Review on Persepolis

Persepolis, is a very interesting graphic novel, which is illustrated in a very unique manner compared to all the other graphic novels. Based on a true story, and illustrated in a child friendly manner, with simple shapes and just plain white and black background, it has a sense of innocence to it, which works well with the story as well as the context.  The story is about the authors life as a child and the historical events that took place around her and her experiences with these events. She covered a lot of topics on wearing the hijab, which is considered a sensitive topic in the Islamic world with such an ease and fluency that it is interesting to understand the thought behind it.  In a way, the graphic novel reminds me about a Bollywood movie that was recently created, based on true events of invasion of Kuwait by Iraq and how the Indian citizens had to escape Iraqi Army before they slaughtered them. The theme in both of these are common, It’s a struggle to survive when there is a new government, who wants to change things according to how they like to view the general public.  In Persepolis, in the very beginning, you can see that the authors homeland, is very independent of its culture, they are not bound by any religious acts of how to dress and boys and girls are sitting the same class rooms, however, once the new government takes overs, thing change drastically. The author and her female friends are told to dress a certain way and boys and girls have separate classrooms. I guess what I am trying to get here is is that such changes and exposer to such tactics at such a young age can cause a child to go through mental trauma . In a way I personally feel, that psychologically, when she started talking to “ god” it was her way of struggling and surviving the changes that took place to protect her sanity.