Author Archives: seanpr

Respondent: On the Veil, Identity, and Memoir

The veil is obviously an important symbol in Persepolis and some others have commented on it. But I think the reason it’s so important is that as an item, the veil symbolizes the discrepancies and malleability of people’s notions of identity and the different forms it can take. The veil is at once a symbol of personal identity and one of national or cultural identity. It is viewed by some people as something to hide behind and by others as something to wear upon one’s self almost as a badge of honor. By others still the veil is seen as a means of debasing women, while others will say it is empowering to them. Such opinions stem very much from the cultural identities that inform their individual and personalized counterparts. I think this is underscored nicely in Persepolis because the book itself takes the form of a memoir – an innately personal expression of character, identity, and experience. Throughout the novel we see Marji confront her own developing sense of identity through a course by which there are several twists and turns, highs and lows, and periods of confusion or uncertainty. The veil doubles back around again symbolically, then, when we think of the kind of duality it imparts between its wearers and observers. The veil separates the individual within from the world without. We see Marji immersed in different cultures throughout Persepolis – in her native Iran and in Europe. In each position, life seems very different, and the other culture more poignantly characterized.

Also, with regard to the feelings some have expressed about the ending of Persepolis being lacking, or the storyline being ambiguous or almost non-existent: I think it is important to remember that a memoir is not a deliberately crafted story. It’s essentially a series of events that meaning is assigned to after the fact, rather than being contrived even from its origins as a story to be crafted to communicate a point or ideal. A more theatrically-crafted work would likely have an edge in gripping the reader, but such a theatrical or dramatic framing might in fact be disingenuous to the author’s own sentiment or recollection of experience. Because in a memoir the events that take place and the twists that turn the story are essentially predefined at the outset, the framing of these elements seems like the most undefined aspect of creating such a work. But in the end, as a memoir, the author should be inclined if not obligated to portray the relevant events in a true-to-life fashion.

Searcher: Gene Yang Interview with “The Trades”

http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=5053

Here’s another interview with Gene Yang on the subject of American Born Chinese I thought was interesting. It covers some of the inspiration behind the novel, themes present throughout it, and so on. Yang also says a bit about why he chose comics as a medium for expression. It also touches on some of the research Yang did for the novel.

First Reader: Variation of Perspective in Maus

Alongside Vladek’s recollections of the horrors of the Holocaust, one of the focal plot points of Maus is the oft-strained relationship Art, and virtually every character in the contemporary scenes, has with Vladek.

There is an important effect that takes place when changing between the two environments of Maus: The scenes in the present day take place from the vantage point of a removed, un-involved observer. However, when the reader is transported into the era of the Holocaust, there is a transition in narrative perspective, as Vladek becomes the sole communicator of the past.

From the removed, more objective perspective (in a literary sense) of the present day scenes, Vladek is characterized as an individual that is difficult to tolerate by those around him, owing to the possession of what is displayed to the reader as an overbearing and occasionally insensitive demeanor, and at times hypocritical nature. However, when the tenses shift and Vladek himself becomes the sole narrator, speaking in the first person, which (again in a literary sense) is a more subjective perspective, none of these aspects of his character show through. He instead appears quite resourceful and compassionate.

Something I wonder about, and the question I post to the Respondents, is this:

Do you think there is any (or strong enough) evidence to suggest that any of Vladek’s recollections may be colored by his own bias and subjective judgment? Or, being that Maus is largely concerned with how people come to cope with devastation and loss of control over their own lives, is it more likely that he has become the way he is at least in part as a result of the traumatic experiences he endured?

For what it’s worth, I think it’s possible that both situations apply.

Respondent: Flashbacks in Maus

The present-tense action is just as significant as the scenes from Vladek’s experiences in the Holocaust, though the latter may be more immediately emotionally gripping. The flashback structure is an integral part of making Maus what it is, which is more than a narrative strictly about the Holocaust. It’s also largely about how we reflect on and relate to our pasts and places in history, about self-reflection and discovery, and how we cope with devastation and times when we suffer the inability to maintain control over our lives. Maus is concerned, ultimately, with the way these things can shape who we are and what we become.

The flashback technique has other immediate effects upon the narrative, as well. For example, the contrast between the present-day scenes of everyday life as we are more likely to understand it and scenes from life as it was during the Holocaust make the atmosphere of both time periods and environments all the more striking.

The strained relationship between Art and Vladek also mirrors the relationship between the reader and Maus itself (and the content it depicts). Being fundamentally rooted in Vladek’s recollections of the past, the injection of the present into the narrative allows for the existence of the character Art, and others, and provides the reader with some context of familiarity to use as a hub for witnessing the horrors of Vladek’s personal accounts, and later reflecting.

Searcher: Article Discussing Differences Between Watchmen Graphic Novel and Film

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00022337.html

The article discusses some of the plot/narrative differences between Watchmen in its original graphic novel form and recent film adaptation, which, if memory serves, most people in the class have seen. Reading about some of the points of departure between the two mediums I think can serve nicely to highlight certain moments of the narrative and spur thought about how these selected moments and scenes add to, detract from, or otherwise color the overall product. I also feel as though a story that gets transferred between different mediums can be worth studying to help understand the limitations and/or benefits of working within those respective mediums.