Persepolis Journals

Discuss the graphic memoir genre.

Upon purchasing Persepolis I was excited to dive into this book because of its interesting written format. Although the story being told is about oppression, I love the way Marjane begins to tell her story, "This is me when I was 10 years old. This was in 1980". I really wonder how long it took her to come up with the perfect beginning but this was the best one. The first couple of pages her it is very effective, especially when she recounts the children not knowing why they had to wear the veils. But as I kept reading the memoir I eventually began to forget that it was a true story. I guess it is a mind boggle because on most occasions, upon reading a comic book, I automatically deduct it as fiction. The intensity of what Marjane is retelling is what brings me back to realize that it is a biography, for example when she describes the scene of the mass killing at the Rex cinema.

Compare and contrast Before Night Falls and Persepolis.

Well the obvious difference between both these memoirs is the manner in which they were written. Heh I just imagined Before Night Falls written as a comic book. Now that really would be GRAPHIC! I don't think that would even be accepted as something serious. Some other differences are the fact that in Persepolis, Marjane does not need to describe the scene as much as Reinaldo does because it has already been illustrated in the memoir as a comic. Although Persepolis has great illustrations that make the story take on a lighter note, Reinaldo's memoir has a stronger effect upon the reader because you are left to imagine the scene on your own. In my opinion, the way in which Persepolis was written gives a lighter account about the revolution in Iran because of the comical illustrations, in comparison to Arenas descriptively written account of the revolution in Cuba and his homosexuality.

Before Night Falls: The role of the Sea

When Reinaldo Arenas first began to mention his attraction to the river I automatically noticed the connection with the Awakening. Just like Edna Pontellier, Reinaldo felt that the raging waters was the only place that could offer him freedom to just be and escape. Both fearful of where the waters would take them, they wanted to jump in anyways and lose themselves in the hopes of finding inner peace. This is where Reinaldo felt accepted, just like Edna felt towards the ocean.

Before Night Falls Journals

Discuss the role of sexuality in the memoir.

Sexuality is highly dominant in this memoir. I had overheard that it was pretty graphic and disturbing so I was ready for it when I began reading it. At first it was neutral but eventually when he began to speak of his country, specifically his town is when I began to realize the honesty Arenas wrote within his stories. It was baffling to read his experience with his uncle on the horse. Although it is not abnormal to occur, it was still astonishing to me because I have never experienced something so intimate with a family member! Another instense scene he described was his first consummated act with his cousion Orlando. Because I am not of the male gender, it was awkward reading this part. Honestly I have nothing agaisnt homosexuality but to tell you the truth I find male homosexuality a bit strange to witness. When I have seen women act sexually with each other it has never struck me as odd, I guess because I can date back to the time when I was five years old that I first witnessed the act the sex with lesbians rather than with heterosexuals. Although it is strange to read, it made me chuckle when he went on to say that they not only did it once but twice! The use of animals for sexual pleasure is another perfect example of the role of sexuality in this memoir. These youngins would try to find anything with a hole or anything with moisture to spaz with. From chickens, to mules, to horses or goats and it wasn't anything abnormal in their society.