Peer Review Feedback & Semester Reflection

What I have learned from the literature we studied this semester? I have learned a big dealt of the literature, plus I also have learned so many new things from this course.

I have learned about how to write critical analysis paper based on critical theories. When I wrote the first paper about Persepolis, I used formalist theory that I did not know how to put down on my paper. I had to do a lot of research on how to write this type of theory, it was such a big challenge that I loved to try. After the peer review this first paper, I was so disappointed because all my effort was turned down. From the peer comments, my paper came out the controlling idea was not clear, the analysis was not thoughtful, the argument was not well-organized with TEA paragraphs. It was a hard task for me to start over my paper. I had to go back to my notes and read over and over again about writing TEA paragraphs. Thanks to miss Knapp that she required us to write TEA paragraphs in group each class. That really helped me to learn deeply about how to write a complete paragraphs with topic, example/evidence and analysis.

For using blog to post weekly journal, from beginning I was really shock and scared that I could not survive for ENG1B class because I did not have any idea about blog. However, after week by week I felt comfortable with it, and also it gave me a good chance to read other posts and give comments. For the play The Glass Menagerie, I found interested in learning it becasue I could use literrature to apply to our real life. It was fun that we worked with our group and acted in front of our class.  For In Dubious Battle, after reading this novel I have learned more about the life of Americans and migrant workers during the Great Depression. I also knew more about the UFW organization and 2011 movements that totally I have never had a chance to think about.  

Finally, I really enjoy learning this class with miss Knapp, and also I want to thank to her effort to help us learning the new critical theories, TEA paragraph, and the new technology system applied to study.


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Title: PEER REVIEW FEEDBACK

I have received the comments and feedback from two Peer Reviewers, most of them were YES and ALMOST. This second paper I have improved a bit on critical analysis writing compared to the first one.  The main points that I was missing were thesis statement and conclusion. From beginning, I have tried to do a lot of research and put them together on the paper. I just listed down into paragraphs that  whatever I thought they were useful, then I kept pouring the ideas out. I was aware that I missed the thesis statement but I was still thinking what I should give a strong one. Another issue, that I spent so much time on writing the paper based on the course outline before I received email from miss Knapp's instruction of the second paper. So, I had to revise the whole thing for my paper. Thus, I did not have enough time to complete.

After the peer review feedback, thanks to Jim and Joy that they marked some advices on several sentences needed to edit and revise. I re-read the whole paper and edit a few paragraphs that missed topic sentences and/or conclusions. After reading the whole paper, I finally figured out what thesis stament for the paper. Even Jim recommended that I should use one of idea from the introduction, however I thought that was too general to support my paper. Finally, I felt relieved that I got my paper done. It was not easy! Hopefully it will be on the right track as per miss Knapp's expectation.

Jim's Characterization

       From the beginning of In Dubious Battle, Jim is described as a hopeless and miserable person. His family is broken into pieces, his father is anger to the boss system and always tries to fight against the system alone, and finally his father is shot to death. His mother dies while he is in jail and she does not want to talk to him. His sister suddenly disappeared when he was a young boy. After Jim is released from the jail, he breaks down and he wants to do something that can make his life more meaningful. He decides to join the Party that he has learnt about while he was in jail. After being a member of Party, he is introduced to Mac who becomes his mentor and guides him to organize a group apple pickers on strike. During the strike, Jim learn more and more about how to work in a group; also he builds up himself confident that leading him to gain power of a leader.

       Jim is similiar to growers at the point of controlling people. As growers, there is no condition, they use their wealthy power to order pickers either to pick apples or to walk out their ranch. In the same manner, Jim  is suddenly transformed himself to a powerful leader; he uses his leader power to authorize strikers must follow his leadership.  

Revised Rough Draft Second Paper

The Depression and Movement

In Dubious Battle is published in 1936 by John Steinbeck. The author describes the struggle of working class and farmer workers throughout the difficult years during the Great Depression in the novel. There is a main character, Jim Nolan, going through the activity of an apple pickers' strike in a small California town. At the beginning of the book, Jim feels hopeless and powerless against the capitalist system that brought down him and his family. Jim wishes to find purpose and meaning in his life by joining the Party in order to attain the power to fight against the system. After joining the Party, Jim meets Mac McLeod, and Mac takes him along to the Torgas Valley to try to organize the apple pickers on strike after the growers’ association announced a pay cut to fifteen cents. The author points out clearly the pictures of how the working class and farmer workers lived and suffered and were exploited by the capitalist system. The author uses Mac and Jim to lead farmer workers on strike with hope to improve life for the poor and lower class workers.

