Persuasive Letter (Final Polish)

To whom it may concern within the United States Forest Service.

I would appreciate your consideration of my opinion regarding  off-road cycling. I am one of many that believe riding bicycles is the best way to get exercise and develop a  healthy relationship with other people, as well as the environment. I understand there is an ongoing conflict occurring in several states in the North-Western region between the United State's Forrest Service, and the vast community of cyclists. I support the federal efforts to preserve nature, so my goal is to prove to you that off-road bicycle riding is not a threat to the great outdoors. In fact, it has only made humanity's relationship with nature more intimate, and in turn more respectful and caring towards Nature. The health of this planet and it's people depends on how well we communicate on these matters that effect us all. Throughout this letter I will address various aspects of how bicycling  is a sustainable activity and an ideal way for us to solve serious problems in America today. On our National Forests the battle is joined, between the protectors of the land and for those whom it is protected.

In 1905, President T. Roosevelt, an avid outdoors-man, formed the United States' Forest Service simply because he could not stand by and watch America’s forest being ravaged by the timber empire of an industry. He understood our need for natural places and insisted that we enjoy it, but don't destroy it, and we protect it without being banned from it. It has been a steady struggle to strike that balance ever since.  I am among a new breed of outdoors-man who have evolved onto two wheels. A United States Forest Service Ranger’s job is to serve the public’s interests, while also preserving the land. In Spokane, Washington, a U.S.F.S. enforcement officer is expected to cover approximately 1.3 million acres which is impossible in a SUV vehicle, realistically. Thirty-Five percent of all the land in the United States now belongs to the government. Other not so distant Countries such as Canada chose to designate specific areas for mountain bike trails so that there will be no need for people to dig trails illegally. The sport grew rapidly so they began using ski resorts like Whistler for mountain biking in the summer time, chair-lifts and all! The mountain biking industry has continued to expand as a healthy, family activity. The Ski/Mountain Bike Resort called Whistler in British Columbia received over 150,000 visitors last year! This land belongs to us all and this society’s government and media needs to be more aware of the fact that it is possible to protect the landscape while allowing bicyclists to ride.

            You are severely mistaken if you think Off-Road Cyclists do not cherish this land. We are the ones intimately interacting with the land, not the businessman who spend all their time indoors. Our (mountain bikers) intentions are definitely not to destroy the Forest, but to get out it in it and endure an experience that would otherwise never happen without bikes. The U.S.F.S. should be able to cooperate with cyclists instead of just ticketing them and being inconsiderate of the bikers’ harmless actions. There are much more productive ways for us to spend our tax dollars than to pay people to chase citizens through the woods and if caught, destroying their equipment. I have personally seen a Park Ranger cut the chain off of someone’s bike in Nisene Marks in Aptos, CA so that he was unable to ride home. This occurrence created a love/hate relationship between the community of mountain bikers I grew up with and the U.S.F.S. I hope one day we will be able to compromise with the governing forces and create circumstances where mountain bikers aren’t seen as criminals for getting out of their house and riding their bike.  

            Jon Kennedy, with the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance expresses his experiences like so “These trail builders are craftsmen, this is an art form, an artist never wants to see their work destroyed, they want to see it appreciated, and used, and cherished”. I believe there are many different forms of art, weather you’re building an automobile, house, or a bike jump, your unique style and technique will show. Not a lot of people realize it may take hundreds of hours for a few  men to build a half-dozen dirt jumps and wooden ramps. So when these men return to the trail and find all their hard-work has been destroyed it is a indescribably frustrating and helpless feeling. 

There have been numerous bike clubs formed as a way for bikers to unite and show their numbers and speak out to the public about their side of the story. One  in particular is (T.R.A.I.L.) the Trail Rights Association in Leavenworth Washington, the first to sit down and talk to U.S.F.S. representatives and begin to compromise and organize a trail system in the small town’s local mountains. In a Movie called Pedal Driven  mountain bike advocate Ryan Schutz once explained how “Communities build great trails, Great trails build Communities.” For example, in Bend, Oregon there is also a legal trail system on nearly 1,200 miles of public land, opened to anybody, approved by the U.S.F.S. One of the most well-known organizations is the I.M.B.A. (International Mountain Bicycling Association) which supports all sorts of bicycling events. Since these organizations have been fighting for their rights the mountain bike industry has grown immensely and now there’s about forty-million mountain bikers in the U.S. who annually contribute $136 billion to our economy. Towns like Oak Ridge, Oregon that were once collapsed after the logging industry was shut down have completely revived as a result of legal mountain biking!

