Oct 14, 2009
Persepolis the Autobiography?
I wanted to pose the question of whether or not Persepolis would be considered an autobiography. There are many things throughout Satrapi's story that indicate that it could be considered an autobiography.We can obviously see how Persepolis might be considered an autobiography. First of all Satrapi is recalling events in her life in chronological order. She also characterizes her childhood memories in Marji. Pascal says that it's important to do this in trying to seperate an autobiography from a diary entry. Further more Satrapi recites historical facts, giving her memories more credit. Finally, autobiographies "offer an unparalleled insight into the mode of consciousness of other men." Satrapi's narrative style helps us connect her childhood memories (Marji) with her personality. All these things help the arguement for Persepolis being an autobigoraphy.
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I think that Josh raises an important question of whether or not Persepolis can be considered an autobiography. I agree that there is strong evidence in the techniques used by Satrapi for Persepolis’ being an autobiography. For example, Pascal says that an autobiography is the “reconstruction of the movement of a life” and a “shaping of the past” (Pascal 9). Josh pointed out that Persepolis does reconstruct Marji’s life. There are two aspects of Persepolis, though, that I think preclude its being an autobiography by Pascal’s definition.
ReplyDeletePascal defines the difference between autobiography and memoirs and reminiscence. He says “in the autobiography proper, attention is focused on the self, in the memoir or reminiscence on others” (Pascal 5). This definition puts Persepolis in a category closer to memoir or reminiscence because of the interplay between Marji and Satrapi and other characters. Satrapi’s use of boxes to insert her opinions and interpretations throughout the story could probably fit into the definition of an autobiography, but the long glimpses into the lives of others, including her uncle, her parents, and victims of violence, shift the focus to the “others” in the story.
Pascal also says that autobiography is “historical in its method, and at the same time the representation of the self in and through its relations with the outer world” (Pascal 8). This means that the focus of the autobiography is on the life of the person it is written about and how they change because of the outside world. It is true that Persepolis documents this in Marji. But, Satrapi says in the introduction that “[she] believe[s] that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists” and that that “is why writing Persepolis was so important to [her]” (Satrapi Introduction). Based on this exigency, the focus is not on Marji’s life, it is on the people of Iran and the “outer world.”
So, I think that although Persepolis shares many similarities with autobiographies, its narration and exigency preclude it from being one.
I disagree. I think the interplay between Marji and Satrapi further helps the case for Persepolis to be an autobiography. It helps the audience get closer to Marji and Satrapi who are both the same person. Satrapi also uses her narration to "alter earlier judgements and detect significances which escaped [her] at the time. (Pascal, 4)" Further more I think you are right in that the exigency is focused on the people of Iran, but Satrapi uses the story of herself and her narration of that story as an agent. She is trying to show others that the people of Iran are not so different by giving an example of an Iranian's life. The other characters and their stories only help the audience to relate to Marji and Satrapi even more.
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