Persepolis 5 - Looking Back - A Vertext Final Discussion 118 -153
"I never realized how much they love me. And I understood how important they were to me."
Persepolis - Looking Back - A Graphic Vertext Final Discussion - Pages 118-153 : Because Persepolis is a different kind (graphic) of novel - it allows the teacher to use a different kind of Vertext (see my page on Class Discussions for more on Vertexts). In this case, it is our final discussion of Persepolis - and by using both the texts and the images in the Vertext (a power point presentation with very carefully selected quotes) it gives us a final appreciation for the novel and for the medium. There is so much in this final discussion - Marji become Marjane and her parents must send her away for her own safety. She finally realizes how she feels about her family (and her country) - and the theme that runs through the book (and through this unit) of a "Persepolis" - an ancient world that existed - but now exists only in memory - truly comes to light as that world becomes her childhood. We also spend the last part of the class going through every student's take-away from the book.
Lesson Overview
If you've never encountered one of my Vertexts before - please see my page on Class Discussions. So many big ideas covered here, but none is bigger than the overriding idea of past worlds (Persepolis) becoming mere memories. Because this is a Graphic Vertext - and the actual panels from the book will appear on the screen - we will get a chance to talk about how the visuals work with the text and the ideas being conveyed. As with all Vertexts, you can find the page numbers on each slide so that students can find the page in their own copies of the novel. Don't forget to save enough time to go through each students take-away from the novel as well. The ones from this book - though we only spend a total of 7 days on it - are amazing.
Some main points covered in this Graphic Vertext
The story of Marji's uncle and his son . A foreshadowing of her parents sending Marji away.
Hre parents trip and the risks they take bringing her back posters (I play the song she plays in her room (see below) "Kids in America" for the class, while we discuss)
The bombings and the death of her friend (with special attention to the graphics used)
Her parents decision to send her away
Her giving her prized possessions away
A juxtaposition of her parents arriving from a trip and now leaving (the graphics are amazing in comparison)
Her fear of no maternal love existing (the first bombing) - overcome by her mother's feinting when she leaves
A Graphic Final Vertext - pages 118 to 153
I've included (for the first time) a PDF of this Vertext as the font I used (which followed the font used in Persepolis) could not embed into the presentation.
Kids in America by Kim Wilde
This is both the poster that Marji gets and the song she plays full blast in her room when bad things happen. It is in many ways a turning point for her.
PersepolisGraphicVertextFinalDiscussion_2017.m4aClass Recording of this class
Today's discussion is based on a visual Vertext (make sure you download it and follow along - I will ask to see your notes taken directly on the panels - you can print 6 slides per page). I put about 30 panels from our reading up - and a discussion ensues (and what a great talk we had). We talk about Marji's continued problems in school, her parents' ultimate decision and a very important link to another text we read.
Remote Enhancements
Vertexts work great in remote - and with the graphics it makes it an even more effective discussion method.
Persepolis 6 - Persepolis Movie Part 2 & Questions: Students with watch the second half of the film version of Persepolis. It's really perfect - because it picks up right were we left off (our unit only covers the first of the two books that Marjane Satrapi wrote). As with all of my Movie Questions (see my page on them) - there are questions to be answered immediately while watching the movie - and more thoughtful questions (mini-essays) to be answered on their own for homework. While most movies - and movie questions are over 2-3 days - this will be finished in one period.
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Thoughts on the Lesson
I am always a bit sad when we finish a book - and so are my students, I think. I only taught Persepolis for 10 years - not enough time to explore everything - and this was the last new book that I added to my course.