Five Blog Posts
Blog Post 1:
The Graphic memoir by Bashi is very characteristic; this is a rare form of memoir. While such graphic memoir will make readers shrink their brains imagination. However, with this type of graphic memoir, it gives readers a clearer understanding and clear rhythm of the story development. Bashi chose a single hue to paint a picture in her memoir, mainly in gray tone. Actually this is a kind of catharsis method that shows her dark past life. And most of the pictures were a close-up shot depicting exaggerated facial expressions; this is very successful by showing her dark past life and a great psychological change. There is not too much modification for the layout in the book, basically using a flat painted background and simple lines sketched. She paid more attention to facial expressions and dynamic character. Therefore, it is more like the author used the storyboard to recall her past life.
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/02/10/why-everyone-should-read-this-graphic-memoir/
Annotation: Memoirs are real things that happened in the past, the graphics style is more conducive to help readers appreciate the author's feelings.
Comment by Nicole: I found the lack of color very gloomy, it was difficult to get into the novel because the graphics did not excite me or capture my attention.
I included a link describing how the use of color can influence a persons feelings.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology
Blog Post 2:
In her memoir, Bashi constantly "met" the past of her, it even allows the readers to think she may be have multiple personality disorders. At the beginning of the memoir, she described the hardships of her lifestyle in a foreign country alone, learn German, improve her English, finding a job, as well as physical condition. The pressure on all aspects, describes her fantasy out of the people of her childhood. This is the first “character” she was in retrospect in a foreign country. This is easy to see through her childhood that she cannot forget in the past.
Link: http://www.2knowmyself.com/how_childhood_experiences_affect_adulthood
Annotation: When people at the most vulnerable time, we will first recall the joy of childhood. Childhood is not just happy memories for us, most of the childhood experiences impacts our lives.
Comment by Nicole: while being revisited from her past, and the feelings she experienced at that time can relate largely to how she developed into the adult she is today.
I included a link describing huge importance of early childhood development.
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/ss/early-childhood-development.htm
Blog Post 3:
Because Bashi felt strong of homesick, she dreamed up a second "Character” her youth. In youth, she experienced a brutal Iran-Iraq war, relatives and friends of the departed, "sick" society, immigrants have had the idea, and a failed marriage. She cannot change history and prevent war, but the war brought cruel memories to her and her family. Bashi's parents and friends have said many times to persuade her to emigrate to foreign, perhaps because she was too young, she has repeatedly rejected such a good condition (in the circumstances). But in fact, at that time, she saw her friends have left, she also had a slightest vacillation in her mind. But she was young and she did not consider the long-term of her life.
Link: http://www.history.com/topics/iran-iraq-war
Annotation: Social unrest makes people feel insecure, strong choose to flee, and the weak can only endure. War is always cruel, to bring more pain and infinite fear to people.
Blog Post 4:
When she wrote that a failed marriage, she said that “Nobody gained anything from that marriage, neither he nor I…” (Bashi, 2006). This is her most reluctant to recall the past in her memoirs. The "sick" of the social atmosphere, such as no normal contacts with the opposite sex before marriage. But under the pressure imposed by parents and the community, she quickly married. After marriage, she found that her and her husband did not work out as good as she imagined, she even experiencing domestic violence. So by the end she insisted divorce, and unfortunately she lost custody of her daughter. When she wrote the paragraph of her lost daughter, she describes herself as like with a knife inserted in her heart. That means she had deep love for her daughter, faced with the unfortunate marriage and husband domestic violence, she was helpless.
Link: http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.622113#!
Annotation: Due to the influence of religion, society becomes a closed state, women are not respected, and they don’t have right. Women become the weak in society at that time. Because the family, women would rather endure her husband of domestic violence, but also do not want to take the initiative to ask for a divorce. It is a “sick” society.
Comment by Elida: I see that you explored the part about her divorce and I really think it was different back then. I think there were strict laws in terms of arranged marriages. There is wide debates about the notion of arranged marriage, often this question gets asked by individuals out there in society. Somehow, majority of people take this notion out of context and not necessarily understand it and the depth of it. I provided a link to an "insight about arranged marriages" there are a million out there but this is just one I wanted to share.
Link:
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/ss/early-childhood-development.htm
Blog Post 5:
Bashi wrote in her memoir not just memories of her past, the other side is in stark contrast to the cultural background of the differences between Iran and Europe, and this includes understanding of love, choices of marriage. When she recalls her failed marriage, she detailed drawing contrasts Muslim women in Iran even tolerate domestic violence, nor don’t leave their husband. In Western countries, men and women have equal rights, and not because of the divorce to loose children. In the memoir, Bashi also recalled her teenage years. She uses the theme of teenage as a comparison, in stark contrast to the education of students in Iran and the West for the education of students at different points. Cultural differences determine the person has the difference thoughts. These ideas ingrained in people's minds, it is difficult to change.
Link: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/iran-country-profile.html
Annotation: Different countries have different cultural backgrounds; it is hard to compare right and wrong. We can admire open-minded in Western countries, but we also have to respect the culture of our own country, because we can’t change.
