As I read these pages I kept asking myself "why"? Why are these men taking this canoeing trip? I have yet to hear a good reason. Ed himself admits several times that he doesn't want to go, and I don't blame him. There are many, many signs that point to something going wrong. For one Lewis is not a capable guide. Even though he has more experience than any of the other guys, combined, he is still an amateur. He may think he knows what to do, but deep down he doesn't. He tells the story about him breaking his ankle twice. Each time Ed just sits there and listens. It should throw up a red flag that tells him to stop. Lewis is also notorious for making dangerous decisions. It is part of his personality. He likes to do crazy things. It doesn't seem like any of the other guys are into the same activities.
Another red flag would be when the locals say that they would not try to canoe down the river. If I asked a local about something that I was about to do, and they said don't do it you better believe I would turn around and go home. It doesn't make sense to take that risk. Lewis goes ahead with the plan though. It's almost as if he has something to prove to someone.
I also thought it was bad Lewis takes the wrong road going to the river. He acted so confidently when he made the turn, but he eventually learned that he made the wrong choice. If he makes a decision like that on the river it could cost the men their lives.
A good example of Lewis inexperience occurs when he gets turned around on the river. He and his partner struggle to get their canoe pointed the right way. He has boasted the whole time that he knows what he's doing, when in fact he doesn't.
It seems like there is foreshadowing on every page. I'm ready to find out what is going to happen to these guys.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Beginning of Deliverance
Although I've only read 41 pages of this book I think I am really going to enjoy it. One of the first things I noticed was how descriptive the author is. He makes a point to describe everything in great detail, the reader can pretty much picture the words playing out in their head.
The beginning of the novel is really just devoted to character development. The audience is introduced to four main character, Ed (narrator), Lewis, Bobby, and Drew. Bobby and Drew seem to be kind of secondary characters. They aren't discussed as much as Ed and Lewis. We are told that Bobby is a social person that seems to have his life together, at least on the outside. Drew is a family man who seems satisfied with his life. The author makes a point to explain two times when both of the men got very angry. I wonder if this is foreshadowing because it seemed out of place.
Ed is the narrator and because of that the audience learns quite a bit about him. Ed is a complacent guy. He is the vice president of a graphic design company, but does not like his job. He has no motivation to reach his full potential and freely admits he could do better. He has an "anti-friction" towards life. He likes to find things that are easy to do and then stick with them. He does not seem like a guy who could handle being pushed to his limits.
Ed's best friend is Lewis. Lewis seems like a cool guy. He is very adventurous and is always trying new things. Ed says that "He had everything that life could give, and he couldn't make it work". Lewis never seems satisfied. He is constantly exploring new hobbies to keep himself busy.
All four men embark on a canoeing trip. Lewis is the most experienced outdoorsman, but even he doesn't have much experience. I don't understand why the rest of the guys would follow him.
I'm assuming something bad is going to happen to these guys otherwise there would not be much of a story. I just wonder what exactly it is.
The beginning of the novel is really just devoted to character development. The audience is introduced to four main character, Ed (narrator), Lewis, Bobby, and Drew. Bobby and Drew seem to be kind of secondary characters. They aren't discussed as much as Ed and Lewis. We are told that Bobby is a social person that seems to have his life together, at least on the outside. Drew is a family man who seems satisfied with his life. The author makes a point to explain two times when both of the men got very angry. I wonder if this is foreshadowing because it seemed out of place.
Ed is the narrator and because of that the audience learns quite a bit about him. Ed is a complacent guy. He is the vice president of a graphic design company, but does not like his job. He has no motivation to reach his full potential and freely admits he could do better. He has an "anti-friction" towards life. He likes to find things that are easy to do and then stick with them. He does not seem like a guy who could handle being pushed to his limits.
Ed's best friend is Lewis. Lewis seems like a cool guy. He is very adventurous and is always trying new things. Ed says that "He had everything that life could give, and he couldn't make it work". Lewis never seems satisfied. He is constantly exploring new hobbies to keep himself busy.
All four men embark on a canoeing trip. Lewis is the most experienced outdoorsman, but even he doesn't have much experience. I don't understand why the rest of the guys would follow him.
I'm assuming something bad is going to happen to these guys otherwise there would not be much of a story. I just wonder what exactly it is.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sure Thing by David Ives
I thought this was a very strange one act play. Maybe reading it doesn't do it justice, but I really did not enjoy reading this. The repetition was strange. When it was acted out in class I thought it was pretty good. I guess it's one of those plays that needs to be acted out instead of read.
