A10: Gorman’s call at the end of the poem calls us to all be change and have hope. To me, this means braving new situations as well as putting ourselves in new ones in order to help ourselves and those around us to find the light amongst the shade. #TeachLivingPoets
A9: The “hill we climb” is the countless troubles we all face as we push to make America a better place for everyone. The “hill we climb” is the process we undergo to make America a place where everyone can live to their expectations. #TeachLivingPoets
A8: Light can symbolize a time of realization and a time of hope. In the opening of the poem, it reminds me of searching for something joyful in tough times. In the closing, it symbolizes a time where we notice having hope is a feat of strength. #TeachLivingPoets
A6: Gorman includes the history of slaves along with the recent history of America’s first female vice president in the third stanza. The connection shows both how far we have come, yet how eye-opening it is to see that this is the farthest we’ve come. #TeachLivingPoets
A5: In the sixth stanza, the words “tired”, “tried”, “tied”, and “together” are emphasized with alliteration. They work together to create the meaning that although we are separated we are still connected through many aspects. #TeachLivingPoets
A2: Gorman uses creative wordplay when she says “it's because being American is more than a pride we inherit. It's the past we stepped into and how we repair it,” to make a point of how American culture has become what it is to this day. #TeachLivingPoets
A1: What stands out to me was the way she spoke to put emphasis on words to make them flow together. I remember the part of her poem who she talking about what "just is" not equating to what is "justice". The line really stuck out to me. #TeachLivingPoets
A9: The heroes in the story are Marji’s parents because in the end, readers can see all that they did in her best interests to keep her safe and happy as a child - whether that was protecting her or telling her the truth they did what was right and what would help her. #MarjiChat
@CameronCaspari I agree! The things she was learning about at school and what she learned outside of school were not always the same story. This gave Marji the ability to form her own opinions, which is why she rebels at school. #MarjiChat
A8: When Marji’s parents laugh when she asks to play Monopoly, I thought it was a funny and it must be a joke that Satrapi slipped into the book when writing it as an adult that gives a bit of perspective on just how ignorant children can be to the world around them. #MarjiChat
A7: The books that her parents have given her are what allowed her to have the educated mindset she had at such a young age. Education also pushed her to get in trouble at school because she knew some of the harsh truths that the schools tried to hide from students. #MarjiChat
A6: Differences in social classes make Marji upset because of her close relationship with her maid, Mehri. When her dad learned about the letters being sent between Mehri and Hossein, he got upset. This made Marji question the type of person her father truly is. #MarjiChat
@veronikabayzer I agree with you here. After the loss of Uncle Anoosh, she feels betrayed by God for letting something bad happen to someone she loves. #MarjiChat
@EquaSean I totally agree with you here. Her parents made her the person that we watched her grow to become throughout the book, and we see how their support made her strong and mature. #MarjiChat
A5: Marjane ultimately shuts God out at the point of the revolution when her Uncle Anoosh dies. This causes me to believe that when she saw that God allowed for people she loved to die, she did not want to associate herself with him anymore. #MarjiChat
A4: This frame on page 18 not only illustrates what the people are clearly doing, but also says what they are doing it for. The frame shows men and women demonstrating in the streets and spells out the main movement of the revolution: to take down the king. #MarjiChat
A3: True, they are good role models for her because they always encourage Marji to be herself, and we can see that they are not hypocrites to this. They do what they believe is right and stay true to their morals while allowing their daughter to do the same. #MarjiChat
A2: Uncle Anoosh has the most influence on Marji because his death had the power to demolish her relationship with the person who she thought she was born to prophesize, God. #MarjiChat
A1: I would rename the book “Freedom Had a Price” because those are the last few words of the book and sum up the journey that Marji faces with her teachers, parents, and the Regime throughout the book to prove herself worthy of freedom to make choices for herself. #MarjiChat