             The Great Depression had a huge impact on American life during 1930s. “The start of the Depression is usually pegged to the stock market crash of “Black Tuesday,” Oct. 29, 1929, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell almost 23 percent” (Taylor). As the price of stock went down badly, most of people tried to sell their stocks and no one wanted to buy. Since the stock market crashed, there was an immense impact to banks because many banks used most their clients’ saving to invest into the stock market.  There were many banks were forced to close after the stock market crashed. As a result, “Bank failed, millions of citizens suddenly had no savings. Factories locked their gates, shops were shuttered forever, and most remaining businesses struggled to survive.” (“The Great Depression”).  Most of Americans faced to job loss, wages cut or even homeless, the worst of all they found difficulty to stay on their feet. “By 1932 the unemployment rate had soared past 20 percent. Thousands of banks and businesses had failed. Millions were homeless. Men (and women) returned home from fruitless job hunts to find their dwellings padlocked and their possessions and families turned into the street” (Taylor). Working class worker, such as Jim Nolan the fictional character that Steinbeck created In Dubious Battle, suffered the harsh life and struggled so hard to survive during the Depression.

             Jim is one of main character in the novel to present for working class worker who is affected badly during the Great Depression in 1930s. After being released from jail for thirty day of vagrancy, Jim feels hopeless with his life because he thinks his “Whole family has been ruined by the system” (Steinbeck 6).  His father was so much in labor trouble and always got beaten; his sister was disappeared suddenly; his mother died while he was in jail. His father was always frustrated to the system that he found difficulty to bring home enough money for living, as Jim’s comment about his father “The house where we live was always filled with anger. …, vicious anger against the boss, against the superintendent, against the groceryman when he cut off credit” (Steinbeck 20).  His father was angry to the system and always fought the battles alone, and finally his father was shot in the chest from a riot gun. Learning from his father’s experience, Jim decides to join the Party because it makes him feel powerful to belong to something bigger than just the individual. Jim is dissatisfied with himself because he does not see any hope in his life, and also Jim is disappointed with the capitalist system because it is unfair. Finally with a cause, Jim wants to join to the Party as a part of a group to pursue his goals to help the poor and working class workers getting out of starving and frustrated.

            During the Great Depression, millions of people were out of work across the United States. Especially farmers from southern Great Plain were hit hard with both drought and dust storms. Unfortunately they lost their homes, farms, crops and they hardly survived at their hometown. “Driven by the Great Depression, drought, and dust storms, thousands of farmers packed up their families and made the difficult journey to California where they hoped to find work” (“The Migrant Experience”).  Farm owners were so greedy, they attempted to attract more migrant workers coming to their farms to work by posted “Flyers advertising a need for farm workers in the Southwest were distributed in areas hard hit by unemployment” (“The Migrant Experience”). There were thousands and thousands of migrant workers arrived to California, however there were limited jobs for everyone.  Therefore, farm owners took advantage that there were more workers than work available, so they tried to pay the lowest wages plus provided a poor working condition. The farm owners were aware that the migrant workers had no choice to refuse the lower wage job, because they had to spend all their money to travel to the ranch; in addition, they needed to make some money for foods and living.

 In Dubious Battle, after Jim is introduced to Mac, Mac is veteran and also Jim’s mentor while Jim is the member of the Party. One day, Mac learns that the Growers’ Association announces a pay cut to the apple pickers. Mac tries to train Jim in field work by taking him to the apple orchard to organize the apple pickers on strike. Mac explains to Jim that, "Now these few guys that own most of the Torgas Valley waited until most of the crop tramps were already there. They spent most of their money getting there, of course. They always do. And then the owners announced their price cut" (Steinbeck 26).  Mac points out that the Growers’ Association is greedy and tries to exploit the workers, and he shows his anger to the Growers’ Association.  The Growers’ Association knows that the workers will accept the lower wage job.  When Mac and Jim arrive to the Valley, they meet the group of migrant workers with London is a leader, during their conversation Lean-face says that “If we don’t pick ’em, somebody else will” (Steinbeck 41). Later Mac and Jim help London’s daughter-in-law going to labor. After helping the girl, they gain the trust within the workers quickly and gather the men into the group. Then there is an accident with old Dan, Mac and Jim eventually gather the men to start the strike.

           

Works Cited

Steinbeck, John. In Dubious Battle. New York: The Penguin Group, 2006. Print

Taylor, Nick. “A Short History of the Great Depression.” The New York Times. 3 Dec. 2011.

<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/g/great_depression_1930s/index.html>.

“The Great Depression.” United States History. 3 Dec. 2011.

< http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1569.html>.

“The Migrant Experience.” The American Memory – Library of Congress. 3 Dec 2011.

  <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tsme.html>.

Rough Draft Second Paper

In Dubious Battle is published in 1936 by John Stenbeck. There is the main character, Jim Nolan, through the activity of an apple pickers' strike in a small California town. At the beginning of the book, Jim feels hopeless and powerless against the capitalist system that brought down him and his family. Jim wishes to find purpose and meaning in his life by joining the Party in order to attain the power to fight against the system. After joining the Party, Jim meets Mac McLeod, and Mac takes him along to the Torgas Valley to try to organize the apple pickers on strike after the growers’ association announced pay cut to fifteen cents. The author describes the struggle of migrant workers during the difficult years in the Great Depression. He points out clearly the pictures of how the working and farmer workers lived and suffered, and how the labor organization was going to be formed with hope to improve life for the poor workers. 

