Visual Rhetoric in Persepolis

Nils Tangemann Josh Holland English A SL C-Code Section incompatibleiate 3 Works read Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. Pantheon. New York. 2003 Question How and why is a social group represented in a particular way? The Display of Revolutionists in Marjane Satrapis Persepolis In Marjane Satrapis Persepolis thither be several important social groups that all play a role towards creating the whole provide that describes little Marjis everyday life in 1970s Iran. The nature of the revolution during that time created a huge divide between the different social groups.This was dominated by different prospects that were dribbleed victimisation violence, intimidation and other mental and physical threatening methods. Satrapi uses visual representation and plot devices in her in writing(p) invention Persepolis to expose the guile of the Islamic revolution. First of all, the author displays all members of the army and Islamic ultra groups with out any distinction from each other they are one homogenous group. Secondly, a story roughly the corruptness of policemen and governing officials is used to demonstrate how detached those community act towards their fake values that they lecture to other people.Lastly, the fact that the army is recruiting rude(a) s senioriers through a method that is apparently aimed at non- or less-educated youth shows that the regime is scared of the higher educated population knowing that they will non clear a chance in recruiting this social group because of their opposition. An aspect of the novel that comes to mind immediately when read the text is Satrapis choice to display the members of the revolutionist Islamic regime in a different way than the family or friends of ten year old Marji.While the individuals that are a direct part of Marjis social life are displayed in great detail, the revolutionists are always shown in a more than general fashion, therefore not distinguishing those characters. An example of this can be found in the chapter The bicycle when the intense down of a cinema by police forces is described (Satrapi 14). Using this technique, the followers of the regime are displayed as individuals that do not have an individual opinion, but rather blend into the crowd of people and go with the mainstream ideology hat is prevalent during the current political situation. This makes this social group stand out in such a way that the reader considers them generally as less educated and futile to question the political views that society has. The fact that Satrapi shows the persons that lean towards the more communistic political opinion in greater detail than revolutionists shows her political beliefs, therefore furthering the idea that this novel can be considered a memoir. In addition, the policemen of the revolutionary regime are depicted as corrupt and detached from their values.When the family almost gets caught having alcohol in their house, the policemen accept money from Marjis fath er and leave again without checking his flat (Satrapi 10). If the actual religious issue values of the regime were important to those policemen, they would not have left the site without checking, since the possession of forbidden substances is obvious to them. This depicts how separated the followers of the regime are from their own values that they promote.Satrapi tells the reader this story because she wants to expose the hypocrisy with which the government officials and therefore also the police operates. In this case, the author uses a plot device to express her political opinion. She makes the conscious decision to include this memory in her novel because it illustrates her opposition to the government and demonstrates a strong reason why using these policemen as bait. Similarly, in Marjis description the army uses techniques that understandably aim for the less educated and poor people to join the military.A plastic key on a chain is distributed to the less educated in order to convince them that they will go to heaven if they defend for their country. Satrapi uses the dialogue between her mother and their housekeeper to indicate how upset the upper social class us or so the strategy that the government uses to persuade the innocent youth of Iran (Satrapi 99). The government clearly aims for the young adults that do not have much of a choice other than joining the army and dying at a young age.On top of that, they are also naive enough to believe that the key will accept them to heaven. Mrs. Nasrine tells the story of how her son is being convinced to go to the army (Satrapi 100). The family helps to convince Mrs. Nasrines son that the government is spreading lies (Satrapi 101). Marjis mother is debunking the myths of the government in front of everyones eyes. The author uses this technique to express her own, negative opinion for the government and the manner in which they treat the young adults and not fondness about their lives.In conclusion, cer tain techniques of visual rhetoric and plot devices can be detected in the novel and are utilized to express the personal opinion of the author whilst displaying the revolutionary government as heavy-handed and unqualified. The followers of the regime are displayed homogenously without distinct characteristics or an individual opinion. The police that is associated with the government is corrupt and the methods of recruiting new soldiers for the army are only intended for uneducated and naive people because others cannot be tricked into the belief of passing game to heaven.The author makes great use of this technique not only when describing the revolutionists, but also when she is delivering her own opinion about how women were treated in Iran during her childhood. When deciphering these methods and finding the hidden comments on the social structure we really wait the author in her mid-forties who is writing. The novel far expands from the view of a ten year old and is not only a story of a childhood, but also a critical exposition on moral issues and personal opinion. Word count 958 Citation Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. Pantheon. New York. 2003.