Persepolis

# Essay Prompt: *Persepolis* by Marjane Satrapi **Prompt:** In *Persepolis*, Marjane Satrapi employs the graphic memoir format — blending visual imagery with personal storytelling — to assert that individual identity cannot be completely stifled by political oppression or cultural conformity. Write a comprehensive argumentative essay where you defend, challenge, or qualify this assertion. Use **at least three specific scenes or panels** from the text to bolster your argument, examining how Satrapi's artistic and narrative choices (such as her use of black-and-white imagery, perspective, symbolism, or voice) reinforce her central message regarding identity, resistance, and survival in the face of authoritarian rule. --- **Guiding Considerations:** - How does Satrapi's selection of the graphic memoir genre influence the readers' understanding of her experiences growing up in revolutionary Iran? - In what ways do Marji's internal struggles and external realities clash, and what does this conflict reveal about the essence of identity? - How does Satrapi weave together personal and political themes throughout the memoir? --- **Requirements:** - A clear, arguable thesis statement - Textual evidence from at least three distinct moments in the text - Analysis of both written and visual elements - Consideration of at least one counterargument - MLA or teacher-specified citation format

ap_lit · ib_lang_lit · common_core_ela · gcse_english

# Essay Prompt: *Persepolis* by Marjane Satrapi **Prompt:** In *Persepolis*, Marjane Satrapi employs the graphic memoir format—melding visual elements with her personal story—to convey that no amount of political oppression or cultural conformity can completely erase individual identity. In a structured essay, analyze how Satrapi uses specific literary and visual techniques (like symbolism, contrast, point of view, or the interplay of public and private life) to support this idea. Provide evidence from the text to back your argument and reflect on how the memoir format enhances the work's overall significance. --- **Guiding Questions to Consider:** - In what ways does Satrapi's decision to narrate her story as a graphic memoir influence the reader's perception of her identity and her acts of resistance? - What symbols or recurring images does Satrapi incorporate to illustrate concepts of freedom, oppression, or self-identity? - How does the conflict between Marji's private experiences and the public landscape of the Iranian Revolution underscore the main argument? --- **Requirements:** - Minimum 4–5 paragraphs (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion) - Include a clear, arguable thesis statement - Cite specific panels, scenes, or dialogue from the text as evidence - Discuss at least **two** literary or visual techniques

ap_lit · ib_lang_lit · common_core_ela · gcse_english

# Essay Prompt: *Persepolis* by Marjane Satrapi **Prompt:** In *Persepolis*, Marjane Satrapi blends visual imagery with personal storytelling in the graphic memoir format to convey that political oppression and cultural conformity cannot completely erase individual identity. In a well-structured essay, examine how Satrapi uses specific literary and visual techniques—like symbolism, contrast, irony, or point of view—to assert that personal freedom and self-expression serve as forms of resistance against authoritarian rule. Reference at least **three specific scenes or passages** from the text to back up your argument. --- **Guiding Questions to Consider:** - How does Satrapi's use of black-and-white illustrations enhance or complicate her themes? - In what ways do Marji's personal interests (like music, books, and imagination) act as resistance against the restrictions imposed by the Islamic Republic? - How does Satrapi navigate her identity as both an Iranian and a Westerner, and what insights does this tension provide about the nature of identity itself? --- **Requirements:** - Craft a clear, arguable thesis in your introduction - Provide textual and visual evidence from the graphic memoir - Analyze *how* and *why* Satrapi makes her artistic choices, not just *what* occurs - Minimum length: 4–5 paragraphs (or as directed by your teacher)

ap_lit · ib_lang_lit · common_core_ela · aqa