Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood Lesson Plan

Changing Faces During Wartime

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

To look for textual/graphic examples of war's effect on everyday citizens, and imagine their own choices in such a situation

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1c

Structure:

Have students find examples of everyday people in Tehran changing their behavior - drastically or subtly - in order to survive the changing regime and wartime. What does it say about people's habits?

Some examples: in "The Trip," the Satrapis wonder at their neighbors' new self-presentations. A woman who used to wear a miniskirt, "showing off her beefy...