Prophet and Protagonist Script
Beyond the Veil
Comprehensive Script & Lesson Guide
45 Minutes
Objectives
- Analyze how Satrapi uses visual contrast to depict political tension.
- Identify class-based and spiritual motivations for Marji's identity.
- Synthesize visual and textual evidence in a critical response.
Materials
Beyond the Veil Slides, Panel Perspectives Worksheet, Persepolis Chapter 1.
Page 3: The Playful Veil Slides 1-2
Worksheet Task: Warm-Up
Direct students to the Warm-Up section. Give them 5 minutes to write their contrast observation and draw their sketch.
Script: "Look at young Marji at ten years old. She says her classmates are from left to right, but she's cut off. This 'visual silence' is our first hint at her displacement. Now, look at the bottom of Page 3. The state calls this the 'Islamic Revolution,' but the kids are using the veils for 'jump rope' and 'horse.'
Discussion Points: Why do the kids see the veil as a toy? Look at the 'Monster of Darkness' panel. Even when they use scary words like 'Execution,' their body language is fluid and energetic. Contrast this with the rigid adults we'll see later."
Pages 4-5: The Cultural Revolution Slide 3
Worksheet Task: Chart Row 1 & 3
As you discuss these pages, have students fill in the first and third rows of 'The Art of the Story' chart.
Script: "1980 is the year of the 'Cultural Revolution.' Notice the leader on Page 4—he calls bilingual schools 'symbols of decadence.'
Discussion Points: On Page 4, look at the guard separating the boys and girls. How does Satrapi use the vertical line of the guard to show segregation? On Page 5, look at the faces swirling around Marji's mother. They aren't individuals; they are a mass of judgment. How does that visual choice communicate her mother's fear?"
Page 6: The Split Identity Slide 4
Worksheet Task: Chart Row 2
Students should fill in the second row of the chart regarding the Split Identity panel.
Script: "Marji is born with religion, but her family is 'avant-garde.' Look at the split panel. On the left: gears, cogs, and machinery. On the right: organic, flowery, traditional patterns.
Discussion Points: Marji wants to be a prophet for three reasons: the maid, the Cadillac, and her Grandma’s knees. She sees class inequality (economic) and physical suffering (personal). Why do the earlier prophets, Muhammad and Jesus, look surprised that she's a woman?"
Page 7: The Holy Book Slide 5
Script: "Marji turns to Zarathustra. Notice the 'Fire Ceremony' and 'Norouz.' These are ancient Persian traditions. In a world being overtaken by a new religious mandate, Marji is looking back to her country's original roots.
Discussion Points: Look at Rule Number 7: 'All maids should eat at the table.' This is a radical political act. Why is her Grandma the only one who believes her? Note how Grandma calls herself her 'first disciple.'"
Page 8: The Celestial Choice Slide 5
Script: "Marji talks to God every night. Look at how he cradles her—he is huge, soft, and comforting. But in the 'real' world, the teacher calls her 'disturbed.'
Discussion Points: Look at the panel of her parents talking to the teacher. The teacher is stressed and angry. The father is leaning back, totally relaxed. The mother is challenging the teacher. Why don't the parents care that she wants to be a prophet? How does this set them apart from the 'Cultural Revolution'?"
Page 9: The Wrath of God Slides 6-7
Worksheet Task: Critical Analysis & Reflection
Guide students into the final writing sections of the worksheet. Encourage them to use the final panel of Page 9 as their focus if they are stuck.
Script: "Marji lies. She tells her parents she wants to be a doctor. She feels guilty, but she knows she must keep her identity secret. Look at the final panel: Justice, Love, and Wrath.
Discussion Points: How does Satrapi draw these three versions of Marji? Which one looks the most powerful? Why does she need 'Wrath' in a world that is becoming more oppressive?"
Worksheet Wrap-Up
Once the reading is done, give students 10 minutes to complete Reflection A and Reflection B. For Reflection B, remind them that 'complex' means being a prophet, a modern girl, and a future doctor all at once. Oppression hates complexity because complex people are harder to label and control.
Beyond the Veil Slides
Beyond the Veil
Analyzing Persepolis Chapter 1
Warm-Up: The Weight of Understanding
05 MIN
"Execution in the name of freedom!"
Page 3: Bottom Panels
Prompt:
- • In these panels, the kids are playing. They don't yet grasp the oppression the veil represents.
- • Imagine: How would a child who did understand the situation look? Sketch them on your sheet.
- • How does their posture change the mood?
1979 → 1980: Forced Change
1979: The Revolution
A time of co-ed schools and secular freedoms. The veil was personal choice.
1980: The Mandate
The "Cultural Revolution" begins. Bilingual schools close. The veil becomes obligatory.
Freedom → State Control
The Split Identity (Page 6)
"I really didn't know what to think about the veil."
Modern
Avant-garde family, secular values, technical patterns, status icons.
Religious
Divine calling, "the last prophet," floral organic patterns.
Visual Analysis: Why split the panel vertically?
PANEL LAYOUT
Marji's Prophet Rules
Ancient philosophy (Zarathustra) meets modern struggle (Pages 6-7)
01
Behave Well
"No old person should have to suffer."
Empathy for her grandmother's physical pain overrides the revolution's rules.
02
Speak Well
"I am not quite ready yet."
Her honest, private dialogue with God vs. the forced public "wisdom" in the streets.
03
Act Well
"All maids should eat at the table."
Marji identifies social class hypocrisy and creates rules for justice.
The Assignment
Analyze how Satrapi uses visual elements to communicate emotions that the text alone cannot.
- Select ONE specific panel.
- Identify the primary emotion.
- Connect the ART to that emotion.
Resistance
"I wanted to be justice, love, and the wrath of God all in one."
Justice
Love
Panel Perspectives Worksheet
Panel Perspectives
Persepolis Chapter 1: The Veil
Name: __________________________
Date: ___________________________
Warm-Up: Play vs. Politics
Look at the bottom half of Page 3 where the children are playing with the veils (jump-roping, playing "monster," playing "horse").
How does the children's body language contrast with the serious nature of the "Islamic Revolution" described in the text?
Imagine a child in this scene who actually understands the political weight of the veil. Sketch them below—how would their expression or posture differ?
The Art of the Story
| Panel Description | Visual Element (Layout/Art) | Emotional Effect |
|---|
| The guard separating boys and girls (Page 4) | | |
| Marji's 'Split Identity' drawing (Page 6) | | |
| The swirling faces watching her mother (Page 5) | | |
Critical Analysis
Prompt: Choose ONE specific panel from Chapter 1. Analyze how Satrapi uses visual elements (e.g., shading/ink weight, shapes, panel layout, or character positioning) to communicate an emotion or theme that the text alone cannot.
Reflection A: Marji and the Veil
If you had to summarize the relationship between Marji and the "Veil" based ONLY on the artwork in this chapter, what would you say?
Reflection B: Complicated Resistance
Oppression seeks to simplify people into "one side" or "the other." How does Marji’s complicated identity serve as a way to resist being controlled?
