Reading comics in Tehran

by Kristina Amanda A. Cruz

IT DOES not suffice to call the monochromatic illustrations of Marjane Satrapi just a comic book. Her graphic novel Persepolis is altogether a childhood memoir, an account of Iranian history, a political stand, a comic relief, and a heart-warming tale. It portrays life during the Islamic Revolution through the eyes of the younger Satrapi, idealistic and dangerously opinionated for any girl aged 6.

Marjane lives in war-ridden Tehran, growing up with the instability of Iran from the rule of the Shah to the war with Iraq that followed. Coming from a modern, educated family, Marjane aspires to be as rebellious and heroic as her demonstration-leading parents, her exiled uncle and her grandfather who was one of the last emperors of Iran before the overzealous regime took over. As a teenager, Marji stages her own rebellion by cheering “Bomb Baghdad” in their living room and listening to black-market tapes of Iron Maiden.

As the heroine struggles to understand the political and religious changes in Iran by reading on the likes of Fidel Castro and Dialectic Materialism, she is forced to learn the harshness of life in Iran by experience, even if just through others—social class discrimination through her maid, torture through her father’s friends, mass murder through her neighbors, and poverty through their friends.

All very depressing, but from the eyes of a child, even in distress, there will always be space for comic relief—thus the reader will find himself chuckling at Marji’s childish ways of poking fun at the leader of her time, the Shah. And when Marji is candidly funny, she really is.

Satrapi’s drawings, despite their simplistic style, lend themselves to a whole range of emotions that can change inversely proportionally with a small change in stroke. From indignation to hilarity, protest to horror, the characters in her life are able to move even in their two-dimensional versions.

The humor, as mentioned, is candid and light. Marji’s little rebellious streaks and conversations with God are similar to the amusing statements smart kids make. Insertion of lighter parts is well-chosen; they mix well with the sadness of some situations, leaving the reader with a poignant feeling. Perhaps this is where Persepolis is more relatable for Filipinos—how, even in the grimmest moments, one can still chuckle, trying to cope with life as it moves along.

For those unfamiliar with the Iran’s story, Persepolis delivers a quick account of its last 3,000 years. But only so much can be put in 160 pages. Despite the range of experiences told, there’s still a feeling that much is left uncovered. The redeeming factor here is the urge planted, for the reader to move on to Persepolis 2, or Reading Lolita in Tehran—in short, an interest in a country much-mentioned in CNN and BBC, but people know next to nothing about.

Being a good mix of many literature genres, Satrapi may have established one all for herself. The best part is that most anyone can appreciate this genre of hers—be it a teenager who enjoys the pictures or a grown-up who appreciates such a good read.

Ratings: 4 out of 5 g’s