The main idea behind this one act play is that it explains the actions between two people meeting for the first time in a cafe. There is a bell that goes off whenever the conversation has become stale, or has wandered to something too personal or abstract. So in a sense the bell acts as a "redo" button. (If only we had one in real life)
The guy, Bill, in the play approaches the female, Betty, in a cafe. He asks her if the seat beside her is taken and she says it is. The bell rings. He continues his quest, but in a different manner. The bell rings a few more times. Eventually he says the right things and sits down. This shows how hard it is to initially begin a conversation with someone completely new. It also shows how hesitant Betty is, she keeps coming up with excuses.
After he sits down they make small talk and the bell goes off occasionally. I thought it was funny when she tells him that she just came to read. I mean how would you respond to that? All you can really do is just stop talking to her and leave her alone. Of corse the bell went off after that. I thought it was also funny when she is talking about the book she is reading and Bill says the the author of the novel in such a confident manner, but is wrong.
One important message of the play is about timing. Bill explains that "You have to hit these things at the right moment or it's no good." I think that is mainly referring to relationships and meeting people, but also to other times in life.
There is a strange moment when Betty completely loses it and goes off about how she knows what Bill really wants and that she isn't falling for it. Betty has a long monologue where she describes what seems to be a true story she was involved in. She apparently met a guy and he got her to come home with him. All he really wanted was to have sex with her and after they finished he pretty much didn't care for her. This is the sort of personal information that is too personal for a first meeting and the bell rings after she finishes tell her story.
A few more funny moments are when Betty says she is gay so Bill will lose interest in her. Also when Bill is describing his college and political affiliation. He has to change his political affiliation four times till he finally comes to one that suits Betty.
The play ends with a story book ending. They finally find topics that they completely agree on and everything seems like it's going to work out between them. I thought the was a little off. If the play is about the struggles of meeting someone then it doesn't really make sense for everything to be peachy at the end. Most people don't hit it off when they first meet. I thought the ending was a little hard to believe.
The main idea behind this one act play is that it explains the actions between two people meeting for the first time in a cafe. There is a bell that goes off whenever the conversation has become stale, or has wandered to something too personal or abstract. So in a sense the bell acts as a "redo" button. (If only we had one in real life)
The guy, Bill, in the play approaches the female, Betty, in a cafe. He asks her if the seat beside her is taken and she says it is. The bell rings. He continues his quest, but in a different manner. The bell rings a few more times. Eventually he says the right things and sits down. This shows how hard it is to initially begin a conversation with someone completely new. It also shows how hesitant Betty is, she keeps coming up with excuses.
After he sits down they make small talk and the bell goes off occasionally. I thought it was funny when she tells him that she just came to read. I mean how would you respond to that? All you can really do is just stop talking to her and leave her alone. Of corse the bell went off after that. I thought it was also funny when she is talking about the book she is reading and Bill says the the author of the novel in such a confident manner, but is wrong.
One important message of the play is about timing. Bill explains that "You have to hit these things at the right moment or it's no good." I think that is mainly referring to relationships and meeting people, but also to other times in life.
There is a strange moment when Betty completely loses it and goes off about how she knows what Bill really wants and that she isn't falling for it. Betty has a long monologue where she describes what seems to be a true story she was involved in. She apparently met a guy and he got her to come home with him. All he really wanted was to have sex with her and after they finished he pretty much didn't care for her. This is the sort of personal information that is too personal for a first meeting and the bell rings after she finishes tell her story.
A few more funny moments are when Betty says she is gay so Bill will lose interest in her. Also when Bill is describing his college and political affiliation. He has to change his political affiliation four times till he finally comes to one that suits Betty.
The play ends with a story book ending. They finally find topics that they completely agree on and everything seems like it's going to work out between them. I thought the was a little off. If the play is about the struggles of meeting someone then it doesn't really make sense for everything to be peachy at the end. Most people don't hit it off when they first meet. I thought the ending was a little hard to believe.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Conclusion of A Raisin in the Sun
Just as I had feared, the insurance money that Walter was in charge of leaves his possession during the end of the play. Walter was going to go into business with one of his supposedly good friends, Willy, but Willy ends up taking his money and disappearing. I felt bad for Walter, but he had to know that people don't all of a sudden get rich. He should have been a little smarter about how he invested his money.
