Comparing Persepolis And All Quiet On The Western Front

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Due to their positions of influence, some teachers in warring nations, like those in Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoir Persepolis and Eric Maria Remarque's novel All Quiet on the Western Front, convince their students to dash into fields of landmines and artillery fire without providing an accurate depiction of war, demonstrating the appearance versus reality theme. In Persepolis, Marji’s cousin, Shahab claims that the officers “convince them [recruits] that the afterlife is even better than Disneyland, then they put them in a trace with all their songs” (Satrapi 101-102). These officials incentivise young men to join the war by painting a skewed, utopian picture of the afterlife and providing them a cheap, plastic key to said afterlife.

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