside, the guards prevented them from going inside to save the burning people. The government’s killing of its own citizens just added fuel to the fire and added more determination for them to fight back.
There are many different ways in which someone could interpret this image from first glance. From looking at the caption the reader could clearly think look at the image as if the big men in black are the policemen who are blocking people from entering the cinema. Which is true, but looking at more of the details in the picture it could be interpreted as Hell. The flames in the background represent the setting in Hell, the policemen standing all together looking down can be represented as the devil looking at the chaos that is happening. Which can also tie into the revolution, because many people could describe the Iranian Revolution as Hell. The picture makes it clear that the ruling government was very brutal and uncaring towards the people.
The reader is not given alternative viewpoints to consider. The picture and this section of the book reinforces the brutality of the
Satrapi, who was growing up during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970’s. The novel displays her experience during the Revolution and shows how it impacted her as a child and the environment she lived. Almost all of the pictures she draws in the graphic novel have a lot more thought put into them than the average reader might think. For example the image to the right (Persepolis, page 44, far-right center) shows many different things when looked at a little more closely. To add some context to the image first, Satrapi is explaining the Cinema Rex Fire, she explains that the fire was started by the government and that they locked all the doors in the cinema and, as the caption says, “forbade …show more content…
While the theatre was full of people the government soldiers set fire to the building and locked the doors so no one could escape. When family members realized their loved ones were inside, the guards prevented them from going inside to save the burning people. The government’s killing of its own citizens just added fuel to the fire and added more determination for them to fight back.
There are many different ways in which someone could interpret this image from first glance. From looking at the caption the reader could clearly think look at the image as if the big men in black are the policemen who are blocking people from entering the cinema. Which is true, but looking at more of the details in the picture it could be interpreted as Hell. The flames in the background represent the setting in Hell, the policemen standing all together looking down can be represented as the devil looking at the chaos that is happening. Which can also tie into the revolution, because many people could describe the Iranian Revolution as Hell. The picture makes it clear that the ruling government was very brutal and uncaring towards the people.
The reader is not given alternative viewpoints to consider. The picture and this section of the book reinforces the brutality of the