This leaves the family with a hard decision. Do they continue the move to their new house where they will need to all work to pay the bills or do they stay in their run down apartment and continue the same style of living they've had for decades? Mama leaves this decision up to Walter. At first Walter wants to take the offer that the White people in the neighborhood gave to them. They said that they would buy the house from them at a substantial increase from what they paid. Walter feels like this would be a good deal for the family. Mama however thinks that taking the money would be a slap in the face. She takes their offer as a sign that they are not welcome in the neighborhood and an attack against her pride. She goes on and on about how she and her husband grew up and that they would never sacrifice their pride. Eventually Walter decides to move into the house.
Although I understand why he made the decision I'm not sure I agree with him. Granted I'm not in his shoes, but if I had just squandered $6,500 and had the opportunity to get some of it back I think I would get it back. The money could really help the family out. I think Mama would have been extremely upset though. I can understand how it would be a little degrading, but why do they need to prove anything to those White people? In this case it seems like money is worth more than their pride. Making the decision to move in makes Walter more like his dad. This makes Mama very happy because all along she has been wanting Walter to step up and act like his dad.
Moving into the house satisfies Mama's dream. She will finally be able to plant her garden that she has always wanted. At the same time moving into the house destroys Beneatha and Walter's dream. Now that the money is gone Beneatha will more than likely not be able to go to medical school. She will have to find some other way to get money or she will probably fall into the same routine as the rest of her family, which is sad. Walter's dream disappears because he will almost certainly not have that kind of money to invest again. I hope if he does choose to invest money in the future he will be a little bit smarter about it.
I really enjoyed this play overall. I thought there were some good messages throughout the play that added a lot of depth to it. I would have liked to have a little more information about what happens to the family though. The ending does not have many details.
This leaves the family with a hard decision. Do they continue the move to their new house where they will need to all work to pay the bills or do they stay in their run down apartment and continue the same style of living they've had for decades? Mama leaves this decision up to Walter. At first Walter wants to take the offer that the White people in the neighborhood gave to them. They said that they would buy the house from them at a substantial increase from what they paid. Walter feels like this would be a good deal for the family. Mama however thinks that taking the money would be a slap in the face. She takes their offer as a sign that they are not welcome in the neighborhood and an attack against her pride. She goes on and on about how she and her husband grew up and that they would never sacrifice their pride. Eventually Walter decides to move into the house.
Although I understand why he made the decision I'm not sure I agree with him. Granted I'm not in his shoes, but if I had just squandered $6,500 and had the opportunity to get some of it back I think I would get it back. The money could really help the family out. I think Mama would have been extremely upset though. I can understand how it would be a little degrading, but why do they need to prove anything to those White people? In this case it seems like money is worth more than their pride. Making the decision to move in makes Walter more like his dad. This makes Mama very happy because all along she has been wanting Walter to step up and act like his dad.
Moving into the house satisfies Mama's dream. She will finally be able to plant her garden that she has always wanted. At the same time moving into the house destroys Beneatha and Walter's dream. Now that the money is gone Beneatha will more than likely not be able to go to medical school. She will have to find some other way to get money or she will probably fall into the same routine as the rest of her family, which is sad. Walter's dream disappears because he will almost certainly not have that kind of money to invest again. I hope if he does choose to invest money in the future he will be a little bit smarter about it.
I really enjoyed this play overall. I thought there were some good messages throughout the play that added a lot of depth to it. I would have liked to have a little more information about what happens to the family though. The ending does not have many details.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Act 1 Scene 2-Act 2 Scene 2 A Raisin in the Sun
These scenes really build on the previous ones. The main events that occur include Bennie's relationship with her boyfriend and Asagai, Ruth becoming pregnant, and the insurance check coming in.
The audience is already aware that Beneatha has a boyfriend, but the status of their relationship is not really known until these pages. Before we are told that information however a new man is introduced, his name is Asagai and he is a student visiting from Africa. Asagai has recently returned from visiting his family and he brought Beneatha a present. She opens it to find a traditional piece of African clothing that used to be his sisters. Beneatha loves it. Asagai must have really known what Bennie would like as a present. The main reason he comes over to her house however is to discuss their relationship. Before he left he wanted to become her boyfriend, but Bennie thought that the timing was not right. Now that he is back he wants to continue his quest.
