Revolutionary Gears Worksheet Revolutionary Gears
Analyzing Symbolism in Persepolis: "The Bicycle"
Name
Date
Warm Up: The Balancing Act
On page 10, Marji's friend says, "The revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don't turn, it falls."
Explain this metaphor in your own words. Why is a bicycle a fitting symbol for a revolution? Think about balance, movement, and collective participation.
Crowd Control: Visual Repetition
Compare how Satrapi draws people in these moments to communicate themes. Identify the core theme (e.g., resistance, fear, submission) and explain the visual evidence.
Page 10: Human Bicycle
Theme:
Visual Evidence:
Page 11: 2500 Years
Theme:
Visual Evidence:
Page 15: Rex Cinema
Theme:
Visual Evidence:
Deep Dive: Symbolic Analysis
PROMPT: Select ONE panel from "The Bicycle" that uses strong visual symbolism. Write a paragraph explaining how Satrapi uses visual elements (shading, shapes, repetition, or layout) to communicate a theme that the text alone cannot.
Selected Panel/Page:
Target Theme/Emotion:
Your Paragraph Analysis:
Cool Down: The Empty Bed
On the final page, Marji says "That night he didn't come," referring to God. Why do you think God stops visiting Marji? How does the visual contrast of this panel (mostly white and empty) reflect her emotional state?
Revolutionary Gears Slides Revolutionary Gears
Analyzing Visual Symbolism in Persepolis
Chapter 2: "The Bicycle"
Learning Objectives
1
Analyze how Satrapi uses visual motifs (like the bicycle) to represent complex political ideas.
2
Compare the artistic depiction of crowds and how they evoke different emotional responses.
3
Draft a symbolic analysis paragraph identifying themes beyond the written text.
Warm Up
"The revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don't turn, it falls."
• Why a bicycle?
• What does "turning the wheels" represent in a society?
• What causes the "fall"?
Page 10 Analysis
The Human Machine
Unity: The individuals are merged into one cohesive machine.
Movement: The forward lean suggests urgent, collective progress.
Contrast: High-contrast white silhouettes emphasize their visibility as a group.
Page 11 Analysis
Cycle of Tyranny
Repetition:
Waves of invaders are drawn with identical, rhythmic poses across the panel.
Thematic Meaning:
History is depicted as a recurring, predictable cycle of submission and violence.
Page 15 Analysis
Horror of the Crowd
Victims merge into stylized flames and smoke—they are consumed, not unified.
No forward movement. The upward, swirling motion suggests ghostly ascension and chaos.
The heavy ink weight creates a crushing sense of tragedy and darkness.
Marx and God
Visual Linkage:
Marji observes that Marx and God look strikingly similar. This visually links her faith with her political radicalization.
"Though Marx's hair was a bit curlier."
God
Marx
How does this visual link complicate her worldview?
Assignment: Symbolic Analysis
WRITING TASK
Select ONE panel and write a paragraph explaining how visual elements communicate a key theme beyond the words.
Focus Areas:
• Shading & Ink Weight
• Visual Repetition
• Character Poses
Requirements:
• Clear Thesis
• Direct Visual Evidence
The Silence of God
"That night he didn't come."
Why does God disappear as Marji's political interest grows? What does this mean for the end of her childhood?
Revolutionary Gears Script Teacher Script: Revolutionary Gears
Persepolis Chapter 2 Facilitation Guide
Duration
35–45 Minutes
Focus
Visual Symbolism
Standards
RL.9, W.2
Slides 1–2: Introduction & Objectives (3 min)
SAY: "Yesterday we saw Marji struggling between her religious destiny and her desire to be a revolutionary. Today, we're diving into Chapter 2, 'The Bicycle.' We'll look at how Satrapi uses simple visual motifs to explain massive political shifts."
DO: Briefly review the objectives so students know they will be writing a symbolic analysis paragraph by the end of class.