 Jim is the main protagonist, one of character in the novel presents for working class during the Great Depression in 1930s. After being released from jail for thirty day of vagrancy, Jim feels hopeless with his life because he thinks his “Whole family has been ruined by the system” (6).  His father was so much in labor trouble and always got beaten; his sister was disappeared suddenly; his mother died while he was in jail. Jim decides to join the Party in order to dedicate his life to fight for the working man; also he wants to do something that will give his life meaning, as he says “I want to work toward something. I feel dead. I thought I might get alive again” (8). In addition, Jim thinks to join the Party to make he feels wonderful to belong to something bigger than just the individual because his father fought the battles alone and always lost.  Jim is despairing because he does not see any hope or peacefulness from the whole system. He then wants to join to the Party as a part of a group and to work toward his goals.

 Jim is eager to work toward something meaning in his life and he does not hesitate to face dangerous while to work for the Party.  After joining the Party, Jim is introduced to Mac, Mac is veteran and also is Jim’s mentor to guide him to become a member of the Party. Jim is so enthusiastic to take action and he can not to wait any longer, as he tells Mac “What I’d really like to do is get into the field. I’d like to get into the action.” (21). Even Mac warns Jim that “In the field it’s hard work and dangerous work. But don’t think it’s so soft at the joint, either” (21).  One day, Mac learns that the growers’ association just announced a pay cut to the apple pickers. Mac tries to train Jim in field work by taking him to the apple orchard to organize the apple pickers on strike.  The point Mac wants to show Jim that the strike is not meant the owners raise the wages but “We want the men to find out how strong they are when they work together” (26).  When they arrive in the Valley, Mac and Jim help London’s daughter-in-law going into labor. After helping the girl, they gain the trust within the pickers quickly and gather the men into the group. Then there is an accident with old Dan, Mac and Jim eventually gather the men to start the strike, London and Dakin become the natural leaders of the group.

During the strike, there are various incidents involving the strikers and the orchard owners that are nearly caused the strike falling apart. At the beginning of the strike, Mac and Jim almost get captured because there is a snitch among the strikers.  By then Jim gains a little worry that the strike is going to be successful or not, he asks Mac “D’you think we’ll win this strike, Mac?” (121) Mac realizes that fact that a war cannot be won in a single battle, he replies to Jim “We haven’t a chance. I figure these guys here’ll probably start deserting as soon as much trouble starts. But you don’t want to worry about that, Jim. The thing will carry on and on. It’ll spread, and some day – it’ll work. Some day we’ll win. We’ve got to believe that”(121). Mac tries to explain Jim that no matter how the strike turns out but it has attention to show that the workers have rights to express their feelings and objectives.  Furthermore, during the pickets are marching at the train station, Joy is shot to death by a vigilante. Then, Al is a sympathizer whose lunch wagon is burned down and he gets injured. There is shortage of food supplies, the men get hungry and all they want just meat. The men are apathetic and Mac worries that the men start falling pieces as he says “I get so scared the strike’ll crack” (146).  Jim tries to encourage Mac and  he wants the strike will move on.

Role of Gender

In Dubious Battle is written by John Steinbeck about the struggles of farm workers and working class for surviving during the Depression of the 1930s. Jim Nolan, the protagonist, and his mentor, Mac McLeod, were organized the apple pickers on strike in the apple orchard of California during the 1930’s. Most of men involved in this strike, thus male gender plays the main role in this novel; beside women played small part in the novel.

The novel began with Jim’s decision to join the Party because he was hopeless. He mentioned his father, Mr. Nolan, had much trouble in labor and always got beat. Jim’s father was fighting against the bosses alone so he always lost. Jim has learnt from his own experience that fighting alone would lead to failure, thus Jim followed his father to fight against the boss system but he wanted to join the Party as a group. Jim wished to dedicate his life to the cause of his family and working workers. Jim could see a great purpose in the Party, as he said “I want to work toward something. I feel dead. I thought I might get alive again” (8).

After joining the Party, Jim met Mac and they worked together. Mac was Jim’s mentor and he trained Jim in field work by taking Jim to the apple orchard. Mac had experience in organizing strikes, but he was unwilling to let Jim involved in the activities of strike, rather he wanted Jim to take more time to learn in the field. Mac could gain the trust within the apple pickers quickly and he took advantages from the cause to push the pickers on strike. Mac was a strong representation of his belief and he was enthusiastic to work toward his goals and desires.  

In addition to Jim and Mac, London and Dakin were leaders of migrant workers to work in the farms and they wanted to fight for fairness and justice. Mr. Anderson was the farm owner; he agreed to let the strikers to camp on his land in exchange for free labor. By the end he was angry with Mac because his barn was set on fire and tried to kick the strikers out of his land. Al Anderson was a Party sympathizer and finally he was eager to join the Party.

