I had already heard about this 14-year-old girl from my mom before I read these articles. But the articles gave me more information on the subject. That Malala got shot because she was protesting her right to learn as a woman. She got shot in the head, because she wanted to go to school.
I feel like I haven't been very grateful. I get to go to school everyday. I learn something new everyday. I get to have homework to reinforce these new ideas and skills. With each day that passes I become closer to my goal of getting into college and pursuing the job of my dreams. 10 months out of the year I get to do this without a worry in my head. Meanwhile, in a country not very far away, there's a girl my same exact age who is troubled with the fact that the next day might be her last of getting an education. Because she worries she won't get the education she deserves, she protests. Because she protests she gets threatened. Although these threats may be frightening, she continues to protest, because she wants to send the message that going to school is a right everyone should have. Because she continues to protest, she gets shot.
I believe this connects with Persepolis, and how Marji wanted the world to know a country should not be judged by a few extremists. Malala was fighting against the extremists who said girls shouldn't go to school. Truthfully, if I was in her situation, I don't think I would have been brave enough to do what she did. I hope she recovers. And I hope that her story helps in the advancements of women's rights all around the world.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Persepolis Reading Response: The Passport
Marji's uncle gets his third heart attack since his eldest son left for Holland. To fully recover from the attack he needs to go to England so doctors can perform an open heart procedure. The thing is, he needs a passport to get to England, which is virtually impossible. Luckily, Marji and her family discover an old friend who makes fake passports. For a certain price he guarantees he can have one ready in a few weeks.
This old friend has also taken in a girl called Niloufar. She is hiding from those searching for because she is communist.
On page 125 there are 3 panels showing Niloufar. The panels read: "Two days later, Niloufar, the eighteen-year-old communist, was spotted. Arrested... and executed."
The pictures from these panels remind me of Kite Runner, a movie I saw in 7th grade. Towards the end of the movie there's a scene of a woman about to get stoned with her eyes covered by a cloth just the way Niloufar has her's. The image is horrifying in both scenes.
The worst part is that Niloufar was so young. Earlier in the chapter Marji's uncle said: "The butcher told me he's seen kids executed in the street without even having been judged. The shame of it." It's terrible to hear that people of all ages were killed during the revolution because of their political positions, beliefs, and religious morals.
I truly wish it could be understood by everyone in the world that violence helps nothing, and never will.
This old friend has also taken in a girl called Niloufar. She is hiding from those searching for because she is communist.
On page 125 there are 3 panels showing Niloufar. The panels read: "Two days later, Niloufar, the eighteen-year-old communist, was spotted. Arrested... and executed."
The pictures from these panels remind me of Kite Runner, a movie I saw in 7th grade. Towards the end of the movie there's a scene of a woman about to get stoned with her eyes covered by a cloth just the way Niloufar has her's. The image is horrifying in both scenes.
The worst part is that Niloufar was so young. Earlier in the chapter Marji's uncle said: "The butcher told me he's seen kids executed in the street without even having been judged. The shame of it." It's terrible to hear that people of all ages were killed during the revolution because of their political positions, beliefs, and religious morals.
I truly wish it could be understood by everyone in the world that violence helps nothing, and never will.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Persepolis Reading Response: The Dowry
This was the last chapter of the graphic novel. Marji was doing bad in school because she was disrespectful to her teachers. Finally her parents decided to send her to Austria to study. Marji figured out that they were not going to come with her, or live with her ever again. They would only visit. She was scared to experience something so new to her. On the last page of the book it said: "I couldn't just go. I turned around to see them one last time." Showing an image of her mother in her fathers arms, the caption read: "It would have been better just to go."
This didn't make sense to me. Was her mother dead? Had her mother passed out? Was this image setting up the plot for the next book? Was it supposed to be unclear what happened to her mother? The fact that I don't understand what happened makes me want to read the second part, (Story of a Return) because it will have answers to the questions I wonder about the first book.
This didn't make sense to me. Was her mother dead? Had her mother passed out? Was this image setting up the plot for the next book? Was it supposed to be unclear what happened to her mother? The fact that I don't understand what happened makes me want to read the second part, (Story of a Return) because it will have answers to the questions I wonder about the first book.
Persepolis Reading Response: The Sheep
"The Sheep" ends with Marji trapped in a state of despair. A "good part of her family" has left the country, and the boy she likes tells her that he is leaving for the United States. Her family friends are being murdered, and to top it all off her beloved uncle gets executed. He was allowed one visitor before his death and he chose Marji. He called her the "star of his life" and tells her how much he loves her. The last panel of the chapter shows Marji's thoughts: "And so I was lost, without any bearings... what could be worse than that?" A speech bubble underneath these words read: "Marji, run to the basement! We're being bombed!"
