Week 1: Graphic Narratives, Global Perspectives: Entering Marjane Satrapi’s World (2/10-2/14)

Week Breakdown

Monday the 10th
- Write down both Lexicon #21: Panel and Lexicon #22: Sequence in your notebook.
- Take the Graphic novel quiz.
- Watch video on Context for the novel: Iranian Revolution, taking notes on the Shah's regime, Western influence, the Iranian Revolution, and Satrapi's Perspective.
- Read and discuss chapter 1: "The Veil" (3-9) of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
Tuesday the 11th
- Write down Lexicon #23: Secular in your notebook.
- Read and discuss chapter 2: "The Bicycle" (10-17), chapter 3: "The Water Cell" (18-25), and chapter 4: "Persepolis" (26-32), chapter 5: "The Letter" (33-39).
Wednesday the 12th
- Write down Lexicon #24: Martyr in your notebook.
- Finish reading and discussing "The Letter" (33-39) if necessary.
- Read all five prompts for Entry #4, choosing the one that you find most interesting.
- Complete Notebook entry #4 in your notebook. Be sure to make it a strong body paragraph with a clear claim, context for your evidence, introduced and explaining quote or panel, and analyze explaining why this is important or significant.
Thursday the 13th
- Write down Lexicon #25: Memoir in your notebook.
- For the first half of class, we'll be completing Notebook Entry #5: Beginning Our Mini-Memoirs in our notebook. Note, this will be a potential draft for the ending assignment.
- In the second half, we'll continue reading, annotating, and discussing Persepolis, specifically chapter 6: "The Party" (40-46) and chapter 7: "The Heroes" (47-53).
Friday the 14th
- Read, annotate, and discuss chapter 8: "Moscow" (54-61), chapter 9: "The Sheep" (62-71), and chapter 10: "The Trip" (72-79).
- Write and share a rant about something you love to hate!

Monday the 10th

Graphic Novels: Entering the World of the Image

Lexicon #21: Panel

Definition: A single drawing on a page, often containing an action, that may be bordered or outlined to convey mood, tension, or shifts in time.

Example: There are four panels on the right that all add up to one sequence.

Lexicon #22: Sequence

Definition: A series of panels arranged in order to create a continuous action, idea, or meaning within the narrative.

Graphic novel terminology

Graphic Novel Terminology 2.1.docx

Activity: Graphic novel quiz

Graphic Novel Terminology 2.1 quiz.docx

Marjane Satrapi

Who is She?

Marjane Satrapi is an acclaimed Iranian-born graphic novelist, illustrator, and filmmaker best known for her autobiographical graphic novel Persepolis. Born in 1969 in Rasht, Iran, Satrapi grew up during a turbulent period marked by the Iranian Revolution and the rise of the Islamic Republic, experiences that would profoundly shape her creative work. Persepolis chronicles her coming-of-age journey against the backdrop of political upheaval. With its blend of humor, heartbreak, and historical depth, the work gained international recognition and became a pivotal voice in global literature.

Interview with the Author

Persepolis - Exclusive_ Marjane Satrapi.mp4

Context for the novel: Iranian Revolution

The 1979 Iran Revolution - How It Happened.mp4

The Shah’s Regime

Modernization vs. Repression: The Shah attempted to modernize Iran (women’s suffrage, infrastructure improvements, education reforms) but did so at the expense of political freedom. His secret police were known for torture and suppressing dissent.
Socioeconomic Divide: The Shah’s policies often benefited the wealthy elite, creating widespread dissatisfaction among the working class and religious groups.

Western Influence in Iran

The Role of the West: Western intervention in Iran included the CIA-backed coup in 1953 that overthrew Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstated the Shah.
Oil Politics: Iran’s strategic importance is due to its oil resources and influenced foreign interference.

Iranian Revolution (1979)

What Happened: Iran was under the rule of the Shah, who had a pro-Western, modernizing agenda but was seen as oppressive and corrupt by many Iranians. In 1979, the monarchy was overthrown, and the Islamic Republic was established.
Impact on Daily Life: The revolution led to strict Islamic laws, including rules on dress codes (like the mandatory hijab) and restrictions on freedom of expression, especially for women and the younger generation.

Satrapi’s Perspective

Autobiographical Nature: Persepolis is based on Satrapi’s own life growing up in Iran during the revolution and war, highlighting her personal struggles as a young girl navigating oppression, change, and rebellion.
Secular vs. Religious Divide: Satrapi’s family was progressive and secular, which placed them at odds with the new regime. Their perspective on events will differ from official government narratives.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (full text)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi PDF.pdf

Chapters by page number

Chapter 1: "The Veil" (3-9)

Chapter 2: "The Bicycle" (10-17)

Chapter 3: "The Water Cell" (18-25)

Chapter 4: "Persepolis" (26-32)

Chapter 5: "The Letter" (33-39)

Chapter 6: "The Party" (40-46)

Chapter 7: "The Heroes" (47-53)

Chapter 8: "Moscow" (54-61)

Chapter 9: "The Sheep" (62-71)

Chapter 10: "The Trip" (72-79)

Chapter 11: "The F-14s" (80-86)

Chapter 12: "The Jewels" (87-93)

Chapter 13: "The Key" (94-102)

Chapter 14: "The Wine" (103-110)

Chapter 15: "The Cigarette" (111-117)

Chapter 16: "The Passport" (118-125)

Chapter 17: "Kim Wilde" (126-134)

Chapter 18: "The Shabbat" (135-142)

Chapter 19: "The Dowry" (143-153)

Read chapter 1: "The Veil" (3-9)

Tuesday the 11th

Lexicon #23: Secular

Definition: Attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis, meaning they are not affiliated with a church or faith; not subject to or bound by religious rule.

