Harper Lee’s To kill a Mockingbird and Satrapi’s Persepolis are sophisticated and multifaceted texts that contextualise how the external world can pose as an impact to an individual’s personal identity. Through depiction of the influence of parental figures and gender discrimination, the two books successfully acquaint the reader with the clash of the external world and an individual’s sense of self. Lee’s seminal novel Mockingbird explores aspects of parental influence and acts as a bildungsroman, featuring the growth of a young girl, Scout. The book further highlights the gender stereotypes that can be seen in the milieu through Scout’s experiences as a girl. Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis accentuates the protagonist Marjane’s development
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As Scout grows both physically and mentally, her personality is challenged by the social zeitgeists of Maycomb. When she says, “I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that's why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with,” the repetition of the word ‘girl’ highlights how the specific ideas about women that dominate the gender debate. Due to this, Scout believes from an early age that girl things are “bad” and that she can avoid the “badness” of girls by not acting like one. When Scout describes, “I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running away. Immediately,” the use of a metaphor with “the starched walls of pink penitentiary closing in on me” reiterates her dislike of the dresses she was to wear. This shows just how much affect gender discrimination has on Scout personality. Persepolis exhibits aspects of gender discrimination in a similar form, whilst showing the effect it can have on a person’s individuality- specifically the main character, Marjane. Satrapi’s Persepolis introduces aspects of gender roles that is reiterated by the public world and challenges the individuality of the young Marjane. During the book, Marjane says, “From the moment I arrived at the Mehrabad airport and caught sight of the first customs agent, I immediately felt the repressive air of my country.” Her use of a pun with “repressive”- describing the veils- shines upon the subjugated women of the country. Marjane’s ambiguous tone demonstrates her unhappiness towards this, further reiterating the effect of her culture on her conquest become a unique woman. Towards the end of the book, Marjane’s mother says, "It's against the law to kill a
As Scout grows both physically and mentally, her personality is challenged by the social zeitgeists of Maycomb. When she says, “I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that's why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with,” the repetition of the word ‘girl’ highlights how the specific ideas about women that dominate the gender debate. Due to this, Scout believes from an early age that girl things are “bad” and that she can avoid the “badness” of girls by not acting like one. When Scout describes, “I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running away. Immediately,” the use of a metaphor with “the starched walls of pink penitentiary closing in on me” reiterates her dislike of the dresses she was to wear. This shows just how much affect gender discrimination has on Scout personality. Persepolis exhibits aspects of gender discrimination in a similar form, whilst showing the effect it can have on a person’s individuality- specifically the main character, Marjane. Satrapi’s Persepolis introduces aspects of gender roles that is reiterated by the public world and challenges the individuality of the young Marjane. During the book, Marjane says, “From the moment I arrived at the Mehrabad airport and caught sight of the first customs agent, I immediately felt the repressive air of my country.” Her use of a pun with “repressive”- describing the veils- shines upon the subjugated women of the country. Marjane’s ambiguous tone demonstrates her unhappiness towards this, further reiterating the effect of her culture on her conquest become a unique woman. Towards the end of the book, Marjane’s mother says, "It's against the law to kill a