Objectives

• Analyse how Satrapi uses visual and verbal language together to construct Marji's identity as a child caught between private belief and public expectation.
• Explain how the graphic memoir form — panel size, black-and-white contrast, page layout — creates meaning in specific chapters.
• Trace how Satrapi represents the consequences of the Islamic Revolution on one family across the arc of the whole text.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds close reference to both image and caption/dialogue, using precise literary and visual terminology.
• Evaluate how Satrapi positions the reader to sympathise with a particular political perspective without reducing the text to propaganda.
• Compare how at least two chapters use the same motif — the veil, fire, keys, or jewels — to develop a theme across the text.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Who is Marji? Identity and the Veil in Chapter 1

   55 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Take a look at the class photograph panel on the first page of Chapter 1. Write three observations about what stands out to you: one about Marji's position in the image, one about her facial expression in relation to her classmates', and one about what the caption reveals that the image itself doesn't convey.

   Teacher input

   Model a dual-code analysis on the final two-page spread of Chapter 1, where Marji stands alone in a white space and speaks directly to the reader about God. Highlight how depicting her figure in solid black against a white background visually isolates her, which reflects the caption's statement that she was 'born with religion.' Guide students to write one sentence about the image, one about the text, and one that combines both — the 'so' move — to create a cohesive analytical point.

   Independent task

   Using the class photograph panel and the final panel of Chapter 1 where Marji stands alone speaking directly to the reader, craft a fully developed analytical paragraph of about 150–200 words. Your paragraph should identify at least one visual technique (such as positioning, figure–ground contrast, or panel border) and one verbal technique (including direct address, tense, or register). Conclude with a sentence that explains how the interplay of these two techniques reveals Satrapi's intention for the reader to grasp Marji's sense of self at the age of ten.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain why Satrapi draws Marji in solid black against a white background in the final panel of Chapter 1, rather than showing her surrounded by classmates.

2. Lesson 2: Rebellion and Class: Chapters 2, 5, 8 and 10

   55 min · ch. 2, 5, 8, 10

   Do now

   Without looking at the text, jot down two actions Marji takes in the first ten chapters that could put her or her family at risk with the authorities. Then, turn to Chapter 8 and locate the panel where Marji's father presents her with the Che Guevara poster and the denim jacket. Write a sentence about what those items symbolize for Marji, and another sentence about what they signify for the regime.

   Teacher input

   In Chapter 5, Marji writes love letters for Mehri, while in Chapter 10, she smokes her first cigarette. In both instances, Satrapi frames Marji's hands in close-up — writing in one scene and holding a cigarette in the other. This visual motif emphasizes that Marji is engaging in actions that challenge the boundaries imposed by those in power over her.

   By focusing on Marji's hands, Satrapi highlights the theme of agency. In the earlier moment, Marji acts on behalf of Mehri, signaling her submission to another's desires. In contrast, when she smokes the cigarette, the action is for herself, marking a significant shift in her autonomy. This transition from serving someone else to asserting her own identity illustrates Marji's growing sense of independence.

   Independent task

   ``markdown Write two analytical paragraphs, each of 120–150 words, comparing how Satrapi depicts Marji's escalating rebellion in Chapter 5 (the love-letter panels) and Chapter 10 (the cigarette panel). Each paragraph must identify a specific panel, name one visual and one verbal technique, and explain how each technique enhances the reader's understanding of Marji's relationship with authority. The second paragraph should begin with a comparative discourse marker ('In contrast,' 'Similarly,' or 'Whereas') and must reference a different technique from the one used in the first paragraph. ``

   Exit ticket

   Name the visual technique Satrapi uses in both the Chapter 5 and Chapter 10 close-up panels, and write one sentence explaining what that technique adds to the meaning that a long-shot panel would not.

