IB English HL I

2023-24
Dr. Malashewski

Core Concept Reflection Paper

Context:
Throughout our two years of study, we will be examining a wide range of literary texts.
Framing our investigation of these texts are the IB core concepts that we spent some
time exploring and thinking about in the first few weeks of semester one. While we are
not explicitly studying these core concepts, they do offer valuable lenses and questions
that we can use to better focus our investigations of this wide range of material.

The IB core concepts that frame this second unit, Time and Space, are 1)
representation, 2) perspective, 3) identity, and 4) culture. Marjane Satrapi’s graphic
novel Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood can be productively linked to any of these
four concepts.

Task:
I want you to write a 1-2 page (double-spaced) reflection, roughly 400-500 words,
connecting Persepolis to one of these IB core concepts./Whichever concept you
decide to use, you should reference these definitions and related questions you are
preparing your response. The linked, related questions should be seen as starting
points for thinking about and engaging with the novel.

Criteria
Your response should make some kind of claim about the graphic novel, and should use
at least 2 pieces of evidence from the novel as well.

Submission
You will submit your paper in two places:

• Turnitin.com
• myPueo
o Submit the link of the shared Google Doc in the text submission box
o Make sure you provide me with editing privileges ([email protected])
Evaluation
Your paper will be evaluated according to this short response rubric:
Criteria Beginner Developing Proficient Expert

Claim & Claim missing, Attempts to establish a Establishes a clear and Establishes a credible and
Support unclear, or off claim, but it is unclear or plausible claim to convincing claim to answer the
/2.5 topic. Prompt not disconnected from the answer the prompt prompt.
answered. topic; or prompt not fully Cites mostly strong Cites sufficient and relevant
No evidence from answered. evidence that supports evidence to fully support the
the text. the claim. claim.

Development Little connection Attempts to make Clearly explains the Analyzes the relevance and
/10 made between the connections between connections between strength of the evidence in
evidence and the evidence and claim are the selected evidence supporting the claim.
claim. Evidence is occasionally successful. and the claim. There is a convincing and
off topic or References to the text There is a insightful interpretation of
missing. are at times appropriate. satisfactory larger implications and
The response is interpretation of subtleties of the text.
descriptive and/or some The response demonstrates an
demonstrates little implications of insightful and convincing
relevant analysis of the text. analysis of textual features
textual features and/or The response and/or authorial choices.
authorial choices. demonstrates an The response has a clear and
The response lacks appropriate and at purposeful structure.
structure. times insightful
analysis of textual
features and/or
authorial choices.
The response has a
mostly clear structure.

Writing Sentences show Attempts to use some Demonstrates a working Demonstrates a strong
Conventions errors of structure; English conventions, command of English command of English
/2.5 little or no variety; though errors frequently conventions with some conventions with few, minor
no grasp of inhibit reader’s errors that do not inhibit errors. Fluency, diction, and
sentence flow. comprehension. reader’s sentence variety are strong.
Contains many Uses informal language comprehension. Uses language and tone that are
errors of and tone. Uses language and tone appropriate to the audience and
punctuation, that are academic. purpose.
spelling and/or
capitalization.
Tamahere Alo

Kyle Malashewski

IB English

12/12/2023

Core Concepts Paper #2

In the graphic novel Persepolis: the story of a childhood by Marjane Satrapi, the story

follows a young Iranian named Marj during the 1980s. The story is set in Iran during the Islamic

revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. The lengthy military conflict between Iran and Iraq began on

September 22, 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran along the country’s joint

border. Maryjane Satrapi’s novel demonstrates how literature is able to persuade readers to feel a

certain way about a specific topic. She uses Pathos in her graphic novel to evoke sympathy and

compassion for the Iranian people living through the war. This novel describes the tragedies of

that time and serves as an instrument for informing, educating and shaping people’s opinions

about the Iran-Iraq war.

On page 107, Marj and her extended family are having a little get together when suddenly

sirens start to wail, which makes her aunt abandon her child and start to run. “Since that day, I’ve

had doubts about the so-called “maternal instinct.” (Satrapi 107) Young Marj expresses her

confusion and sadness for the baby and her aunt’s incomprehensible act of abandoning her child.
This experience, like many others in the novel, provokes feelings of empathy toward the Iranian

people. The author elicits strong feelings and reactions from readers, who are frequently left with

a sour taste in their mouths. Marjane Satrapi uses her tale to shape reader’s views about the

conflict.

Another example of strong emotions being drawn from scenes in the book is at the very

end when marjane must say goodbye to her parents as she leaves for Austria. Her parents believe

it is better that she “be far away and happy than close by and miserable,” (Satrapi 148) Her

parents decided they needed to stay in Iran, “What I had feared was true. Maybe they’d come to

visit, but we’d never live together again.” (Satrapi 152) The illustration on the very last panel

where her mother is too heartbroken to even stand and needs to be carried off by her father is an

emotionally charged scene for readers. It underlines the hardships and suffering Iranians endured

and transports readers to that time and space, where it’s possible to imagine what it must’ve been

like. “The next day I filled a jar with soil from our garden. Iranian soil.” (Satrapi 149) This quote

does two things. First, it humanizes the character, connecting her with the reader and secondly, it

creates bias for the Iranian side of the conflict.

Literature like this easily shapes opinions for readers. The emotional ride it takes the

reader on makes it impossible not to form an assessment of the situation. Overall some pieces of

literature can be viewed as the product or interpretation of culture and historical events. They can
shape opinions by producing strong sentiments and appeal to emotion. Marjane Satrapi perfectly

executes this through her storytelling, describing her life story in dramatic detail to create an

amazing novel.