Cigarettes + Revolution: thoughts on PERSEPOLIS, by Marjane Satrapi

Slowly but surely, I'm learning how to read graphic novels. It's a complex affair, drawing together words and images. In my head, it's a skill you naturally have as a child, but one you lose as you start exploring fat books full of words. Unless you stick with comics throughout life, which I regret not doing. My first graphic novel was Watchmen - I got too excited and powered through it without really appreciating the story being told in the images. Next I tried a couple of books Neil Gaiman's Sandman series - the art was so great that I couldn't concentrate on the wordy bits.

Persepolis, however, required no work whatsoever. Marjane Satrapi's tale of a girlhood in and out of Iran is a wonderful synthesis of simple text, minimalist imagery and complicated political, philosophical and familial themes. Marjane is the daughter of middle-class, left-wing parents. She is fond of the word 'dialectic', she wishes to be a prophet, she is sad because her maid does not eat with her family. She is a precocious young girl, and though this is an autobiographical tale, the well-read and super-curious novel-Marjane is reminiscent of Hodgson Burnett's Mary Lennox, transplanted from the gardens of Yorkshire to the unsettled landscape of Iran.

Marjane takes us along with her as she witnesses her country change around her. First it is the protests, then comes the new regime, the war with Iraq, the enforcement of religious law, the closure of her school, upheaval, death, travel to Europe and all of a sudden we realise that Marjane is no longer a young girl. She's a chain smoking young woman left confused by her country's transition from liberal nation to extremist state.

People my age have grown up with Iran in the news. We know Iran as the state it becomes toward the end of this novel - a state of unrest, both political and cultural. A state in which Western countries have involvement in, though we may not always understand why. When I first saw 60's images of Iranian women in mini-skirts I was ridiculously confused. I don't profess to know the ins and outs of Iranian politics, and I know even less about Iranian culture, but Marjane Satrapi teaches us about both, from the perspective of a girl who is undergoing many changes herself. In a subtle act of show and tell, we learn about the modern history of Iran, and how its people have influenced and been influenced by this history, whilst learning about the life of one little girl.

I think we all attempt to relate literature to our own lives, it's only natural. In the case of Persepolis, the bits I found most striking were the alien ones. What it's like to live in a war-torn country, for example. What it's like to leave home and be unsure of your return. However, key tenets of the novel transcend political or national specificity - family, perhaps being the most prominent. Personally, I found Marjane's exploration of what it is to be a woman in a restrictive environment fascinating. Even though Marjane's experiences are at an extreme end of the spectrum, the inherent attitudes found in them are very relevant in societies across the world today.

It's touching, dark, funny, and it's as much a tale of growing up as it's a tale of politics and philosophy. A rare treat of a tale, offset with simple and striking illustration. I really think young girls of all nationalities should read this book, especially in the context of today's perceptions about the Middle East. Satrapi is an inspirational writer and woman -  I can't wait to pass her work on.

What are your recommendations for a novice graphic novel reader? Lots of suggestions welcome.

Marjane Satrapi - picture: persianfilmfestival.com