The problem with this is that she is already seeing a guy named George. George is very different from Asagai. Asagai is more in touch with Bennie's feelings and really understands her. George's family has a lot of money, but does not give Bennie what she desires. Beneatha and George get in an argument when he comes to pick her up for a date. They are going to the theater and Beneatha has decided to wear the clothing that Asagai brought her. She has also cut her hair very short and has not straightened it or anything. George does not like this at all. He seems to be very worried about what other people will think about him if they see him with her. He makes her change. I found it interesting that Beneatha cut her hair mainly to because of comments Asagai made even though she knew George would not approve. I think this shows that she really doesn't care about her relationship with George. It will be interesting to see how the two relationships progress. I can't see Beneatha and George staying together much longer if they don't change.
A baby is the topic of the next important event. There had been foreshadowing earlier in the play that led me to believe that Ruth and Walter might be having a baby. This in fact turns out to be the case. The audience learns that Ruth is two months pregnant, but she has already put a down payment on an abortion. She doesn't say why she has done that, but it must be because she feels like they can not care for another child. They can barley afford and care for the one they have now. Mama is very against the abortion and makes herself known. She challenges Walter to step up and be a man like his father. She wants him to put his foot down, be strong, and tell Ruth that she will not get an abortion and that they will find a way to provide for the new child. Mama wanting Walter to be like his father is a major issue in the play. She always compares him to his father, but Walter doesn't take compare to his father, at least not yet. They both have different characteristics.
I think the biggest event that occurs is the arrival of the insurance check. All along this has been on all of the characters lives. They all of plans on what it will do for them or how it will help their family. Mama takes the money and ends up spending $3,500 on a down payment for a house. The rest she gives to Walter. She tells Walter that it is his time to step up and be a man. He needs to take charge of the family. She orders him to take the rest of the money and use it for what he thinks will benefit the family the most. The only condition is that he must save $3,000 for Beneatha's school.
Buying a house is important for Mama because it has always been her dream. I think she also decides to buy it because she hopes it will stop Ruth from having an abortion. Now that they have more space in their new home the baby will not be in the way. The only problem with the new house is that it is in a white neighborhood. Recently their have been bombings of blacks' house in white neighborhood. The whole family is a little scared about what the reaction will be.
Act 2 scene 2 ends with Walter taking to Travis about what the money will do for their family. He makes up an elaborate story. I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen. People don't get rich over night like Walter thinks is possible. I hope I'm wrong, but the way things are going it doesn't look good.
The audience is already aware that Beneatha has a boyfriend, but the status of their relationship is not really known until these pages. Before we are told that information however a new man is introduced, his name is Asagai and he is a student visiting from Africa. Asagai has recently returned from visiting his family and he brought Beneatha a present. She opens it to find a traditional piece of African clothing that used to be his sisters. Beneatha loves it. Asagai must have really known what Bennie would like as a present. The main reason he comes over to her house however is to discuss their relationship. Before he left he wanted to become her boyfriend, but Bennie thought that the timing was not right. Now that he is back he wants to continue his quest.
The problem with this is that she is already seeing a guy named George. George is very different from Asagai. Asagai is more in touch with Bennie's feelings and really understands her. George's family has a lot of money, but does not give Bennie what she desires. Beneatha and George get in an argument when he comes to pick her up for a date. They are going to the theater and Beneatha has decided to wear the clothing that Asagai brought her. She has also cut her hair very short and has not straightened it or anything. George does not like this at all. He seems to be very worried about what other people will think about him if they see him with her. He makes her change. I found it interesting that Beneatha cut her hair mainly to because of comments Asagai made even though she knew George would not approve. I think this shows that she really doesn't care about her relationship with George. It will be interesting to see how the two relationships progress. I can't see Beneatha and George staying together much longer if they don't change.
A baby is the topic of the next important event. There had been foreshadowing earlier in the play that led me to believe that Ruth and Walter might be having a baby. This in fact turns out to be the case. The audience learns that Ruth is two months pregnant, but she has already put a down payment on an abortion. She doesn't say why she has done that, but it must be because she feels like they can not care for another child. They can barley afford and care for the one they have now. Mama is very against the abortion and makes herself known. She challenges Walter to step up and be a man like his father. She wants him to put his foot down, be strong, and tell Ruth that she will not get an abortion and that they will find a way to provide for the new child. Mama wanting Walter to be like his father is a major issue in the play. She always compares him to his father, but Walter doesn't take compare to his father, at least not yet. They both have different characteristics.
