Persepolis

Although Persepolis is clearly a novel about a country plagued by war and hardship, it is also a source of humor. The torture and death that Marjane is confronted with on a daily basis is often countered by a light joke or a humorous drawing to even out the mood for the reader. I am glad that the author does this, for a couple of reasons. The first is that it keeps the book interesting. It sets it apart from other novels that talk about war in that it is more upbeat and doesn't solely focus on the war but also on how the people got lived around it. The second reason I enjoy the two contrasting moods is that it shows that Marjane herself does not fully understand the war and conflict. Her actions often show that she does not understand and that she is struggling to deal with the war. For example, she often over tells a story to try to out-do her classmates, not recognizing the solemnity deserved. I think this facet helps connect with the reader and show how confusing the time was for Marjane.

I think that the pacing of the book is an aspect that can be looked at. On certain pages, they are meant to be read fast, and hastily. On others, your eyes follow a specific path laid out by the drawings. And on others still, the author makes you stop and reread or look at the picture a little bit longer, whether it be from a depressing statement or a piece of dry humor to end the page. These qualities make the novel jump out of the page a little bit more than normal. Its liveliness makes it feel like more than a black and white cartoon.