Graphic memoirs have become a popular medium in recent years, bringing storytelling alive in a dynamic approach of visual and written elements that enhance the experience. While comics have had a long history of being dismissed as “not real books” or even thought to be dangerous (look up the Comics Code Authority and the history of communities gathering comic books to publicly burn them), they also have a vibrant history that has led them to become much more accepted and widely read in recent years. One of the major works that brought the medium not only into popular culture but into classrooms is Persepolis by graphic memoir extraordinaire and film director Marjane Satrapi.
Born in Iran in 1969, Marjane Satrapi’s life story is now known the world over through her two part graphic memoir, Persepolis. The story follows her childhood in Tehran during the Iranian revolution, her time abroad in France, and finally her return to Iran as she enters adulthood. Satrapi uses personal narrative to also tell the story of Iran from the ousting of the Shah to the rise of Islamic Republic of Iran and much of the book shows her first-hand struggles with the oppressive laws against women as well as other political oppressions that find people such as her beloved Uncle Anoosh executed by the State. It is an incredibly moving work brought to life by her artwork and was later adapted into an animated film also titled Persepolis.
Satrapi has released several other graphic novels, such as Embroideries about the lives of Iranian women and Chicken With Plums which tells the story of another of Satrapi’s relatives. She also edited the graphic novel Woman, Life, Freedom which includes work from herself as well as other graphic novelists and journalists to create a sweeping account of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and protests following the tragic death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iranian police after being detained for not wearing a hijab in public. Satrapi has often spoken about how comics are a useful medium for telling stories, particularly about sociopolitical events and struggles because the art form allows a visual element that helps the reader experience more than just her words on the page. In a 2006 interview with The Believer magazine she discussed who the graphic memoir feels so powerful to her as a way to discuss these issues:
“ I describe situations as honestly as possible. The way I saw it. That’s why I use my own life as material. I have seen these things myself, and now I’m telling it to you. Because the world is not about Batman and Robin fighting the Joker; things are more complicated than that. And nothing is scarier than the people who try to find easy answers to complicated questions.”
Beyond being an accomplished graphic memoirist, Marjane Satrapi has also had great success in the film industry as well. Satrapi co-wrote and co-directed the film adaptation of Persepolis which was nominated for an Academy Award. She has also directed two films, the 2015 horror-comedy The Voices starring Ryan Reynolds and Anna Kendrick as well as a 2019 biopic of Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie, titled Radioactive and starring Rosamund Pike.
Marjane Satrapi was a major voice in bringing graphic memoirs to mainstream literature and has incredible works to check out. But the genre is full of other wonderful stories and storytellers and you can find many of them here at Herrick District Library.
Combining personal stories with gorgeous artwork, graphic memoirs are a great way to experience the stories of someone's life. AdultPicks HerrickDL