             

            My fondest memories take me back to riding trails tucked within the Santa Cruz mountains, developing a strong bond with the environment, and with friends and family. The cycling community is an incredibly inviting and encouraging subculture where everyone can relate to one another’s emotions combined with sharing this amazing experience together as they ride the same exciting trail. Riding bikes teaches you things about yourself and gives you courage for everything else in life! The sport of cycling has been proven to  relieve stress because it lets us live entirely in the moment. Riding a bike allows us to be free from irrelevant problems that happened in the past, therefore we focus on what’s happening right now! Mountain biking encourages us to push our physical and mental capabilities which leads to endless progression. Cycling in general is an extremely simple solution to many of the world’s problems like Obesity, Clean Air, and drug use.

            Having a Mechanic as a father, I grew up around tons of tools which has intrigued me to wonder about and figure out how things work; what makes the wheels turn. As I became older I look back on those moments riding and working on bikes and various other vehicles with my dad and I see them as priceless. These times brought us together, on a whole new level and made it possible to develop a close connection with one another. Consequently, I met an abundance of friends to grow and ride with. Ultimately, It kept us away from gang involvement and all other sorts of trouble because all we wanted to do was ride bikes! I am honored to say that as a teen, I’ve ridden with friends that have made a living of doing exactly what they love to do: Ride Bikes. To this day, they are  much more healthy than the average and they are so incredibly committed that at this point, there is no alternative for them. Their desire to ride is simply unstoppable because they are in love with constantly progressing and exploring. Our government needs to quit ignoring  these persistent mountain bikers. They only way to make this situation more comfortable for both sides is to confront, and compromise upon reasonable places for this socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable activity to occur.  I believe it is human-nature to want to explore and experience what our surroundings have to offer. If  our government refuses to acknowledge the need for outdoor activities, then future generations are gong to have no choice but to be tuned into electronics their whole lives. Ultimately, they will never get the chance to see what they’re missing out on outdoors in the wild!

 Thank you for your time. Sincerely and Respectfully,

     Jake Peoples 

    

Works Cited

Pedal Driven. Dir. Jamie Howell. Perf. Rex Flake, James Munly. 2011.

"About IMBA U.S." International Mountain Bicycling Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013.

Persuasive Letter 2nd draft (Revised)

To whom it may concern within the United States Forrest Service.

I would appreciate your consideration of my opinion regarding  off-road cycling. I believe riding bicycles is the best way to get exercise and develop a  healthy relationship with other people, as well as the environment. I understand there is an ongoing conflict occurring in several states in the North-Western region between the United State's Forrest Service, and the vast community of cyclists. I support the federal efforts to preserve nature, so my goal is to prove to you that off-road bicycle riding is not a threat to the great outdoors, in fact it has only made humanity's relationship with nature more intimate, and in turn more respectful and caring towards Nature. The health of this planet and it's people depends on how well we communicate on these matters that effect us all. Throughout this letter I will address various aspects of how bicycling  is a sustainable activity and an ideal way for us to solve serious problems in America today. On our National Forests the battle is joined, between the protectors of the land and for those whom it is protected.

In 1905, President T. Roosevelt, an avid outdoors-man, formed the United States' Forrest Service simply because he could not stand by and watch America’s forest being ravaged by the timber empire of an industry. He understood our need for natural places and insisted that we enjoy it, but don't destroy it, and protect it without being banned from it. It has been a steady struggle to strike that balance ever since.  I am among a new breed of outdoors-man who have evolved onto two wheels. A United States Forest Service Ranger’s job is to serve the public’s interests, while also preserving the land. In Spokane, Washington, a U.S.F.S. enforcement officer is expected to cover approximately 1.3 million acres which is impossible in a SUV vehicle, realistically. Thirty-Five percent of all the land in the United States now belongs to the government. Other not so distant Countries such as Canada chose to designate specific areas for mountain bike trails there will be no need for people to dig trails illegally. The sport grew rapidly so they began using ski resorts in the summer time, chair-lifts and all! This land belongs to us all and this society’s government needs to be more aware of the fact that it is possible to protect the landscape while allowing bicyclists to ride.

            You are severely mistaken if you think Off-Road Cyclists do not cherish this land. We are the ones interacting with the land, not the businessman who spend all their time indoors. The intentions of us mountain bikers is definitely not to destroy the Forest, but to get out it in it and endure an experience that would otherwise never happen without bikes. There are much more productive ways for us to spend our tax dollars than to pay people to chase citizens through the woods and if caught, destroying their equipment. I have personally seen a Park Ranger cut the chain

             

            My fondest memories take me back to riding trails tucked within the Santa Cruz mountains, developing a strong bond with the environment, and with friends and family. The cycling community is an incredibly inviting and encouraging subculture where everyone can relate to one another’s emotions, sharing this amazing experience  as they ride the same exciting trail. The sport of cycling relieves stress because it lets us live entirely in the moment. Riding a bike allows us to be free from irrelevant problems that happened in the past, therefore we focus on what’s happening right now! Cycling encourages us to push our physical and mental capabilities which leads to endless progression. I am honored to say that as a teen, I’ve ridden with friends that have made a living of doing exactly what they love to do, and that’s Ride Bikes. To this day, they are  much more healthy than the average and they are so committed that at this point, there is no alternative for them. Their desire to ride is simply unstoppable because they are in love with constantly progressing and exploring. I believe it is human-nature to want to explore and experience what our surroundings has to offer, but If we’re constantly tuned into electronics and the media then we never get the chance to see what we’re missing out on out in the wild.