I think the biggest event that occurs is the arrival of the insurance check. All along this has been on all of the characters lives. They all of plans on what it will do for them or how it will help their family. Mama takes the money and ends up spending $3,500 on a down payment for a house. The rest she gives to Walter. She tells Walter that it is his time to step up and be a man. He needs to take charge of the family. She orders him to take the rest of the money and use it for what he thinks will benefit the family the most. The only condition is that he must save $3,000 for Beneatha's school.
Buying a house is important for Mama because it has always been her dream. I think she also decides to buy it because she hopes it will stop Ruth from having an abortion. Now that they have more space in their new home the baby will not be in the way. The only problem with the new house is that it is in a white neighborhood. Recently their have been bombings of blacks' house in white neighborhood. The whole family is a little scared about what the reaction will be.
Act 2 scene 2 ends with Walter taking to Travis about what the money will do for their family. He makes up an elaborate story. I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen. People don't get rich over night like Walter thinks is possible. I hope I'm wrong, but the way things are going it doesn't look good.
Monday, March 28, 2011
A Raisin in the Sun Act 1 Scene 1
When I first started reading this play I wasn't sure if I would be able to relate to an African American family in the 1950's. However once I got a few pages into the play I understood that it didn't really matter that the family was African American. Their struggle to obtain their own "American dream" can be understood by people of all nationalities, genders, and religions.
In the first scene of the first act the audience learns about three of the characters dreams. Mama or Lena's dream is to own a house. This is a typical part of most people's dreams. A house is important because it's something you own. You can personalize it anyway you wish. It would be especially good for her family because they would have more room and would not have to share a bathroom with other families. Mama would really like to have a garden and having a piece land would allow her to grow the plants that she has been dreaming about. In the meantime Mama keeps a plant in a pot on the ledge of their only window. The plant is struggling to make it even though Mama keeps a close eye on it. I think this is a reference to the dreams of her family. They all posses their own dreams, but as each day passes it becomes harder to keep them alive.
Beneatha's dream is to become a doctor. Not only is this ambitious because of her race, but also because she is a woman. It doesn't make it easier that nobody in her family really believes in her. She has to have a strong will because there is no way she could make it with her family telling her to give up all the time. She is different from the rest of her family because she is the only one who has been to college. Unlike the rest of her family she is interested in learning about the world and what makes it work.
Walter, Beneatha's brother, has his own dream. His dream, which he got from one of his friends, is to open a liquor store. Walter is convinced that opening the store will make him lots of money. Deep down Walter wants to provide for his family like the man of the house should. Walter hopes that Mama will give him part of the check to invest in the store.
I think their dreams are all relevant to the society the story is set it. Some parts of them even transcend time and are relevant today. I believe that people will always want to provide for their family. It is human nature to want your family to have everything they want and need.
I also believe however that the "American Dream" changes. The quintessential two story house on an acre of land with a white picket fence and a car in the driveway does not really apply to today's society. This is at least the case for me. I think because I've grown up with a nice house, multiple cars, and plenty of food and clothes that my dream is much different. In a sense my standards are set higher. Instead of just any house I would prefer a 3,000 square foot house on 20 acres out in the country. This kind of goes back to the way that parents want to give their kids more than they had growing up. If the trend continues then the the American Dream will continue to change.
In the first scene of the first act the audience learns about three of the characters dreams. Mama or Lena's dream is to own a house. This is a typical part of most people's dreams. A house is important because it's something you own. You can personalize it anyway you wish. It would be especially good for her family because they would have more room and would not have to share a bathroom with other families. Mama would really like to have a garden and having a piece land would allow her to grow the plants that she has been dreaming about. In the meantime Mama keeps a plant in a pot on the ledge of their only window. The plant is struggling to make it even though Mama keeps a close eye on it. I think this is a reference to the dreams of her family. They all posses their own dreams, but as each day passes it becomes harder to keep them alive.
Beneatha's dream is to become a doctor. Not only is this ambitious because of her race, but also because she is a woman. It doesn't make it easier that nobody in her family really believes in her. She has to have a strong will because there is no way she could make it with her family telling her to give up all the time. She is different from the rest of her family because she is the only one who has been to college. Unlike the rest of her family she is interested in learning about the world and what makes it work.
