Persepolis Part 1

On page 95 of Persepolis there is an image of Marjane and her classmates beating their chest as a daily ritual in their classroom. She said that this was their way of honoring those who had died at war. The next page showed some panels that described how some of the men went as far as to beat themselves with chains or even cut themselves with knives. These panels stuck out to me because I recently watched a show on the National Geographic Channel about different cultures and how they honored their war dead. Their was one country, I don't remember which, that once a boy was a certain age, which was not very old, they were allowed to buy razor blades which they held in the palm of their hands and slapped their chest with during an yearly ceremony. They felt that it was honorable to make themselves suffer like their ancestors in war had. It was a very powerful image after they were finished. There were young boys, around the age of ten maybe younger, that had blood gushing from hundreds of cuts on their chest. I realize this is something they believe is right to do, but it is an act I will never understand. Is it really necessary to injure oneself in order to honor those who have fallen in the name of country?

Connecting this to the war poems that we read, I once again am reminded of "War is Kind" by Stephen Crane. Judging from how Marjane's life is playing out, war only has a negative effect on one's being. It is not nice and caring or compassionate as something that is kind would be described. It is not kind to have to beat oneself to honor the dead. If a young boy's father died in battle, would he want his son to suffer physically? I would hope not. His father more than likely went to war so his family didn't have to suffer. Isn't saying a prayer to honor his memory enough?

Persepolis and Poetry

Before I get into what I think about Persepolis I want to express my reaction to the poem "War is Kind" by Stephen Crane. When I think of the word kind I think of pleasant and nice....someone or something that shows compassion towards others. So, how can war be kind? I see nothing nice about describing "corpses." It is as if Crane was trying to be sarcastic about war in general. He is pointing out the most grim and morbid aspects of the matter and then, shortly after, repeating the phrase "War is Kind." This poem really made me stop and think.

Now......Persepolis....I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't like it...but I don't dislike it either. It is not literature that I would normally pick out to read at all. When I first started reading it I thought that it wouldn't be able to hold my attention. To my surprise, I actually have had a problem putting it down at certain points. I certainly gives me a different perspective on the people of Iran. We here in the United States only get to see a certain image of that area. Persepolis gives a glimpse into something we dont see every day and I like that.

More Blankets

On page 420 in Blankets the first panel actually made me say, "Oh no, the alarm clock!" outloud. This is what I kept thinking about all the way up to page 437 when the clock showed up again. Throughout their entire "romantic experience" all I could think was "please dont fall asleep...the alarm clock is off!" I know it sounds funny but I really got into this book.

Throughout all of the literary pieces we have read, I have noticed a very common theme. American Born Chinese, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, and Blankets each have a character or characters that seem to be on a path of self discovery. Though they all grow older and come closer to finding who they are they all seem to remain haunted by their past. In American Born Chinese, this is less obvious because the end is more of a reconciliation between the friends and we dont see what happens next. Jeanette, from Oranges, and Craig, from Blankets, both grow into adulthood with a different outlook on their lives and faith. They both, however, cant escape reminders of thier past. Jeanette is reminded by her mother and Craig by the quilt Raina made. In The Bluest Eye, Pecola also grows and changes but in a different way. She is not only haunted by her past but it has consumed her to the point that she may never find herself.

Belief (oops...almost got lost in my notebook)

Since I can remember I have always been a Christian. Not only was I raised to be one by my family but also, as I grew old enough to form my own opinions, chose to stick with my faith. When I was a child my parents and other relatives shaped my beliefs. Throughout adolescence I had close friends that went to church. However, I would consider myself my personal greatest belief shaper because I ultimately make the decisions in my life. I can chose whether or not to listen and be influenced. My belief system started being challenged in high school when everyone was really starting to form their individualities. Some of my classmates would argue my points and some of what they said did make sense. I didn't change my mind whatsoever because I believe what I know in my heart to be true. What I found interesting in Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit is the idea of Jeanette's mother and the oranges. She was always giving her oranges until the end of the novel they began discussing pineapple and her mother said, "After all, oranges are not the only fruit." It almost seems like her belief system was altered with the actions of her daughter. In the beginning it was oranges and only oranges, the only way to go. At the end she thought, well, pineapple might be alright too. The oranges are also an example of foreshadowing. One part of the novel describes Jeanette's demon as being orange. Maybe the oranges continue to be introduced in order to symbolize her demon always being with her.

Blanket's Panel

First of all I'd like to say that I have really enjoyed this story thus far.  It is a really fast read and the story actually sucked me in right away.  I didn't want to stop reading half way through but I made myself because I didn't want to get confused when we discussed it in class today.  If I know what happens I always seem to want to bring it into discussion.  Anyway......

The first set of panels that I really liked were on page 132.  Craig described how his brother and he used to "challenge" themselves to walk across the snow without breaking through it.  He says that "Late in the winter season, the top snow would melt and refreeze, forming a crispy coating on the deeper snow.  It was most awkward to walk upon 'cuz it didn't give way like regular snow, and didn't support one like ice."  The reason I wanted to discuss this event is because trying to walk on the snow and not break it something I distinctly remember as a child.  My friends and I would try to make ourselves as weightless as we could.  Sometimes we could make a couple of steps successfully but it as always ended the same way as shown in the fifth panel on page 132.  When he breaks through the top layer the word "CRUNCH" is spelled out in huge letters.  When I read that, I could actually hear the sound and feel it under my feet.

How does Blankets form a literary conversation with Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit?  Well, they both deal with religious subject matter.  Jeanette's mother seems to be a lot more strict then Craig's though.  Also, Craig, like Jeanette, is an adolescent trying to find his place in the world but not quite fitting in.