Satrapi vs. e.e. cummings

I compared a panel on page 10 and the first line in "Next to of Course God America I". Satrapi writes on page ten, "The year of the revolution I had to take action. So i put my prophetic destiny aside for awhile." Satrapi was a young child who believed her destiny was to be a prophet of God. But when her country started to undergo the revolution she put that aside as she tried to help her country. In the poem, "Next to of course god america i love you land of the pilgrims' and so forth on," Both Satrapi and e.e. cummings have a huge place in their hearts for God, but right beside that is their country. Iran for Satrapi and America for e.e. cummings. This becomes a confict in their lives trying to decide which to side with, God or their country. Satrapi becomes torn because she has believed for awhile she is not menat to do anything else but be gods prophet. She tells her classmates and her teachers call up her parents and say they are worried about Marjane. She then covers it up saying Oh no i want to be a doctor. KNowing in her heart thats not at all what she wanted to be. In the very beginning of the book God is around alot more frequently. She writes that he comes to see her every single night. After the start of the revolution we see less and less of God. Which eventually defines who they become.

Blankets

The panel on page 158 is of Raina.  She is the only person on the page which shows her lonliness.  The area surrounding her is all white as oppose to most of the panels being very dark.  Also different from the other panels in a very spacious way.  Many of the panels have multiple sections and over lap each other, but in this one the space is empty, and there is so much extra room.  Raina looks said as she tells Craig the bad news about her parents.  He is suprised to hear she has come all the way to Wisconsin, only to find out the roads are blocked off and can not make it.  

Another panel I would like to write about is on page 87.  This panel is of Craig asking God for forgiveness.  Craig has snuck out of his cabin and into the rec room.  The top sketch of Craig is not blocked in by lines but by the hum of the heat blowing.  Craigs eyes are closed as if he is meditating.  He asks Gods forgivness and looks very depressed.  In each panel Craig appears to get smaller and smaller.  By the last panel he is very small and the bubble reads, "PLease forgive me."

Believe

I think that just like Jeanette, when I was young I followed my Mom in every way.  Jeanette thought her Mom knew everything, they believed in the same way.  I believed in my mom, not really religiously but in every other way.  I think the people who bring you into the world leave the biggest mark on your life.  When I was younger I thought everything my Mom said was true and I believed her.  Not to say that she was wrong about things, she is a very smart and honest person.  But when it comes to a lot of situations on views, it is very important to find out for yourself what to believe in.  

In Jeanette's situation the believe of purity is very important.  When she begins to get "un-pure" thoughts, she becomes confused and nervous.  At first she was convinced to repent by the paster, her mom and other church members.  When Jeanette began to get the feelings again she believed it was okay and she wasn't going to let other people tell her how to act and feel. On page 127, Jeanette talks about how her mom wants her to move out and how most of the congregation agrees, but Jeanette talks about it in an okay matter. At the beginning it would have killed her to know how much she disapointed her mother.  But by the end of the story she knew what she believed and wouldn't let any one tell her differently.  

Oranges symbolically represent pure thoughts, a curing tool and hope.