For women, they played small part in the novel. Jim’s mother was described a housewife, she stayed home to take of her husband and children. Jim’s father always got beaten and came home all covered with blood; Jim’s mother washed his blood. She did not have any power in the house. She was a Catholic, but Jim’s father would not let her go to church because Jim’s father hated churches. Mrs. Dakin, Dakin’s wife, was described as “A fine, big-bosomed woman with a full face, …” (61). She lived under her husband’s authority, and obeyed her husband’s demand when he said “You and the kids better pay a call to Mrs. Schmidt, Alla” (62). She felt disappointment but she just followed, but “her lips pouted and closed over the gold” (62).

Difficulty Paper

             In Dubious Battle is written by John Steinbeck about the struggles of farm workers and working class for surviving during the Depression of the 1930s.  Because the circumstances were happened in 1930s, thus the subject matter within the time frame and languages were difficult to understand.

From beginning of the book, Jim Nolan was from a working class and was arrested for thirty days of vagrancy. After being released, Jim joined the Party due to the fact he was hopeless with his life. Besides Jim’s family was ruined, his father was so much in labor trouble and always got beaten; his sister was disappeared suddenly; his mother died when she has learnt that Jim was in jail.  One day, Jim met Mac McLeod and they went together down the Torgas Valley to help farm workers on strike for getting better wages and getting out of poverty, because the Growers’ Association announced a pay cut to the pickers. Down at the apple orchards, the opposed groups called Jim and Mac were “reds.” When I read to this, I thought “reds” mean Jim and Mac were in jail in and out for vagrancy pretty often.  I did not realize that “red” was used for Communist Party member. Sometimes, Jim and Mac were referred as radicals.  I thought a radical was represented for the Labor Union member. I was confused between those, so I came back to Introduction section and I re-read again in order to understand more about history and event related to the time frame of the novel.

Other difficulties I found in the novel were languages that the author used. Sometimes the author used slangs and farm workers’ languages that I have rarely heard. For example, Dan, the old man was an apple picker, said that “I was in the north woods when the Wobblies was raising hell. …”  (52). I did not know what was Wobblies meant, I had to go back to the Introduction to learn that "Wobblies" were member of the radical Industrial Workers of the World in 1905. Another example, the author used farm workers’ languages when they had conversations together, on page 186, Albert said “No idears, no money, no nothing.” And another sentence was said “When I’m workin’ and I get three dollars to the good and I get set to look up a floozy, somethin’ on this buggy busts and costs three dollars. …” The truth was I had no idea what Albert’s comment was, so I went to English Dictionary website to search for “Buggy is Older Slang – an automobile, especially an old or dilapidated one". 

               In conclusion, even In Dubious Battle was difficult to understand due to the time frame and languages. However, it was the great novel to learn abou the hard life of working class and farm workers struggled to survive during the Depression. Aslo they were outraged by mistreatment from the farm owners. The subject matter from the novel was related to the UFW organization was born in 1962. The UFW helps to protect farm workers against lower wages and also helps farm workers stay away from bad working condition.

Reader Response : UFW Website

On UFW website, on the section of “Take Action” is caught me by the information about: “Say NO to Methyl Iodide use in CA’s strawberry fields. Send your e-mail to Governor Jerry Brown NOW!”

              The Bush and Schwarzenegger administrations officials approved a new dangerous pesticide, methyl iodide, to use in California in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Scientists have called methyl iodide “one of the most toxic chemicals on earth.” In addition to causing cancer, it is known to induce late-term miscarriages and cause permanent neurological damage. Farm workers face the most serious health risks from methyl iodide. Neighboring communities also face increased health threats as the pesticide is airborne and drifts to where residents live, work and play. And methyl iodide would likely contaminate groundwater that will result in exposure for many people. On March 23, 2011, Governor Jerry Brown publicly stated that he would reconsider the decision to register methyl iodide in California. We should participate with the United Farm Worker to urge Governor Jerry Brown to ban methyl iodide in order to protect our public health and also to support farmer workers staying away from direct toxic exposure.  

  As a resident in California and also as a consumer of fruits and vegetables, methyl iodide use will impact to our lives, especially our children’s health in the future. Thinking about one of our love family may get sick because of methyl iodide chemical exposure. It is the top priority to support the United Farm Worker pushing Governor Jerry Brown to make decision right now on banning methyl iodide use.

U.S. Farm Worker's Rights

On March 23, 2011 Governor Jerry Brown publicly
stated that he would reconsider the decision to register
methyl iodide in California. Governor Jerry Brown
needs to take decisive action NOW and pull this
cancer-causer off the market, also it will effect the
most to farmworkers and residents living near by
strawberry fields in California.

The United Farm Workers of America was founded in 1962 by Cesar Chavez. It is the the nation's first successful and largest farm workers union currently active in 10 states.