Comment by Elida: I feel that this memoir was definitely well rounded around education in a sense along with political, liberal, and traditional views. I think this memoir can teach majority of lessons to readers on variety of perceptions. I feel that the author is trying to convey a message within all individuals on the idea of freedom of speech. She stayed true to her words and opinion, she was never truly afraid to speak her mind about her ideas. This was sort of inspiring. Below is a video about the education system in Iran.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KH38q01lc
Blog Post 1:
The Graphic memoir by Bashi is very characteristic; this is a rare form of memoir. While such graphic memoir will make readers shrink their brains imagination. However, with this type of graphic memoir, it gives readers a clearer understanding and clear rhythm of the story development. Bashi chose a single hue to paint a picture in her memoir, mainly in gray tone. Actually this is a kind of catharsis method that shows her dark past life. And most of the pictures were a close-up shot depicting exaggerated facial expressions; this is very successful by showing her dark past life and a great psychological change. There is not too much modification for the layout in the book, basically using a flat painted background and simple lines sketched. She paid more attention to facial expressions and dynamic character. Therefore, it is more like the author used the storyboard to recall her past life.
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/02/10/why-everyone-should-read-this-graphic-memoir/
Annotation: Memoirs are real things that happened in the past, the graphics style is more conducive to help readers appreciate the author's feelings.
Comment by Nicole: I found the lack of color very gloomy, it was difficult to get into the novel because the graphics did not excite me or capture my attention.
I included a link describing how the use of color can influence a persons feelings.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology
Blog Post 2:
In her memoir, Bashi constantly "met" the past of her, it even allows the readers to think she may be have multiple personality disorders. At the beginning of the memoir, she described the hardships of her lifestyle in a foreign country alone, learn German, improve her English, finding a job, as well as physical condition. The pressure on all aspects, describes her fantasy out of the people of her childhood. This is the first “character” she was in retrospect in a foreign country. This is easy to see through her childhood that she cannot forget in the past.
Link: http://www.2knowmyself.com/how_childhood_experiences_affect_adulthood
Annotation: When people at the most vulnerable time, we will first recall the joy of childhood. Childhood is not just happy memories for us, most of the childhood experiences impacts our lives.
Comment by Nicole: while being revisited from her past, and the feelings she experienced at that time can relate largely to how she developed into the adult she is today.
I included a link describing huge importance of early childhood development.
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/ss/early-childhood-development.htm
Blog Post 3:
Because Bashi felt strong of homesick, she dreamed up a second "Character” her youth. In youth, she experienced a brutal Iran-Iraq war, relatives and friends of the departed, "sick" society, immigrants have had the idea, and a failed marriage. She cannot change history and prevent war, but the war brought cruel memories to her and her family. Bashi's parents and friends have said many times to persuade her to emigrate to foreign, perhaps because she was too young, she has repeatedly rejected such a good condition (in the circumstances). But in fact, at that time, she saw her friends have left, she also had a slightest vacillation in her mind. But she was young and she did not consider the long-term of her life.
Link: http://www.history.com/topics/iran-iraq-war
Annotation: Social unrest makes people feel insecure, strong choose to flee, and the weak can only endure. War is always cruel, to bring more pain and infinite fear to people.
Blog Post 4:
When she wrote that a failed marriage, she said that “Nobody gained anything from that marriage, neither he nor I…” (Bashi, 2006). This is her most reluctant to recall the past in her memoirs. The "sick" of the social atmosphere, such as no normal contacts with the opposite sex before marriage. But under the pressure imposed by parents and the community, she quickly married. After marriage, she found that her and her husband did not work out as good as she imagined, she even experiencing domestic violence. So by the end she insisted divorce, and unfortunately she lost custody of her daughter. When she wrote the paragraph of her lost daughter, she describes herself as like with a knife inserted in her heart. That means she had deep love for her daughter, faced with the unfortunate marriage and husband domestic violence, she was helpless.
Link: http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.622113#!
Annotation: Due to the influence of religion, society becomes a closed state, women are not respected, and they don’t have right. Women become the weak in society at that time. Because the family, women would rather endure her husband of domestic violence, but also do not want to take the initiative to ask for a divorce. It is a “sick” society.
Comment by Elida: I see that you explored the part about her divorce and I really think it was different back then. I think there were strict laws in terms of arranged marriages. There is wide debates about the notion of arranged marriage, often this question gets asked by individuals out there in society. Somehow, majority of people take this notion out of context and not necessarily understand it and the depth of it. I provided a link to an "insight about arranged marriages" there are a million out there but this is just one I wanted to share.
Link:
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/ss/early-childhood-development.htm
Blog Post 5:
Bashi wrote in her memoir not just memories of her past, the other side is in stark contrast to the cultural background of the differences between Iran and Europe, and this includes understanding of love, choices of marriage. When she recalls her failed marriage, she detailed drawing contrasts Muslim women in Iran even tolerate domestic violence, nor don’t leave their husband. In Western countries, men and women have equal rights, and not because of the divorce to loose children. In the memoir, Bashi also recalled her teenage years. She uses the theme of teenage as a comparison, in stark contrast to the education of students in Iran and the West for the education of students at different points. Cultural differences determine the person has the difference thoughts. These ideas ingrained in people's minds, it is difficult to change.
Link: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/iran-country-profile.html
Annotation: Different countries have different cultural backgrounds; it is hard to compare right and wrong. We can admire open-minded in Western countries, but we also have to respect the culture of our own country, because we can’t change.
Comment by Elida: I feel that this memoir was definitely well rounded around education in a sense along with political, liberal, and traditional views. I think this memoir can teach majority of lessons to readers on variety of perceptions. I feel that the author is trying to convey a message within all individuals on the idea of freedom of speech. She stayed true to her words and opinion, she was never truly afraid to speak her mind about her ideas. This was sort of inspiring. Below is a video about the education system in Iran.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KH38q01lc