Charles Pollack
10/8/2011
Eng 1B
Week Four- Prompt #1
My metacognitive experience with this novel started when I first picked it up. Looking at the front cover, the picture and designs reminded me of something from India or the Far East. I read the inside flap about it being, “Best Comix of the Year”. I was amused, when I thumbed through the pages, that all pages had dialog and pictures. Turning to the back of the book, I read the first review by the New York Times Book Review, “Delectable…Dances with Drama and insouciant wit.” I had no idea what insouciant meant. I began a list of words, which I would gather throughout the reading of the novel, to define. How prophetic this word, insouciant, would be to me. The definition, from an online English Dictionary, means, “not worrying about possible problems”. I felt ready to do all tasks associated with this book. Intrigued is how I felt; then I began reading.
To begin with, the history of Iran was a pleasure to read. One of my joys is to read and study history. I begin to feel a connection at once. I was able to visualize Iran from the past to modern times. It put things in an orderly fashion. Such as drawing a timeline from point A to point B. There is a flow of occurrences, through out the book that has orderly direction and explanations. After PPA, I read the first 50 pages. At first, I began to analyze what the author was trying to convey. The context of some words and the way they are presented and pictured along with the dialog, was at times confusing.
For example, Marjane has a picture, of her as a prophet, with people kneeling at her feet. The next blocks of pictures show figures of past prophets. Then she goes on about helping people. The confusion is how she uses prophet. To me there are two distinct definitions. One hears from a deity, the other is an advocate.
I offer another example, the distinction or perhaps the similitude of God and Marx. For me, I heard of Marx, who or what he stands for, I do not know. Therefore, I did some researching on Marx and dialectic materialism. I am compelled to understand some words, places and things that I have no comprehension when reading text.
In other words, I have to grasp the meaning of what I am reading. Reading can be complex and confusing at times.Taking the time to understand before going forward is how I learn. At times, I find that I do more researching than reading the book. Once I have this understanding about a book, I shelved the information in a storage space in my head. I can retrieve this information when needed.
In other words, I have to grasp the meaning of what I am reading. Reading can be complex and confusing at times.Taking the time to understand before going forward is how I learn. At times, I find that I do more researching than reading the book. Once I have this understanding about a book, I shelved the information in a storage space in my head. I can retrieve this information when needed.
I enjoyed reading Persepolis. However, at times, it became unbelievable. Perhaps I base the unbelievable aspects, based upon my own childhood. I often reflected back when I was 10 years old when reading Persepolis. Of course, Marjane and I come from two different worlds. However, we were once 10 years old and have that in common. I look forward to the next assignment.