3. Lesson 3: Grief in Black and White: Form and Loss in Chapters 11 and 20

   55 min · ch. 11, 20

   Do now

   On the final page of Chapter 11, Uncle Anoosh stands at the center, flanked by two stern Revolutionary Guards in dark uniforms, their expressions grim as they prepare to escort him away. The stark black and white contrast emphasizes the tension in the scene, with shadows deepening the sense of foreboding that fills the space around them.

   The captions reveal Uncle Anoosh's feelings of despair and betrayal, providing emotional depth that the stark visuals alone do not convey.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the final three panels of Chapter 20 — 'The Telegram' — where Marji learns about Anoosh's execution. Pay particular attention to the page layout: the sequence begins with a medium shot of Marji receiving the news, transitions to a full-page black panel featuring a single white caption ('For the first time in a long time, I didn't know what to say to God'), and concludes with a small panel depicting God walking away. Illustrate for students how the change in panel size — from medium to a full-bleed black panel to a tiny one — reflects the collapse of Marji's emotional landscape. Additionally, explain how the white text on the black background disrupts the book's typical visual language, signaling a significant rupture. Emphasize the importance of discussing page composition as a structural decision rather than merely a stylistic one.

   Independent task

   Write an analytical paragraph of 180–220 words focusing on the final page of Chapter 20. In your paragraph, discuss at least two of the following elements: the size of the panels, the use of a full-bleed black panel, the departure from the book's typical black-figure-on-white style, and the placement of God’s figure in the closing panel. Include at least one caption, quoting it verbatim, and analyze how the text and image work together to express Marji's grief. Conclude your paragraph with a sentence that ties this moment to the book's larger themes surrounding faith and political violence.

   Exit ticket

   Explain in two sentences why Satrapi uses a full-page black panel rather than a drawn scene to represent the moment Marji learns of Anoosh's execution — what does the absence of image communicate that a drawn image could not?

4. Lesson 4: Leaving and Belonging: Exile in Chapters 14, 18 and 19

   55 min · ch. 14, 18, 19

   Do now

   Read the first page of Chapter 14, 'The Jewels,' where Marji's mother sews her grandmother's jewels into the lining of Marji's coat. Write one sentence explaining what the jewels are, one sentence about what they could symbolize, and one question you hope to answer by the end of today's lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of the airport farewell scene in Chapter 19, 'The Dowry,' with a focus on the moment when Marji's mother collapses and is carried away, followed by the panel where Marji watches from the departure gate. Satrapi employs a two-panel sequence to illustrate this moment—one panel is chaotic, crowded, and dark, while the next is sparse, featuring Marji alone in a white space. This contrast effectively conveys the physical and emotional rupture that comes with exile.

   Consider the gutter, the space between the panels, as a significant area: what transpires there symbolizes a crossing of a threshold that cannot be undone. Connecting this to the Shabbat dinner in Chapter 18, we see Marji surrounded by people, yet she appears visually smaller and more isolated than everyone else at the table.

   Independent task

   Using evidence from at least two of Chapters 14, 18, and 19, write two analytical paragraphs of 130–160 words each on how Satrapi portrays the experience of exile through both physical separation and internal displacement. In your first paragraph, zero in on a specific panel from Chapter 14 or 19, examining how the visual composition—like figure size, use of space, and contrast between crowd and isolation—captures Marji's emotional state. For instance, a panel might depict her standing alone among a bustling crowd, emphasizing her feelings of solitude. In your second paragraph, discuss the Shabbat dinner scene from Chapter 18, highlighting how Marji's placement within the Jewish family visually represents her sense of alienation, even in an inviting environment. An embedded quotation from a caption or dialogue, such as someone’s welcoming words, can underscore her inner conflict about belonging.

   Exit ticket

   In one or two sentences, explain what Satrapi communicates by drawing Marji as a small, dark figure at the edge of the Shabbat dinner table in Chapter 18, rather than placing her at the centre of the scene.