The U.S. Farm Worker's Rights are rights to protect farm workers with core values of:
- Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one is looking
- Si Se Puede® Attitude: The embodiment of a personal and organizational spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk taking
- Innovation: The active pursuit of new ideas
- Non-Violence: Engaging in disciplined action
- Empowerment: A fundamental belief in and respect for people

With the U.S. Farm Worker's Rights, it is mostly to assist successfully farm workers to fight for better wages, to improve better working condition, and to fight against harsh rules from employers.  

Feedback

     I have received the comments and feedback from two Peer Reviewers, unfortunately most of them are "NO". This is the first rough draft, there are many parts needed to improve. From beginning, I have spent much time on thinking how to organize ideas and put them into paper, so I did not have enough time to complete it, thus I have to find a title and add a conclusion to it. Because it is the first draft, I could not control ideas clearly, I just gather the points and quotations from the book but I did not organize them well. Another point, my paper argument was not well-organized with TEA paragraphs and Quote Sandwiches. As a result, there are a lot of works I need to get fixed. First, I have to re-read my draft over and over again to find what I have to work out and/or to improve. Then, I have to rewrite and edit most of paragraphs in order to make my paper clearly so readers would understand what I have tried to focus on my paper.

Revised Formal Paper Rough Draft

Kim Yen Phung

Instructor Knapp

English 1B         

16 October 2011

Irony in Persepolis

Persepolis is a story about Marjane Satrapi’s childhood and growing up during the revolution in Iran. As a young child, Marjane was confronted with difficult situations that happen around her, such as chaos during revolution, the conflict in social class, the death of her uncle, and the harsh rules of the new Islamic religious leaders. As consequence, Marjane loses her believe in God and finds herself lost without direction. While growing up, she stands up as an independence adult to rebel against the dictation of her mother at home and the untruthfulness of her teachers in school. Throughout the novel, Marjane uses graphic pictures with dialog to illustrate verbal irony and irony of situation. Each of these plays a role in forming the story that is impacted in changing the protagonist to become a rebel.

From the opening page of the novel, Marjane and her friends in religious school show their disobedience against authority. Marjane describes that it is obligation that she and her friends to wear the veil at school, she mentions that “We didn’t really like to wear the veil, especially since we didn’t understand why we had to” (3). In the same page, she illustrates herself and her classmates using the veil to play all kinds of games due to the fact that the new rules and regulations do not make sense to them. She used to go to French non-religion school under the Shah that she was not required to wear veil. After the King stepped down, all bilingual schools were closed down, because the new rulers said “They are symbols of capitalism” (4). It is ironic that people have fought so hard to overthrow the King because he was brutal to his people, then the new government system takes place in contradiction people still live under hash rules without freedom and peace. As an innocent child, she demonstrates that she disobeys against authority that she perceives the rules are nonsensical to her.

There is the conflict in social class in the society that Marjane’s childhood can acknowledge it is unfair. Marjane’s father denies the love of his maid, Mehri, with his neighbor. He tells her that “In this country you must stay within your own social class” (37). Furious with her father, she lies down with Mehri in the same bed even they are not in the same class. Marjane tries to comfort her maid and begs her maid to take her to demonstrate in order to fight against the unfair and injustice in the social. By the end this scene, both Marjane and her maid get a slap in their faces, because they disobey her mother’s authority and their fighting for justice never become to reality. The black hand marks on her and Mehri’s face are ironic for them to earn to what they fight for fairness. They get home safely but in fact “It was really our own who had attacked us” (39). As a young child, Marjane is a tender and soft heart, and she feels deep grief when she sees Mehri crying. She disagrees with her father’s explanation about the social class in Iran and people are treated in different ways, like her maid is not allowed to eat in the same table, and she also is not permit to fall in love with her neighbor. Marjane does not understand completely, but it does add the general feeling of injustice that she is aware as a childhood.

After the King was overthrown, Marjane and her family are happy and believe that the new potential government will bring the new justice and freedom. With the scene, the nation is happy to celebrate the glorious victory with a huge party. Marjane’s family feels relieved and delighted as her father said “Let’s enjoy our new freedom!” (43). However, Marjane uses the graphic with a large evil head dragon wrapping around the picture, representation of untruth. After the joy of the new transition, all schools are closed and then reopened, when Marjane comes back to school her teacher asks “Children, tear out all the photos of the Shah from your books” (44). As a small child, she is outspoken and tells her classmate that their teacher “Was the one who told us that the Shah was chosen by God!” (44). Because of this comment, she gets a punishment by standing in the corner. This is confused her because her teacher used to teach her one way in contrary another. It is ironic that Marjane and her family believe the potential government will reform the new system to bring better life to people, however the first thing she learns from the new fundamentalist regime government is lying right in her school where is a place leading her to act as a rebel.

