Persepolis is a graphic novel written by Marjane Satrapi about her personal experience during the Iranian Revolution. She writes of her early childhood and how, at the age of ten, she wished to become a religious prophet. Satrapi was born religious and wanted to represent her religion in positive ways. When explaining what she desired to become, she states that she wants to be “justice, love, and the wrath of God all in one”(Satrapi 9). This statement is paired with an accompanying comic panel. The panel shows three depictions of Satrapi when she was ten years old. Each image of her is wearing the same pair of patterned pajamas that contrast with the dark tone of the background. The first depiction shows Satrapi holding an evenly balanced scale. This symbol represents justice, one of the three ideals she hopes to be. In this image, Satrapi’s eyes seem to be staring straight ahead as if confronting the viewer. This confrontational look goes with the idea of judgement and justice. The second depiction shows Satrapi holding up a peace …show more content…
As a prophet, she wants to represent the ideals of the divine: justice, love, and wrath. Satrapi continually goes back to her childhood dream of being a prophet throughout the novel. This reoccurring theme shows the importance of her aspirations early in the work. By visually showing what Satrapi wishes to achieve, the viewer gains a better understanding of her goals and motivation. The viewer’s thoughts about her goal can be manipulated through the presence of multiple images relating to one subject. By including three separate depictions of herself, the author helps the reader to see that each ideal is it’s own entity yet all unite as one within herself. One of the themes of the novel is religious confliction. The image shows Satrapi’s interest in religion and religious representation. She had an early interest in religion and continued to hold her beliefs throughout her