Response to Book Questions 10/29

Who would the book appeal to?
I think this book would appeal to anyone who wants to learn about a culture that most of the world doesn't know much about. I also think it would appeal to other people that have moved to a foreign country that can relate to all the issues of trying to fit in to an entirely new environment. It also, for a majority of the book is an easy read, there are a few terms that westerners and those who aren't familiar with Middle Eastern geography wouldn't know, but usually Satrapi explains in footnotes so you aren't totally lost.
What about it is appealing?
I think this book is appealing because of its' unique take on a biography. Since it's in graphic novel form I think that makes it more interesting to a broader range of people, but it also keeps that drama of Satrapi's life, so people who aren't fans of graphic novels, I think, can still read this book because of the storyline.
What obstacles should student readers of this book be ready for?
The book does start off slowly, so it can be somewhat of a challenge to get into the book. But, if you can hang in there for the first few 'chapters' I think it is a book that can be enjoyed. Another obstacle, or something that I think would repel some people, is the amount of death and loss that takes place in the book. Since this book takes place during the Iranian war there is a lot of death in the book, but I do think Satrapi does do a good job of conveying the idea and sense of loss through her drawings but not as gory as it could be.
What do students need to know about in order to understand the book?
As I mentioned before, there are some Middle Eastern terms in the book, and you should be somewhat familiar with them, otherwise you might end up not fully comprehending the book. But, since war is a big part of the book, and most people have experienced living in a war zone, Satrapi tried to explain how difficult it is.
What issues does the book deal with that students might be interested in discussing?
Some of the bigger issues are war, living in a foreign land, and just plain growing up. The first two are interesting and I'm sure people like to speculate about what happens when you're in that kind of situation, but the last one, growing up, is something we can all relate to. Satrapi tells us her life story, which does go beyond our age, but it gets us to think about 'what will happen when I'm that old.'
Is there any “mature” content in the book? If so, what kind of content? How would you deal with such content in class?
There is some mature content. Although most of it is talked about in dialogue (death, torture, sex), there are a few time when Satrapi does show us in pictures how bad things are. I think that we are all old enough to handle what 'mature' content there is in the book (Some of us have probably already experienced some similar experiences). I think we can talk about the mature content if it is significant to whatever topic we are on, otherwise we can just skim over it if it doesn't seem related to what we are talking about.