Marjane admires all political heroes and their courage to rebel against the government. She loves her uncle, Anoosh, on the first sight because he is “A hero in my family” (54). He is represented of family and love due to the fact they are more important than political and social ideals. Her uncle has been a political prisoner under the Shah and he is released under the new Islamic regime. When the new Islamic government takes over, Marjane’s friends and her other families fled the country one after another but Anoosh announces and comforts her parents that “Everything will be alright!” (65). Ironical it is hard to believe, he is executed under the new Islamic regime that he has believed that everyone could live under peace. After the death from her uncle, Marjane pushes God out of her life and loses her belief without direction. She loves her uncle dearly and they are closed together. Therefore, her uncle’s death is impacted to her belief in God, and it breaks her thought of God is represented love, justice, and holy wrath for evil. As a result, her uncle’s death is so painful; it hurts her feeling badly and does add to her mind of disbelief in religion.

Marjane starts smoking cigarette to show her act of rebellion against her mother’s dictatorship. After Marjane skips class and hangs out with her friends at Kansas, as result her mother finds out and she yells at her. Marjane feels that her mother is one of the “Guardian of the revolution of this house!” (113). Disagree with her mother, Marjane sneaks away to her basement to smoke a cigarette that she has stolen from her uncle. She states that “I sealed my act of rebellion against my mother’s dictatorship by smoking the cigarette” (117). She feels it is unfair that her mother to treat her like a small child. By smoking cigarette to state her freedom and adult independence, it is also shown her reaction to her mother’s authority that is so hard on her. Even smoking cigarette tastes awful, but she determines not to give in, and finally she declares “With this first cigarette, I kissed childhood goodbye” (117). This is the moment that she is transformed from a childhood to a grown up, it is also added to her reaction of rebellion. However, Marjane introduces her uncle Tehar in the next scene, he dies from both heavy smoke and emotionally tress from the war. Ironically smoking is represented of freedom but it is also the way leading to destruction.

In conclusion, Marjane is transformed from an innocent child into a grow-up adult during the chaos of revolution, the conflict in social class, the death of her uncle, and the harsh rules of the new Islamic Republic government. As a small child, she shows her act against teacher who has taught her one thing in contrary to the real life. She also tries to break through the social class that everyone is treated equally, but ironically it cannot become in reality. In addition, she suffers her pain from the death of her uncle, therefore she does not believe in God any more. Furthermore, she tries to fight against her mother by smoking cigarette in order to have freedom, it is irony that may lead to consequent problems. As a result, she becomes a rebel against religious fundamentalist regime and her mother.  

Works Cited

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. New York: Pantheon Books, 2003. Print.

Week 5 : First Formal Paper Planning

On my formal paper assignment one, I plan to write about the irony in the novel. I will use the Formalist theory to identify irony in my paper. Marjane uses visual together with narrative verbal in order to show us ironies. From the opening page of the novel, Marjane describes that it is obligation she and her friends to wear the veil at school, even she mentions that “we didn’t understand why we had to” (3). In the same page, she displays herself and her classmates using the veil to play all sorts of game. The children show their disobedience against authority due to the fact that the new rules and regulations do not make sense to them. The next, there is the conflict in social class in the society. Marjane’s father fights against the love of his maid, Mehri, with his neighbor. He tells Marjane that “in this country you must stay within your own social class” (37). On the same page, she with her maid in the same bed even they are not in the same class. She tries to comfort her maid and begs her maid to take her to demonstrate in order to fight against the unfair and injustice. By the end the this scene, both Marjane and her maid earn a slap in their face, because they disobey her mother's authority and their fighting for justice never become to reality. I will also use Marjane’s uncle, Anoosh, to analyze the irony. He has escaped to Moscow to complete a doctorate in Marxism-Leninism, he had a peaceful life there and got married with two children. However, he did not have a happy life and he tried to return to Iran because he missed his country, parents and brothers, even he understood it was dangerous. Once he told Marjane that “what my wife made me suffer was much worse” (60). Next, I will use the Cigarette scene to identify the irony. Marjane starts smoking cigarette to show her act of rebellion against her mother’s dictatorship. By smoking cigarette to state her freedom and independence, she tries to show her reaction to her authority that is so hard on her. Marjane sneaks away to her basement to smoke a cigarette that she has stolen from her uncle. Her uncle Tehar’s smoking habit to calm down his emotion of decision to send his son away to Holland and consequence he is died because of tress plus his heavy smoke. That all are for my first draft, hopefully I may find more details to identify irony in my paper.

Week 4 : Experience Reading Persepolis

From beginning to read Persepolis, it was interested in me right away. With the comic graphic novel styles, it made me pleasantly and eagerly to read more and more to find out what would be going to happen next. It helped me understanding and learning about history of Iran, especially during the religious revolution and the war with Iraq.  

