Guided Reading

Persepolis
Chapters 1-19
Chapter 1: The Veil
Focus question: How does Satrapi use images to enhance her narrative?
1. In the 2nd frame on page 3, what does Satrapi reveal about the four girls through the
image that you see?

2. In frames 3, 4, 5, and 6 on page 4, describe the mood that is conveyed.

3. In the frames on page 5, describe how Marjane depicts her mother.

4. What does Satrapi convey through the image in the 1st frame on page 6?

5. What do the images on pages 8 and 9 reveal about Marjanes relationship with God?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 2: The Bicycle

Focus question: What is Satrapis tone throughout this passage and what mood does this create
in the readers?
Fill in the chart below with the tone and mood words that describe this chapter.

Tone

Mood

Chapter 3: The Water Cell

Focus question: Why are characters motives important to understanding the narrative?
1. What motivated Reza Shaw to overthrow the emperor?

2. What motivated Marjanes grandfather (the prince) to become a communist?

3. What motivated Marjanes mom to become a political activist?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 4: Persepolis
Focus question: What does it mean to be a hero?
1. How do you define heroism?

2. What role do you think perception plays in societys identification of heroes?

3. Is Marjanes father a hero? Why or why not?

4. Is the widows husband a hero? Why or why not?

Chapter 5: The Letter

Focus question: What is the theme of this chapter? (Hint: Theme is a universal message of a
text.)
Theme stated as a complete sentence:

Quote from the chapter that supports the

theme:

Quote from the chapter that supports the

theme:

Justification of the theme you chose:

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 6: The Party

Focus Question: What role does her child-like innocence play in Marjanes understanding of the
world around her?
1. How is Marjanes character depicted throughout this chapter?

2. How are the other children in the chapter depicted?

Chapter 7: The Heroes

Focus Question: What role does torture plan in the power dynamics of a revolution?
1. On pages 50 and 51, the family is told of the torture that was suffered by Ahmadi and others.
What effect does this have on the reader?

2. What effect do pages 50 and 51 have on Marjane?

3. Why would the author choose to include the events in this chapter?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 8: Moscow
Focus Question: How does Marjanes skewed perception of heroism continue to affect her
understanding of the revolution?
List the elements of the chapter that contribute to Uncle Anoosh being a hero in Marjanes eyes:

Based your own definition of heroism, do you think Uncle Anoosh is a hero? Why or why not?

Chapter 9: The Sheep

Focus Question: Why does Satrapi place emphasis on the ignorance of those who simply believe
what they are told?
1. Why does Marjanes father become upset with her when she says, 99.99% of the
population voted for the Islamic Republic (62).

2. Is the headline about Anoosh on the top of page 70 accurate? Why or why not?

3. What happens to Marjanes relationship with god at the end of this chapter?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 10: The Trip

Focus Question: In trying times, do personal ideals or nationalistic ones prevail?
Marjanes personal ideals demonstrated
throughout the chapter:

Marjanes nationalistic ideals demonstrated

throughout the chapter:

At the chapters end, which ideals seem to be more powerful?

Chapter 11: The F-14s

Focus Question: What role does media bias play in the ways in which we understand national
events?
1. Define media bias:

2. Why does Marjanes family turn on the BBC to confirm that Baghdad has been bombed?

3. Do you feel that our media accurately portrays international news? Why or why not?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 12: The Jewels

Focus Question: What is the contrast between Malis familys wealth, Marjanes familys
values, and the realities of war?
Complete the chart with characteristics of the following things:
Malis Family
Marjanes Family

Public life (supermarkets, for

example)

Chapter 13: The Key

Focus Question: What is the significance of martyrdom in this chapter?
1. On pages 96 and 97, why does Marjane make fun of martyrdom?

2. What is the significance of the keys of paradise?

3. What is the effect of the contrast between the two images on page 102?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 14: The Wine

Focus Question: Why does Marjanes family have to become increasingly cautious about their
activities?
1. What effect does the new regime have on Iranians daily lives?

2. What is the significance of 7th frame on page 110 (bottom left-hand corner)?

Chapter 15: The Cigarette

Focus Question: How is the cigarette symbolic of Marjans coming of age?
1. Why does Marjane view her mother as a dictator? Do you agree or disagree with this label?

2. How does Marjane link her own experiences with her mom with the war against Iraq? Is this
a fair comparison?

3. Explain the symbolism behind the cigarette Marjane smokes at the end of this chapter.

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 16: The Passport

Focus Question: How do the strict laws of the new regime affect the health, safety, and travel of
Iranian citizens?
1. Why is it so difficult to obtain a passport for Taher?

2. What irony is expressed in the last frame of the chapter (page 125)?

Chapter 17: Kim Wilde

Focus Question: What lengths are necessary to establish an individual identity in Iran?
1. Do you agree or disagree with the actions of Marjanes parents in this chapter? Why or why
not?

2. Why is it so important for Marjane to have Western things?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

Chapter 18: The Shabbat

Focus Question: What are the emotional effects of the-going war?
1. Do you agree with Marjanes familys decision to stay in Tehran? Would you have done the
same? Why or why not?

2. What does the last frame on page 142 depict about Marjanes emotional state?

Chapter 19: The Dowry

Focus Question: What do the events in this chapter reveal about the three main characters?
Complete the following chart with characteristics from the chapter:

Marjane

Marjanes Mom

Marjanes Dad

What does Marjane ultimately come to realize about her relationship with her family?

E. McKinley

Three Dollar Scholar

TeachersPayTeachers.com

10