Students from McDaniel and other Maryland colleges attended a lecture by critically acclaimed graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi Nov. 1 at Goucher College. She told the crowd of more than 600 that the purpose of her work is to encourage people to relate to those of different cultures. Satrapi’s memoir “Persepolis,” in which she describes her childhood in Iran during the Shah’s regime, was required reading for the class of 2010, and many of the McDaniel attendees were freshmen.

Ross Feinberg ’10, Max Robinson ’10, the author, Fernando Gomes ’10, Assistant Professor of English Kate Dobson, and Caitlin Rivet ’10

“Marjane Satrapi had a lot to say not just about the creative process, but about the world around her as well,” says Fernando Gomes ’10. “I found her humor about the world to be very refreshing.”

“Satrapi shared her religious and political beliefs, personal experiences of social oppression in Iran, and all else that was in Persepolis,” added Ross Feinberg ’10. “It seemed like her main intention was to raise awareness of hatred and racism, which I thought was very refreshing.”

Read why “Persepolis” was chosen as the freshmen reading here.