Marjane shares her memory about her childhood experience during the revolution.  She is confused about the religious that she has learnt from school that is conflicted with her parents' point of view in real life. When her father tries to explain the history of the revolution against the King, gradually she understands more about her background. After the King steps down and the new republic government takes over, people start to celebrate and enjoy the new freedom. They wish to have a better life that they have tried so hard to fight against the King. However, in the reality is not true. Under the new rule of Islamic regime dictator, many people, including her classmate and relatives, move to the United State and other countries in order to escape this new fundamentalist regime. Her uncle, Anoosh, is a political prisoner under the King. Under the new control of the government, he is released from the prison and he is executed as the charge of being a Russian spy. In her mind, her uncle is represented for family and love. It is not fair that he has to die, she feels empty and alone to suffer for this loss. By then she does not believe in God anymore (70). During the war, there are million people die. There is one scene Marjane describes the story of her classmate, Pardisse, about her father died during mission in Iraq. After hearing the story, all people are in the class crying to sympathize with her classmate that she endures her pain for the loss of her father during the war (86). Another scene, she witnesses that her neighbor, Neda Baba-Levy, dies during bombing raid in her neighborhood. She uses the black picture to express her suffering and anger against the violence and darkness of war (142). From one scene to another, Marjane carries on her emotional journey from childhood to teenager. By using her own family, as in general for all Iranian people, she tries to illustrate all circumstances that people have gone through from the old government to the new government, and during the Iran Iraq war.

This is the comic graphic novel, there are some scenes that make me laugh when to read over and look at illustrated pictures. There is one evening, when her grandmother, her mother and Marjane are waiting her father for hours. Everyone is so worried that her father may get arrested or killed. I am so anxious about his safety, and wondering that bad thing is probably going to happen to him. Finally he gets home alright and tells everyone a story that he has gone to the hospital to take pictures. The crowd has carried the old man body and called him a martyr. The old man’s widow has stopped them, telling that he has died from cancer. Later all the old woman joined in the crowd to demonstrate against the King. The story makes everyone laughing (32).  During the war, foods are low in the country and tensions increase among people. Mali, friend of Marjane’s mother, and her family come to stay in Marjane’s house because the Iraq bombers have destroyed their house. One day in the grocery store, one woman finds a can of kidney beans and says that they will make chili. Marjane comments, “We’ll forget about the flatulence factor” (92). One of the boys asks what flatulence is, then they start laughing so hard.

There is another thing I learn from this novel that the tradition of Islamic religion. In the twentieth century, Iran has been influenced western culture. There are two groups of people: one group still keeps traditional culture and another follows modern style.  One day Marjane’s mother is assaulted on the street by fundamentalist because her mother does not wear the veil around her head. Her mother thinks that she should follow the rule in order to avoid this problem. Then women are required to over their heads in public. Marjane describes the way people dressed became an ideological sign. For fundamentalist woman, she wears the long veil that covers the whole body, so in public people can see her face only. For modern woman, she shows her opposition to the regime by letting a few strands of hair show. In the same manner, there are two sorts of men to appear in public. For the fundamentalist man, his face is covered with beard and his shirt is hanging out.  For the progressive man, his face is shaved with or without mustache and his shirt is tucked in (75).  

Week 3 : The Theme in Persepolis

After reading Persepolis, the main theme of the book is concentrated about cultural revolution in Iran before the Monarchy stepped down and after the new Islamic Republic government took over.  During this time, the revolution has changed the point of view of the main character, Marjane, about Islamic religion.  From beginning of the book, she describes about her childhood with a strong belief in God, because she “was born with religion” (6), and she believes that one day she will become a prophet, “at the age of six I was already sure I was the last prophet” (6).  At age ten, she is forced to wear a veil her school, and her French non-religious school is closed by those that called for a cultural revolution. Even her mother, from a very modern family, joints demonstrations to protest against the changes, but she still hopes that she will be the symbol for “justice, love and the wrath of God all in one” (9).  However, when her parents find out she helps her maid, Mehri, writing the letters to their neighbor’s son, Marjane belief is turned over after her father explains that Mehri’s love is impossible “because in this country you must stay within your own social class” (37). Marjane feels angry with her father’s explanation, she thinks “when I finally understood the reasons for the revolution” (38), then she asks Mehri to go and march with the demonstrators the next day.  Her behavior is changed toward the traditional culture because social classes cannot mix and people are from lower class cannot be treated equally.  Especially after the King stepped down many demonstrators who opposed the Regime are killed and executed together, such as her uncle, Anoosh.  After her uncle’s death, Marjane refuses to talk to her God forever because it breaks her childhood image of God that represented love, justice, and holy wrath.  

