Historical Context (final blog)-Owain

Why was this book controversial? Which themes or ideas were challenging to society?  

                 Marjane Satrapi is the author of Persepolis, and its a autobiography book. Persepolis is basically about how Marjane tells about her and other peoples opinions during the Islamic Revolution and Iraq & Iran war, and mainly as her experience as a 10 year old growing up during the Islamic Revolution and Iraq & Iran war.  Persepolis is a book that could only be understood by 13 years and up.

             Last year 2013 on March 22nd, it had been been over a week since the Chicago Public School system made a move to restrict student access to Persepolis. Chicago Public School CEO said the book was being removed because “It was brought to our attention that it contains graphic language and images that are not appropriate for general use.” Even though the book was published in France, the book was translated into many languages. But in 2003 the book was published in the United States, and in 2007 Persepolis was adapted to film.

               Also, Chicago Public School’s office chief of teaching and learning, explained why the book was no longer going to be required reading for grades 7-10. "We want to make sure that the message about inhumanity is what kids walk away with, not the images of someone with exposed body parts urinating on someone’s back or someone’s being tortured,” and “We are not protesting the value of this book as a work of art. We just want to make sure that when we put this book into the hands of students, they have the background, the maturity to appreciate the book." While the book will still be taught in grades 11 and 12 and in Advance Placement classes, protests and read-ins were held in response to the decision. Over 100 Students and teachers in Chicago stood outside Lane Tech College Prep to protest, some holding signs that said “Banning Books… Closing Schools.

           Finally, throughout the novel, Marjane feels the act of stretching between the great and glorious past of the Persian Empire and the violence and problems with Iran today. She thinks of herself as a symbol of love and tolerance. When the Iran-Iraq War begins, she violently defends it as a just cause and relates it to a 1400-year conflict that has been to carry on a war between the Arabs and the Persians. Marjane's pride in her history is in direct conflict with the feeling of being in prison of political revolutionaries and, later, the execution of those that speak out against the strict cultural demands of the Islamic regime.

         These are my three arguments in why Persepolis is a controversial book and what theme was challenging to understand in the society. I think that overall that this book could be used as a great example during debates that relate to the story the Marjane shared. Persepolis is a book that could only be understood by 13 years and up.

                                           

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