Surviving Repression: Persepolis

Lesson 16
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ELA

Unit 4

8th Grade

Lesson 16 of 22

Objective


Explain how specific events and lines of text develop the idea that Marji's experience as an adolescent is both universal and very specific to the time period and setting.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi  pp. 111 – 125

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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, the sections of Persepolis that students read for this lesson contain images of hospitalization (pp. 115, 120, 122), cigarette smoking (pp. 117–118), and people dying in battle and by execution (pp. 116, 117, 119).

Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

On page 113, Marji says to her mother, "Dictator! You are the guardian of the revolution in this house!" How does this line, as well as Marji's interactions with her mother in general, develop the idea that Marji's experience as an adolescent is both universal and very specific to the time period and setting? Provide at least two examples using text and images from today's reading to support your answer.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • On page 112, Satrapi writes "...In spite of everything, kids were trying to look hip, even under risk of arrest." How do this line and the events on pages 111–112 develop the idea that Marji's experience as an adolescent is both universal and very specific to the time period and setting? Provide at least two examples using text and images from pages 111–112 to support your answer.

  • What mood does Satrapi develop in the bottom three panels on page 120? How does the experience of seeing those wounded in the war affect Marji? Provide specific examples from these panels to support your answer.

  • How does the story of 18-year-old Niloufar develop the reader's understanding of the setting? Provide at least two examples using text and images from pages 123–125 to support your answer.

Exit Ticket

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Vocabulary


Text-based

belligerent

adj.

(p. 115)

aggressive; eager to fight

repressive

adj.

(p. 117)

oppressive; limiting the freedom of a person or group of people

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. 126 – 142

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What do Marji's parents buy for her in Turkey?

  • Why is it difficult to get the souvenirs from Turkey home?

  • Why is Marji stopped by the Guardians of the Revolution?

  • How does Marji get away from the Guardians of the Revolution?

  • What do Marji's parents decide to do when the Iraqis begin to bomb Tehran?

  • Who are the Baba-Levys? What happens to them?

Notes for Teachers

Tonight's reading contains depictions of bombings and references to people dying in missile attacks. 

Enhanced Lesson Plan

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Common Core Standards


  • RI.8.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • 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.8.10
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 setting, and describe how Satrapi communicates this through text and images.

Lesson 17
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