Slide 3: Warm Up (7 min)
SAY: "Take three minutes to answer the warm-up question on your worksheet. Why compare a revolution to a bicycle? What happens if you stop pedaling?"
FACILITATE: Ask 2-3 students to share. Look for answers mentioning momentum, balance, and collective effort. A revolution isn't a static event; it requires constant action to stay 'upright.'
Slide 4: The Human Machine (5 min)
SAY: "Look at the bottom of page 10. The people are the bicycle. Satrapi doesn't just draw people riding bikes; she merges their bodies into the wheels and frame."
Discussion Questions:
How does this panel show unity? (The heads form the gears/frame)
What is the mood? (Determined, high-energy, hopeful)
Slide 5: Historical Repetition (5 min)
SAY: "Now turn to page 11. Marji's father talks about 2500 years of tyranny. Notice the artistic choice here. Every invader looks exactly like the one before. Why draw them so similar?"
KEY POINT: Repetition in graphic novels often indicates a cycle or a lack of progress. To the Iranian people, the face of the oppressor changed, but the 'submission' felt the same.
Slide 6: The Rex Cinema Fire (5 min)
Warning: "This is the turning point of the chapter. The 'playfulness' of the kids pretending to be Che Guevara vanishes here."
SAY: "Look at the bottom of page 15. How is this crowd different from the bicycle crowd? In the bicycle, they were a machine of movement. Here, they are a machine of smoke and death. The ink weight is much heavier—everything is dark and overwhelming."
Slides 7–8: Paragraph Deep Dive (15 min)
DO: Walk through the transition from play (pretending to be Marx) to the reality of the demonstrations. Then, release students to work on their analysis paragraph.
TEACHER TIP: Circulate and help students identify specific visual elements like 'heavy black shading' or 'horizontal vs vertical lines' to support their themes.
Slide 9: Cool Down (2 min)
Revolutionary Gears Answer Key Answer Key & Teacher Guide
Revolutionary Gears: Persepolis Chapter 2
TEACHER USE ONLY
Warm Up: The Bicycle Metaphor
Key Points:
Movement = Momentum of the revolution.
Balance = Need for mass participation.
Falling = Return to old regime/failure of movement.
Sample Response: "The bicycle shows that a revolution needs energy. If everyone stops pedaling, it falls over."
Crowd Control Analysis
1. The Human Bicycle (Page 10)
Theme: Resistance / Unity
Visual Details: Individuals are merged into a single machine. Forward lean shows determination. Pure black background makes the collective group stand out.
2. 2500 Years of Tyranny (Page 11)
Theme: Submission / Repetition
Visual Details: Identical poses of bowing people and repetitive waves of soldiers. Rhythmic pattern suggests history is a mechanical, predictable cycle.
3. The Rex Cinema Fire (Page 15)
Theme: Horror / Fear
Visual Details: Heavy ink weight (mostly black). Bodies merge into flames/smoke. Upward swirling motion suggests chaos and ghostly ascension.
Model Analysis Paragraph
Exemplar Response (W.2 Compliance):
Satrapi uses the final panel of page 15 to communicate the immense tragedy of the Rex Cinema fire through high-contrast shading and symbolic character positioning. While the text explains the death toll, the visual elements show the human cost. The victims are drawn as white, ghost-like silhouettes rising into a pitch-black sky, merging with the smoke of the fire. This choice of ink weight —using massive blocks of black ink to surround a few small sparks of white—creates a visual feeling of being trapped and overwhelmed. Furthermore, the way the victims' bodies are stylized to look like flames suggests that their humanity has been stolen by the violence; they are no longer people, but merely fuel for the political conflict. This visual motif communicates a sense of haunting permanence that the factual reporting in the text boxes cannot fully capture.
Cool Down: The Empty Bed
Key Points:
Loss of childhood innocence: Politics replaces religious comfort.
Visual contrast: The emptiness of the white bed reflects her internal feeling of isolation or abandonment.
Evolution: Marji is moving from "prophetic" play to real-world awareness.