Walter, Beneatha's brother, has his own dream. His dream, which he got from one of his friends, is to open a liquor store. Walter is convinced that opening the store will make him lots of money. Deep down Walter wants to provide for his family like the man of the house should. Walter hopes that Mama will give him part of the check to invest in the store.
I think their dreams are all relevant to the society the story is set it. Some parts of them even transcend time and are relevant today. I believe that people will always want to provide for their family. It is human nature to want your family to have everything they want and need.
I also believe however that the "American Dream" changes. The quintessential two story house on an acre of land with a white picket fence and a car in the driveway does not really apply to today's society. This is at least the case for me. I think because I've grown up with a nice house, multiple cars, and plenty of food and clothes that my dream is much different. In a sense my standards are set higher. Instead of just any house I would prefer a 3,000 square foot house on 20 acres out in the country. This kind of goes back to the way that parents want to give their kids more than they had growing up. If the trend continues then the the American Dream will continue to change.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
End of Persepolis 118-153
The end of the novel is pretty sad. There are quite a few events that negatively effect Satrapi's life. The first important event was the death of one of her uncles. He died from his third heart attack, but he could have been transferred to a foreign hospital where he could have received the treatment he need. The reason he was not transferred was because he did not have the proper passport. When Satrapi's mother went to try and get the passport she noticed that the man granting permission was her former widow washer. She tried to ignore the fact that he used to wash her windows, but he recognizes her and delays the passport. The uncle dies the day that the passport arrives.
Another bad event that takes place is when Iraq beings to attack Satrapi's city with long range missiles. Even though her family has been aware of the war it has not really directly affected them. This all changes with the missiles. One day Marjane is away from her house when she hears that there has been a missile attack. She rushes home to find that the missiles had hit her street, but had luckily missed her house. She finally sees her mom and has never been as grateful to see her.
Without a doubt the biggest event in the novel is when Marjane's parents tell her that they are sending her away. Her parents say that it's best for her, but Satrapi would rather stay with her parents. Even though her parents say they will eventually move where she is going, she knows deep down they never will. This upsets her.
Reading this novel was a new experience for me. I'm glad I finally read a graphic novel, but I don't think they're for me. I didn't like the lack of detail. In most novels all of the important information is discussed on the pages. In this graphic novel a lot of the detail was hidden in the pictures or required further research.
I also don't really understand why Marjane Satrapi wrote this novel. She says she does it to basically shed light on the misconceptions that people have of the citizens of Iran. The book was published in 2003 so it I figure she is referring mainly to the events of September 11th, 2001. If this is the case I don't see how a novel about events that happened almost 30 years prior have much relevance. It was hard for me to read about a child's thoughts about a particular event and believe them. I think most people would agree that nine year olds do not really understand everything that happens in the world around them, and I think that is the case with this novel. Marjane is highly influenced by her parents who happen to be very politically active. In all situation there are two sides to every story and I think this is one time where it would be helpful to know how the other side felt. I got tired of only hearing about what Marjane thought about everything.
Another bad event that takes place is when Iraq beings to attack Satrapi's city with long range missiles. Even though her family has been aware of the war it has not really directly affected them. This all changes with the missiles. One day Marjane is away from her house when she hears that there has been a missile attack. She rushes home to find that the missiles had hit her street, but had luckily missed her house. She finally sees her mom and has never been as grateful to see her.
Without a doubt the biggest event in the novel is when Marjane's parents tell her that they are sending her away. Her parents say that it's best for her, but Satrapi would rather stay with her parents. Even though her parents say they will eventually move where she is going, she knows deep down they never will. This upsets her.
Reading this novel was a new experience for me. I'm glad I finally read a graphic novel, but I don't think they're for me. I didn't like the lack of detail. In most novels all of the important information is discussed on the pages. In this graphic novel a lot of the detail was hidden in the pictures or required further research.
I also don't really understand why Marjane Satrapi wrote this novel. She says she does it to basically shed light on the misconceptions that people have of the citizens of Iran. The book was published in 2003 so it I figure she is referring mainly to the events of September 11th, 2001. If this is the case I don't see how a novel about events that happened almost 30 years prior have much relevance. It was hard for me to read about a child's thoughts about a particular event and believe them. I think most people would agree that nine year olds do not really understand everything that happens in the world around them, and I think that is the case with this novel. Marjane is highly influenced by her parents who happen to be very politically active. In all situation there are two sides to every story and I think this is one time where it would be helpful to know how the other side felt. I got tired of only hearing about what Marjane thought about everything.
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