Individuality, Expression, and Unification

An in-class discussion led to a question about what the very first pictures in Persepolis were supposed to show.

A class photo has been taken of the main character, Marji’s class and she has been cut out (Satrapi 3). The point was raised that perhaps readers are supposed to note that all the girls in the picture are not viewed as individuals thus it does not matter to those in charge that the picture is not quite right. This may be the point that Marjane Satrapi is trying to show readers. “Understanding Comics” by Scott Mcloud can be used to support this idea.

Mcloud defines cartoon (Satrapi’s chosen form of illustration) as “a form of amplification through simplification” (Mcloud 30). If we use this to look at the first panel, we may note that the picture is quite simple. Satrapi has drawn the schoolgirls in identical outfits and with almost identical expressions. In fact the only aspects of the girls that are unique are their bangs. If we follow Mcloud’s logic, we may decide that perhaps Satrapi wants us to focus on these small details. Although, minor, these detailed aspects are brought back to our attention at the bottom of the page, where another panel displays the same or similar students playing, mostly with their veils off. The different bangs are attached to varying hairstyles and the hairstyles to heads full of different ideas (Satrapi 3). Ranging from monsters to execution to teasing, the girls use their imaginations to entertain themselves in numerous ways. They are children and they seem to show even more similarity in this panel than in the previous. The girls share attitude and imagination, much more than clothing and distaste for pictures.

In the first panel readers may at first think that Satrapi is glossing over individuality among the girls. However she may be trying to display their unification on a matter, such as getting a picture taken. The girls have minds of their own and they often choose to show this by uniting against something or someone. This is evidenced several times later in the book, where they unite to support Marji against the school’s religion teacher or refuse to snitch on a classmate who uses toilet paper to decorate for the anniversary of the revolution (Satrapi 97, 144)