Read chapter 2: "The Bicycle" (10-17), chapter 3: "The Water Cell" (18-25), chapter 4: "Persepolis" (26-32), and chapter 5: "The Letter" (33-39).

Wednesday the 12th

Lexicon #24: Martyr

Definition: A person who suffers very much or is killed because of their religious or political beliefs, and is often admired because of it.

Chapters for today's writing

Chapter 1: "The Veil" (3-9)

Chapter 2: "The Bicycle" (10-17)

Chapter 3: "The Water Cell" (18-25)

Chapter 4: "Persepolis" (26-32)

Chapter 5: "The Letter" (33-39)

Notebook Entry #4 Prompts

Notebook Entry Prompts for Section 1 of Persepolis (3-39).pdf

Sentence stems for topic sentence (your claim) for each prompt

Prompt #1: Marji discovers her identity by...

Prompt #2: Satrapi devotes so much time on Marji's imagination in order to show...

Prompt #3: Satrapi spends significant time focusing on Marji's empathy because...

Prompt #4: Persepolis is/is not fixated on the veil as Western media is because...

Prompt #5: Satrapi complicates the image of Islamic women being passive victims by...

Requirements for Entry #4

Claim/Topic sentence
- Make sure you have a claim (an argument) that answers one of the prompts directly.
Context
- Be sure to give context to where your evidence is, what chapter and what's going on in Marji's world?
Evidence
- Introduce and explain your evidence. This means you properly cite the evidence and guide the reader through your reading of the situation or quote.
Analysis
- Use the evidence to speak about why this so significant or noteworthy. How does it impact how we view the story, Iran, or any other topic?

Thursday the 13th

Beginning our Mini-Memoirs

Lexicon #25: Memoir

Definition: A memoir is a literary genre in which an author recounts personal experiences and reflections, often focusing on specific ideas, events, or periods in their life.

Unlike an autobiography, which typically covers a person's entire life in chronological order, a memoir is more selective and thematic, emphasizing personal insights, emotions, and significant moments.

Notebook Entry 5 Our Beginnings Mini Memoirs.docx

Requirements for Notebook Entry #5

Choose one of the prompts and craft a roughly 4-6 panel mini memoir about a moment of your childhood, mimicking techniques used by graphic novelists (use the terminology sheet if necessary!).

Then, write an artist statement that explains your creative choices and the process behind your piece. This may include your artistic decisions, sources of inspiration, and any creative liberties you took (e.g., exaggerating details for effect). Your response should be one well-developed paragraph.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (full text)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi PDF.pdf

Chapters for today's reading

Chapter 6: "The Party" (40-46)

Chapter 7: "The Heroes" (47-53)

Friday the 14th

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (full text)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi PDF.pdf

Chapters for today's reading

Chapter 8: "Moscow" (54-61)

Chapter 9: "The Sheep" (62-71)

Chapter 10: "The Trip" (72-79)

Page 73 of Persepolis

JD Vance states, "Universities are the Enemy"

JD Vance Universities are the Enemy.mp4

Trump wants to close the Department of Education

Trump says he wants Education Department to be closed immediately.docx

Today's writing: Everyone Loves a Good Rant!

Prompt: Some people have a gift for turning everyday annoyances into comedy gold. Whether it’s the horror of answering phone calls, the awkwardness of social outings, or the absurdity of making small talk, they transform minor grievances into exaggerated, painfully relatable stories.

Now it’s your turn!

Write a short humorous rant (roughly a page or two) in the spirit of Family Guy’s “What Grinds My Gears?” or a dramatic, over-the-top complaint about something that drives you crazy.

Your rant should:

Focus on an everyday pet peeve: (group projects, bad Wi-Fi, loud chewers, unread emails, “fun” icebreakers, people who walk too slowly, etc.).
Use hyperbole (exaggeration): to make your frustration as dramatic as possible.
Include self-deprecating humor: make fun of yourself along the way.
Use colloquial, conversational diction: (write like you're complaining to a friend).
Play with sentence structure: (fragments, repetition, rhetorical questions) for comedic effect.

Example opening:
Nothing fills me with more anger than seeing a "Hey, can I call you?" text. Call me? What are we, in the early 2000s? Are you my doctor with test results? Is my house on fire? No? Then text like a normal person. I cannot—WILL NOT—engage in real-time dialogue like some kind of medieval peasant who doesn’t have access to emojis and a "read" receipt delay strategy. Absolutely not.

Second example opening:
You wanna know what really grinds my gears? When people leave the microwave with one second left and don’t clear it. Like, come on, just press the button! Now I gotta walk over, see “:01” blinking at me, and hit “Cancel” like I’m cleaning up after your unfinished business. It's not hard. It’s basic microwave etiquette.

That, and when someone says “Let’s circle back” in a meeting but never actually circles back. Just say you don’t wanna talk about it!

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