5. Lesson 5: Synthesis Essay: How Satrapi Represents the Cost of Oppression

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20

   Do now

   • Chapter 1: The Veil
   • Moment: Marji's first day of school with the veil
   • Visual Technique: Use of contrasting colors to depict confusion and innocence
   • Theme: Loss of childhood innocence

   • Chapter 4: The Letter
   • Moment: Marji receives a letter from her imprisoned friend
   • Visual Technique: Close-up of Marji's face showing emotional turmoil
   • Theme: Personal impact of political oppression

   • Chapter 10: The Bombardment
   • Moment: Marji witnesses the effects of a bombing on her neighborhood
   • Visual Technique: Distorted perspectives to convey chaos
   • Theme: Destruction of home and safety

   Teacher input

   Model the opening paragraph of a response to the essay question by drawing on the panel in Chapter 7, 'The Heroes,' where neighborhood boys march toward the front lines wearing plastic keys around their necks—symbolic keys to paradise handed out by the regime. Begin with a clear argument rather than a plot summary, illustrating how Satrapi uses a specific visual reference to signify lost innocence. Name the technique as a "symbolic object rendered in close-up, repeated across a row of identical figures." Conclude the paragraph with a sentence that links this technique to the book's core argument about how the Islamic Republic manipulated the vulnerable and young. Emphasize the difference between a descriptive approach ('Satrapi shows boys with keys') and an analytical one ('By presenting each boy as an identical silhouette, Satrapi strips them of individuality, visually enacting the dehumanization that the regime imposes politically').

   Independent task

   Write a complete analytical essay of 500–700 words in response to the question: "How does Satrapi use the graphic memoir form to illustrate the effects of political oppression on Marji and her family?" Your essay should start with an introduction that outlines your argument in two or three sentences. Include at least three body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific panel or page sequence from a different chapter (make sure to name the chapter). Also, include one paragraph that examines visual techniques (such as panel size, black-and-white contrast, figure–ground, page composition, or the gutter) alongside verbal techniques (like captions, dialogue, direct address, or tense). Additionally, address either Uncle Anoosh's arrest in Chapter 11 or Chapter 20, or the airport farewell in Chapter 19 in a separate paragraph. Conclude by evaluating how effectively the graphic memoir format — as opposed to prose memoir — enables Satrapi to convey her argument. You can reference any chapters from the text, but be sure to cite at least three different chapter numbers by name.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your introduction and write one sentence explaining which word or phrase in it most precisely captures your argument — and one sentence explaining what you would change about the introduction if you had five more minutes.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can articulate why a specific visual choice — solid black figure on white ground — carries meaning beyond decoration.
• Lesson 2 independent paragraphs: checks whether students can name and distinguish visual and verbal techniques across two chapters and use comparative discourse markers accurately.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket: checks whether students understand the full-bleed black panel as a structural and argumentative choice, not merely an aesthetic one.
• Lesson 4 independent paragraphs: checks whether students can sustain a thematic argument (exile as internal as well as physical) across two chapters with embedded quotation.
• Panel Annotation Carousel synthesis sentences: checks whether students can move from observation to interpretation in a single sentence, naming technique and effect together.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Write a thesis that interprets a literary text and requires a line of reasoning to defend.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Identify and explain the function of a symbol in a literary text.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure in a literary text, including how an author's choices about form and sequence contribute to meaning.
• Narrator and Perspective (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view in a narrative, including how a first-person narrator's reliability or bias shapes the reader's understanding.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with reference to language, form, structure and literary context.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations.

IB Lit

• Criterion A — Knowledge, understanding and interpretation: demonstrate detailed knowledge of the graphic memoir's form and content, including specific chapters and panels.
• Criterion B — Analysis and evaluation: analyse how Satrapi's choices of visual and verbal language, structure and form shape meaning and produce effects.
• Criterion C — Focus and organisation: develop a sustained, well-organised argument with a clear line of reasoning supported by specific textual evidence.