Throughout this chapter I was reminded repeatedly of The Book Thief, a book that took place during World War 2. The main character, Liesl, lost all of her friends and family in a bombing. She survived the bombing because she was sitting in a basement that was just deep enough to keep her safe. After the bombing she ran outside to see if everyone was OK. The first face that met her eyes was the one of her best friend, who she secretly liked. The second was her mother, and the third her father, who she loved more than anything. Her father was very similar to Anoosh in Marji's story. They both always had calming words, never lost their temper, and loved their daughter/niece with all their heart.
The Book Thief and Persepolis both take place in times of war, and war always has tragic events. But I hope Persepolis has a more lighthearted and hopeful ending.
Throughout this chapter I was reminded repeatedly of The Book Thief, a book that took place during World War 2. The main character, Liesl, lost all of her friends and family in a bombing. She survived the bombing because she was sitting in a basement that was just deep enough to keep her safe. After the bombing she ran outside to see if everyone was OK. The first face that met her eyes was the one of her best friend, who she secretly liked. The second was her mother, and the third her father, who she loved more than anything. Her father was very similar to Anoosh in Marji's story. They both always had calming words, never lost their temper, and loved their daughter/niece with all their heart.
The Book Thief and Persepolis both take place in times of war, and war always has tragic events. But I hope Persepolis has a more lighthearted and hopeful ending.
Persepolis Reading Response: Persepolis
In the chapter Persepolis, Marji tries to get answers from her grandmother about her grandfather. Her grandmother starts talking about the Shah and his history. This frustrates Marji because she only wants to know about her grandfather. After their talk they go to the kitchen to wait for her father for supper, but he doesn't come for a very long time. When he finally returns they all cry out in relief. He then tells a story of how the revolutionists mistook a dead old man for a martyr, and the widow of the man told them that they were mistaken. They then called the Shah a killer and the woman joined in with the protesting. Marji's father, mother, and grandmother all laugh at this story but Marji doesn't understand. She laughs along to fit in.
I can sympathize with Marji. There have been so many times when I was younger that my parents or my brothers would be talking about something that I didn't understand. Sometimes when someone would tell a joke and everyone was laughing, I would laugh along just to look like everyone else, whether I understood it or not.
There is a panel on the last page of the chapter that says: "Something escaped me. Cadaver, cancer, death, murderer, laughter?" And then she laughs along with her family even though she doesn't understand. This describes exactly how I would feel, because I would catch a few words of what my family was saying but the words wouldn't fit together. Everyone thought it was funny or understood so I pretended I did too.
On the last panel of the chapter it said she "realized then I didn't understand anything. I read all the books I could." When someone would try to explain something to me when I was younger and I didn't understand I would ask other people questions about the subject to get more information. In these ways, me and Marji are similar.
I can sympathize with Marji. There have been so many times when I was younger that my parents or my brothers would be talking about something that I didn't understand. Sometimes when someone would tell a joke and everyone was laughing, I would laugh along just to look like everyone else, whether I understood it or not.
There is a panel on the last page of the chapter that says: "Something escaped me. Cadaver, cancer, death, murderer, laughter?" And then she laughs along with her family even though she doesn't understand. This describes exactly how I would feel, because I would catch a few words of what my family was saying but the words wouldn't fit together. Everyone thought it was funny or understood so I pretended I did too.
On the last panel of the chapter it said she "realized then I didn't understand anything. I read all the books I could." When someone would try to explain something to me when I was younger and I didn't understand I would ask other people questions about the subject to get more information. In these ways, me and Marji are similar.
Persepolis Reading Response: The Veil
Marji was a girl going to a co-ed, french, non-religious school in the 1970s. But in 1980 that changed. Women were told to wear veils to school. The schools could no longer be co-ed. People with different beliefs were always arguing with each other.
The chapter "The Veil" introduces the cultural revolution, and what kind of child Marji is like. She is very religious, and wants to be a prophet. During the night she has conversations with god. These conversations reminded me of another book I once read, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
In a panel in Persepolis, the dialogue says: "Every night I would have a big discussion with god." "God, give me more time, I'm not quite ready yet."
This is very similar to Margaret's discussions with god. She would ask him questions, make requests, (as Marji did) and tell him about her issues. She was not as religious as Marji, but their conversations were both ways of getting comfort by talking to someone.
The chapter "The Veil" introduces the cultural revolution, and what kind of child Marji is like. She is very religious, and wants to be a prophet. During the night she has conversations with god. These conversations reminded me of another book I once read, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
In a panel in Persepolis, the dialogue says: "Every night I would have a big discussion with god." "God, give me more time, I'm not quite ready yet."
This is very similar to Margaret's discussions with god. She would ask him questions, make requests, (as Marji did) and tell him about her issues. She was not as religious as Marji, but their conversations were both ways of getting comfort by talking to someone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)