Surviving Repression: Persepolis

Lesson 10
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ELA

Unit 4

8th Grade

Lesson 10 of 22

Objective


Explain how specific incidents impact and reveal aspects of characters and setting, and describe how Satrapi communicates this through text and images.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi  pp. 18 – 32

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A Note for Teachers


Today's lesson contains sensitive content that may be upsetting or triggering for students. Emphasize respectful communication, critical thinking, and context understanding prior to engaging in today's reading. Name for students resources they can leverage within the classroom or school day to process their emotions. 

  • In particular, page 24 contains descriptions of imprisonment and being tortured by being locked in a cell filled with water. Page 29 depicts men with guns. Pages 31–32 depict dead bodies.

Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

Which specific incidents, lines of text, and panels reveal that Marji is very young and has more to learn about how the world works? Provide at least two examples, using both text and images to support your answer.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • What was Reza's original plan for government, and how did the British change his mind? Explain how Satrapi uses words and images on pages 20–21 to convey the relationship between the British and Reza, and provide at least two examples, referencing both text and images to support your answer.

  • What causes Marji's grandfather to change his political beliefs? Provide at least two examples from today's reading, referencing both text and images to support your answer.

  • What is the significance of the story that Marji's father tells about what happened at the hospital on pages 31–32? Why is it humorous, and what does it reveal about the political climate in Iran at that time? Provide at least two examples from today’s reading, referencing both text and images to support your answer.

Exit Ticket

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Vocabulary


Text-based

bleak

adj.

(p. 23)

not hopeful or encouraging

martyr

n.

(p. 31)

a person who dies for an important cause

Homework


To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.

  • Book: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi  pp. 33 – 46

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • How would you describe Marji's relationship to Mehri?

  • Why does Mehri's relationship with the neighbor boy end?

  • What do Marji and Mehri do, even though it is against the rules?

  • What does the shah decide to do? How do the people of Iran respond?

  • Why does Marji want to beat Ramin up?

  • How does Marji's mother respond to Marji's desire to beat Ramin up?

Notes for Teachers

Tonight's reading contains depictions of violence, including Marji's mother slapping Marji and Mehri across the face, and Marji making brass knuckles out of nails to try to attack a classmate.

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Common Core Standards


  • RI.8.3 — Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
  • RI.8.5 — Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.

Supporting Standards

L.8.6
RI.8.1
RI.8.2
RI.8.4
RI.8.10
SL.8.1
SL.8.4
SL.8.5
SL.8.6
W.8.1
W.8.1.a
W.8.1.b
W.8.4
W.8.9
W.8.9.b
W.8.10

Next

Explain how specific incidents impact and reveal aspects of characters, and describe how Satrapi communicates this through text and images.

Lesson 11
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