TTTC and Persepolis explore the theme of emotional burden through action, ideas and characterizat...

1. Characterization

1.1. Persepolis

1.1.1. Marji: Characterization indirect and typically represented through a few very basic means

1.1.1.1. indirect and typically represented through a few very basic means: the experiences she is subjected to (they vary in impact), her actions and responses to these events and the people she encounters; the anecdotes told to her throughout, and the unstable and transient environment that constantly surrounds her.

1.1.1.2. The experiences she is subjected to (they vary in impact)

1.1.1.3. Her actions and responses to these events and the people she encounters;

1.1.1.4. The anecdotes told to her throughout

1.1.1.5. The unstable and transient environment that constantly surrounds her.

1.2. TTTC

1.2.1. Tim O'Brien

1.2.1.1. O’Brien is a pacifist who rationalizes his participation in Vietnam by concluding that his feelings of obligation toward his family and country are stronger influences than his own politics. When the war is over, he uses his ability to tell stories to deal with his guilt and confusion over the atrocities he witnessed in Vietnam,

1.2.2. Jimmy Cross

1.2.2.1. Cross is well intentioned but unsure of how to lead his men. He is wracked with guilt because he believes that his preoccupation with his unrequited love for a girl named Martha and his tendency to follow orders despite his better judgment caused the deaths of Ted Lavender and Kiowa, two members of Alpha Company.

1.2.3. Curt Lemon

1.2.3.1. A childish and careless member of the Alpha Company who is killed when he steps on a rigged mortar round. Though O’Brien does not particularly like Lemon, Lemon’s death is something O’Brien continually contemplates with sadness and regret. The preventability of his death and the irrational fears of his life—as when a dentist visits the company—point to the immaturity of many young American soldiers in Vietnam.

2. Action

2.1. TTTC: Conflict

2.1.1. the fight between Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk over a jack-knife.

2.1.2. Jensen is at war with the Vietnamese but also with his team.

2.1.3. to defeat the enemy they must keep moving forward towards new terrains and burn down villages to conquer them

2.2. Persepolis: Radical transformation

2.2.1. from naive adolescent to angst filled teenager, rebelling and questing everything and everyone she encounters.

2.2.2. her frustration entwined with her recent interest in politics is influenced by the ideals imbued within her family

2.2.3. the forbidden romance between her maid Mehri and the neighbour’s boy, due the class system present within Iran seems to have an impact of the developing personality of young Marji

3. Ideas

3.1. TTTC

3.1.1. The novel communicates how big the burdens that the soldiers had, were so much bigger than one could possibly expect from them.

3.1.1.1. War

3.1.1.2. Pain

3.1.1.3. Fear

3.1.1.4. Injustice

3.2. Persepolis

3.2.1. There is a big gap between cultures and many people do not understand, due to their lack of knowledge.

3.2.1.1. Love

3.2.1.2. Betrayal

3.2.1.3. Marriage

3.2.1.4. Racism