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Persepolis

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A Color Has Many Meanings Persepolis is a story that is illustrated in black and white. The author, Marjane Satrapi, uses many visual techniques throughout the story to draw in the reader and develop the storyline. One of these visual techniques is that she chooses to use the color of the characters’ clothing as a representation of how they feel towards the revolution. The characters are shown wearing black, white, or a mixed black and white pattern. The characters in Persepolis are drawn with white clothing when they are supporting the revolution. There are many instances throughout the story when characters are drawn with white clothing, especially Marjane’s family. A year after the Islamic Revolution started, children were obligated …show more content…

People opposing the revolution are always shown in black. This includes the army, and people who torture progressive prisoners. Examples of these can be found on pages 51 and 18. Whenever a progressive person has been punished by the fundamentalists, they are shown in black instead of white. This could be because the fundamentalists have forced their views upon this captured and punished person. Examples of this happening are when political prisoners are released from prison and wearing black (Satrapi 47), when Marjane’s mother has been verbally tormented by fundamentalists (Satrapi 74), and finally when Siamak’s sister was killed and found in the street and is drawn in black (Satrapi 66). Sometimes Marjane is shown in black. This occurs when her religious views are seeping through. She claims she wants to be the next prophet. Since this is a religious view that would support the Shah and the fundamentalist side, Marjane is shown in black (Satrapi 6). After Marjane learns about the King and God in school, she goes home to her parents and tells them how much she loves the King because he was chosen by God. She is of course wearing black in this panel because it is supporting the fundamentalist side of the revolution (Satrapi 19). The Shah believes in eliminating social classes and having everyone look the

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