The Shabbat is a chapter from a well renowned graphic novel called Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, that addresses the robbery of childhood from the uncontrollable grips of war. Throughout the chapter Marjane uses many visual devises to portray her strong emotions during this time, such as: contrast in black and white, the disappearance of a setting, abandoned streets, and one sided conversations. She uses these to her advantage to portray the slow stream of consciousness that Marji goes through during this time. It allows the reader to have a real inside view on the growing anxiety that builds throughout the chapter.
Must of the content in the chapter can be used to further narrow down the main topic, one example of this can be the name of the chapter itself. Shabbat is defined as “a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening” (google definitions). Saturday was the day the missile hit Setrapis neighbors the “Baba-Levys” who were jewish, and according to their traditions, would have been home when that missile hit. Not only is Setrapi addressing this occurrence, but I believe it is an iceberg hidden at the very beginning of the story as Setrapi’s way to contrast the definition and tell the reader that her days of recollection and relaxation are over after the horrific event.
Another example would be an artistic pattern Setrapi chose to use which was a pitch black backdrop at moments of heightened awareness. One such moment was the page where it was black around the family to be signify Marji’s focused attention on the world around her, and on specific events that directly effect her like the the page when it had been confirmed that Iraq had “Scud” missiles, and Terhan, the Setrapi’s home, was Iraqs target.
In contrast Setrapi uses white backgrounds to show the characters un-focus on the world around them, like when Marji finds out about the bomb that hit in her neighborhood, and she calls a taxi. In that block all you see is Marji running, and not a single object in the background.
Through this technique it shows Marji’s growing attention to the world she lives in, the war that ultimately determines her future, and as a result her childhood.
By the time Marji finds out her home wasn’t hit the weight and anxiety had been lifted, but as quickly at it had left after seeing her mother, Marji’s anxiety returned at the notion that the “Baba-Levys” were still in their home when it was hit. With a white background surrounding Marji as she comes to this realization, she then see’s the bracelet attached to an arm that belonged to the daughter of the family, Marji’s friend, Neda. What Setrapi does to further show the innocence of childhood being stripped from her is she uses a black background with a single statement to show her heightened awareness of the world around her, along with a new fear and anger toward it. “No scream in the world could have relieved my suffering and my anger” (p.2000).
Through these artistic approaches to the Iceberg theory Setrapi shows a child being torn from innocence and transforming through the effects of war.
slubberinghoiden 