Daily Lesson Plan #2

Introduction to the lesson: Conflicted Choices

The relationship between East and West shapes the narrative throughout Persepolis. The first chapter on the veil introduces us to a split image of Marji; one half of her is veiled against a background of Persian artwork, which signifies Eastern culture and the other half of her is unveiled against a background of instruments of technology and science, signifying Western culture. The picture of Marjane’s life split between Eastern and Western culture and the split of black-and-white illustration represents Marji choosing between two lives. This represents the life in Iran for her and her family and then the tools and technology foreshadows her transition the old cultural aspects of Iran that she first identifies with to the modern, Industrial, Westernized culture she assimilates into when she enters a new country.

Naghibi, Nima, and Andrew O'Malley. "Estranging the Familiar: "East" and "West" in Satrapi's Persepolis." ESC: English Studies in Canada 31.1 (2005): 223-47. Project MUSE. Web. 10 Oct. 2009. .



Daily Lesson Plan

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to have students draw on similar experiences around conflicted choices as Marjane Satrapi.

Overall lesson topic/title: Conflicted Choices

Grade Level Content Expectations: This lesson is designed for high school level students.

Goals/Objectives:

 Knowledge Goal: The goal of this activity is to focus students on developing a coherence between situations in Marjane Satrapi’s life and their own in a concise written essay format.

 Commitment Goal: Students will write their essays based on authentic real life situations.

 Materials/supplies needed: A computer to write the essay, and a printer.

 Procedures & approximate time allocated for each event: This assignment will take approximately take 2 hours total.

Closing summary for the lesson: Students will write a brief 1-2 page essay depicting similar experiences they have encountered or dealt with directly based on a difficult conflicting choice they had to make.



Persepolis Conflict Essay Assignment

There is one component to this assignment:

(1)Reflection Essay: The reflection component of your assignment should be the application, observation, and evaluation aspect of your assignment.


Assignment: In this essay you will be writing and drawing on similar experiences you encountered in your life. The importance of this essay is to focus on the similarities between Marjane Satrapi’s conflict of decisions she under went in her novel. Feel free to pull evidence, and direct quotes from your experience in order to support your claim.

Fine Print: This is an essay, and so, should conform to basic style and format conventions, such as 12 point book fonts, 1’’ margins, double-spacing, no additional spaces between paragraphs and so on. Paragraphs should develop one clear idea. Paragraphs should be linked by thematic transitions and connections. The essay should have a refined and unified central arc. There should be an introduction and a conclusion. If you are at all confused as to the basics of such conventions, consult a style manual.
However, this is also a personal comparative essay, and as such you should use “I” when appropriate, examples from life experiences are required to draw on your own experience.

*Fine print taken from ENG 210 Dr. Cohen Micro-Essay Rubrics.