One day, Marjane sneaks out with her friends to Kansas for burgers, and later all her mother finds out the she skips class. Her mother gives her a lecture about learning is the most importance when she is grown up. Marjane fells upset and goes down the basement and smokes a cigarette that she stole from her uncle. By smoking a cigarette, Marjane states that her rebellion against her mother. The cigarette is also symbolized of rebellion in the same way of opposite people against their regime leaders. The act of smoking a cigarette also is presented of freedom and mature inside Marjane, “with this first cigarette, I kissed my childhood goodbye. Now I was a grown-up” (117).  Two years later, when Marjane wears a bracelet that she get from Neda Baba-Levy who is killed in the bombing in her neighborhood. Marjane is not allowed to wear jewelry and jeans at school and she is kicked out of school after refusing to give up her jewelry to the principal. That is shown that Marjane’s rebellion against religion at school. When she is transferred to another school, she disagrees with her teacher about the Islamic republic, she says “my uncle was imprisoned by the Shah’s regime, but it was the Islamic regime that ordered his execution” (144), and all her friends clap hands to agree with her.  Finally Marjane’s mother is so scared that her rebelliousness could cost her life and Marjane is sent to Austria for continuing her education.  

In conclusion, throughout the book Marjane illustrates the cultural revolution spreading from her childhood through her youth. Marjane identifies all details of circumstance of her life, her reaction to society and rebellion against Islamic republic.

Character Description

Persepolis is a story about a Marjane Satrapi’s childhood in Iran. The book is concentrated on Marjane’s family during the demonstration against Shah, religious revolution and The Iran-Iraq War.  From the beginning of the book, Marjane is illustrated her identity by herself with other four friends in the same class wearing veil. However, there is the conflict between Marjane’s loyalty to Iran and its culture.  Marjane strongly identifies herself is one of the last prophet that heritage from her family and she says that “I was born with religion” (6) and she was obligated to God. She really wants to fight for the poor and working class people because she is not happy when her maid does not eat on the table with her family.  On another hand, her mother is one of the demonstration against the veil, and she is really proud of her mother. Her life is a study in contradictions and inconsistencies, that is confused her as she thinks “I really didn’t know what to think about the veil. Deep down I was very religious but as a family we were very modern and avant-garde.” (6)   Furthermore, Marjane learns that her grandparents have suffered through poverty and social disadvantage after her grandfather was overthrown. She is so excited and proud that she is inherited from royal family. However, she is disappointed that her maid, Mehri, is still mistreated and is not received the advantages of education even though Mehri was adopted.  Thus it is really confused her and she does not understand it fully about the social class conflict. She thinks “the reason for my shame and for the revolution is the same: the difference between social classes.” (33)  She does not feel right about her maid is not allowed to fall in love her neighbor who is the same social class with her.  She is upset with her father for  being so harsh with her maid by going to tell her neighbor that Mehri is his family maid but not his daughter.  She disagrees with her father’s saying “… because in this country you must stay within your own social class.” (37) Marjane is a little girl but she thinks about justice and everyone should be treated equally. Even she was born in religion but she was raised in modern.

My mother never ...

My mother never said NO to any my ideas and activities. I was from Saigon, Vietnam where most of parents were influenced by Asian culture. Normally parents were demanding and controlling their children. Excepting for my mother, she did not demand her children to follow her instructions or directions but rather than listen to us for reasons. In addition, she usually taught us “time is valuable and do not waste it.” When I was small, every summer I asked her that I wanted to enroll in embroidery class because I saw my friend going there. Even she knew that I just learnt for fun anyway she still agreed to give money to me to enroll in. I knew that it was hard for her to give money away because by that time my family was not very well in finance. For the most important of my life and also for her, when I was about twenty years old I decided to escape from Vietnam by boat. From beginning, it was hard for me to convince her that it would be alright and that I would arrive safely to the third country. I told her “just imagine that you and me travel from city to our home town.” My home town is way down of the south, it takes about twelve hours if I go by boat. I kept telling her everyday and finally she agreed to let me and my younger brother to leave. Luckily for us that we arrived to the Indonesia refugee camp safely after seven days throughout the storm and Thai pirate. After hearing our escaping journey, she felt so scared and relieved that we were survived. That is my mother, she never regretted to say no to us.     

I am ....

I am ambitious and determined person. I came to San Jose from Toronto, Canada seven years ago. I completed college and worked as accountant in Toronto for seven and a half years. After moving to San Jose, I tried to look for a job and I found out most of posted jobs were required bachelor degree. Anyway, I finally got a job as a bookkeeper for a small tax accounting office. The wages that I received was not what I expected to compare with my background experience and education. I realized that in order to get a better position with decent salary I must go back to school to obtain a bachelor degree. However, it was not easy for me, a working mother with two little children, to accomplish a bachelor degree in a short time. I had to confront many difficulties and obstacles to overcome. I needed to spend time with family at the same time working and studying. It was hard to prorate time proportionately for working, taking care of my children and studying. Some days, I felt so tired after a long day at work, when I came home my child was not feeling well and was being so irritable that he could not sleep straight during the night. The next morning, I was so exhausted and feeling drowsy either at work or at school. Sometimes I felt running out of energy and it made me thinking about of giving up school so I could use quality time for my family. However, with my strong ambition it was not allowed me to give up easily. I was determined that I would achieve a bachelor degree one day. So I must work harder and harder to find out some ways to overcome those obstacles. That was the reason why I was on the waiting list for this fall.