Example Of Essay On Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi And Maus II By Art Spiegelman

Persepolis is a graphic novel about the life of the author, Marjane. Marjane unwillingly wears a veil to school (Satrapi 6) and she narrates how the girls sat differently from the boys. Marjane originates from Iran, and uses Persepolis to illustrate the political and religious struggles she and her family faced. Marjane parents are political activists together with many other of her relatives (Satrapi pg.16). Marjane tries to convince her parents that they should let her join them but they refuse (Satrapi pg.17). Marjane becomes attached to one of her uncles, who unfortunately is killed by the authorities because they suspect that he is working for their enemies (Satrapi pg.70). Marjane then moves to Vienna to avoid getting into trouble due to her big personality. In Vienna, she finds a new friend Julie but is unable to cope with life there and ends up homeless and sick. She later decides to return to her family well aware that she will not be allowed to do as she pleases in Iran but at least she is safe and happy. Marjane goes on to be herself, living her life the way she thinks is right. After a few years, she moves to Europe again (Satrapi 153).
Art Spiegelman is very amused by his readers’ reception of his first book and decides to write a second one. He talks about his anger and resentment towards his father, Vladek (pg.14) because he partly blames him for his mother’s death. This resentment is extreme to the point where he seeks professional help. Art is married to Françoise’s, and art narrates how their holiday was cut short by his father’s predicament (Spiegelman pg.12). Mala, second wife of Vladek had run away with money after a disagreement (Spiegelman 13). However, they reconcile and relocate to Florida. Vladek becomes very sick and Art is forced to go and take him to the hospital where he is stabilized but does not fully recover. This paper will look at the similar and different acts of heroism found in both the Maus2 and Persepolis 1.

Who is the hero or heroine in each text?

In the graphic novel Maus 2, the hero is Art, Spiegelman talks about his resentment and anger towards his father Vladek Spiegelman (Spiegelman pg.14).Art says that he does not like his father and he was young he would be burnt in the oven (pg.14). Art, likewise, narrates about his experience in the recent marriage while at the same time how the holocaust has affected him (Spiegelman 14). In Presepolis, Marjane is the heroine of the graphic novel. Marjane narrates the difficulties she and her family have gone through which are politically and religion related. Marjane additionally brings feminism to graphic novel, which is not visible in Maus.

What antagonist is each hero/heroine fighting? (It could be an individual or institution). –

Art Spiegelman starts his novel with so much resentment towards his father who he partly blames for the death of his mother (Spiegelman pg.25). Therefore, Art is fighting his father, he starts the story with how he reacted when he found out that his father had a heart attack (Spiegelman pg.13). Basically Art has a lot of unresolved issues that he has to deal with. He has his strained relationship with his father plus he feels bad that both his parents had a difficult life while has had an easier one. Another thing that he is fighting is his emotions towards the holocaust (pg.14). Marjane, on the other side is fighting an institution, which in this case is the government of Iran. She does not agree with their policies especially putting on a veil to school. In the novel she moves back and forth between Iran and Europe but decides to settle in Europe in the end for the sake of her freedom (Satrapi 10). We see Marjane practicing demonstration in their compound in preparation to fight the government (Santrapi pg.10).
These two graphic novels are similar in the use of history and survival. Marjane tells her real life experience when Iran was in the revolution era. Marjane shows how she survived by having to relocate to another country. Art narrates the story of his father involvement in war during Hitler regime. Vladek Spiegelman went through many difficulties during that time but he survived (Spiegelman 30). Vladek later died in 1982 (pg.40).
What is each hero/heroine's "super power" and how do they demonstrate heroism? -What is their weakness of flaw as hero? –
In Persepolis, Marjane believed she would be a prophet so that she could rescue her people from suffering (Satrapi pg.6). She had she had the courage to stand against the government when she felt that the policies were oppressive. People thought she was mentally ill for her to think that she was a prophet (Satrapi pg.11). She likewise talked to God every night. However, her weaknesses are that she starts using drugs and at one point, she becomes homeless in Viennah. In Maus, Art’s weaknesses was using recordings of his father that were not in good conditions Art demonstrates his heroism by forgiving his father at the end (Spiegelman 125).

What do these graphic novels suggest about the nature of heroism in the context of a violent and oppressive society?

Marjane tried to lead other children to punish Ramin because his father was a killer but her mother stopped them (Satrapi pg.17). However, she demonstrated later on when she was older and she assisted in giving out the fliers (Satrapi pg.76). Marjane talks about the way critics of the Iran government were punished. These punishments were very inhumane and painful. They included being burn so as to teach others a lesson not to criticize the government (Satrapi pg.18). Marjane at one time tried to join her parents in demonstrating but they refused (Satrapi pg.17). Art also shows how the Jews suffered in the hands of the Germans. The Jews sufferings begun even before the holocaust. Similar to Persepolis, they were also burnt and told to strip naked (Spiegelman 30). The Jews were given very hard task and to make matters worse is that if they did it well they were not given food to eat. Their children were used for experiments purposes. At one time Art shouted at his father for telling that he was lazy yet he had been working for close to three hours and the father had to go out for a walk (Spiegelman pg.23). Art’s father is a kind man and a hero for the way he helped a friend while in prison (pg.34).
In Persepolis, Marjane was forced into isolation and made to put on a veil to school. She and her friends were not allowed to interact with other people (Satrapi 10). Marjane and her family were subjected to laws that dictated what they were supposed to do. They were denied there freedom to do their will. For instance, the government did not allow anyone to wear clothes or play music similar to those of the western countries. In Maus, The Jews community were discriminated and made to live in caves. They were also not given food to eat. The Jews were subjected to a curfew and if anyone failed to adhere to it, they were beaten. Owning a business or acquiring employment for the Jews was nearly impossible (Spiegelman 29).

Works Cited

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 2003. Print.
Spiegelman, Art. Maus II. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1991. Print.