           

 Having an Mechanic as a father, I grew up around tons of tools which has intrigued me to wonder about and figure out what makes the wheels turn.

Persuasive Letter 1st Draft (Beginning)

       To whom it may concern within the United States Forrest Service.

   I would appreciate your consideration of my opinion regarding  off-road cycling. I believe riding bicycles is the best way to get exercise and develop a  healthy relationship with the environment. I understand there is an ongoing conflict occurring in several states in the NorthWest between the United State's Forrest Service, and the vast community of cyclists. I support the federal efforts to preserve nature, so my goal is to prove to you that off-road bicycle riding is not a threat to the great outdoors, in fact it has only made humanity's relationship with nature more intimate, and in turn more respectful towards Nature. The health of this planet and it's people depends on how well we communicate on these matters that effect us all. Throughout this letter I will address various aspects of how bicycling is an ideal way for us to solve serious problems in America today. On our National Forests the battle is joined, between the protectors of the land and for those whom it is protected.
     
In 1905, President T. Roosevelt, an avid outdoors-man, formed the United States' Forrest Service simply because he could not stand by and watch the American forest being ravaged by the timber empire/industry. He understood our need for natural places and insisted that we enjoy it, but don't destroy it, and protect it without being banned from it. It has been a steady struggle to strike that balance ever since.  I am among a new breed of outdoors-man who have evolved onto two wheels. This land belongs to us all and I think American society should be more aware of the fact that it is possible to protect the landscape while allowing bicyclists to ride. Thirty-Five percent of all the land in the United States now belongs to the government.


Obesity and social stress for exampleThe cycling community is an incredibly inviting and encouraging subculture where everyone can relate to each others emotions as they ride the same exciting trail.

Reading Analysis: Killer Culture

      David Kupelian holds stubborn prejudices in various aspects of life. Evidently the social environment was much different when he was being raised. There is no doubt the lessons he learned have been imbedded upon him like a tattoo, although that's ironic because he happens to mention how he despises tattoos! Along with baggy pants, backward hats, jewelry, and body piercings. David plays the role of a trustworthy, responsible parent throughout his writing. The text Appeals to mothers and fathers by notifying as well as terrifying them of all the threats in today's "real world."  His strategy is to restrict and defend his child from such threats to his kid's gender, sexuality, and race. David's language makes modern culture seem cruel and insecure with his demeaning remarks. His effort to persuade the reader to be cautious of social harm is compelling and quite effective.
      Kupelian talks about a time when his son was influenced by an older boy and suddenly grew a desire to wear a "punk" choker necklace. David explains how he did not hesitate to refuse the request and how he layed down the law, as they say. He seems to be offended by his son's decisions as he reinforces his opinion about how such apparel being "strictly girls stuff and wouldn't dream of donning such gear himself and looking like a girl (or a weirdo) (647)."  David also writes about "irresistible pressure to pressure to conform (by "rebelling") on most of today's youth (648)." These quotes relate because they both touch on how kids these days constantly being influence from both directions and it's entirely their choice which way they see as more appealing. There are countless social pressures coming mainly from mainstream media such as Movies, Cartoons, Music, and MTV specifically.
       Kupelian's tone in his attitude is extremely insecure and he speaks of the Media as if it was the enemy of humanity! He expresses his perception by stating that "they're going to take over, and their weaponry are films, music, books, CDs, Internet access, clothing, amusement parks, sports teams (650).  David targets rappers as the source of kid's misbehavior, he seems them as role-models going in the wrong direction! His standpoint suggests that parents should be the sole source of influence upon their children and the media only corrupts their values and morals. Everybody knows that when kids are at school or in a populated environment, they consistently compete with each other and either admire, or humiliate others based on their appearance. I feel like David was rather sheltered as a youngster  and now that he's got a kid to take care of he feel's guilty about his surroundings.
      

       Works Cited 

Kupelian, David. "Killer Culture." (n.d.): n. pag. Rpt. in Rereading America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 647-63. Print.

MLA information

According to Instructor Knapp's Blog,
In MLA style, an in-text citation generally consists of the author's last name and the page number of the reference. When multiple elements are used in a parenthetical citation, they are separated by a space. In all cases except for block quotations, parenthetical citations are placed immediately before the final punctuation of the sentence that cites the work.

For Exact Quotes:

Rule: When a quotation runs no more than four lines, put it in quotes, incorporate the author into the text, and provide the page number in a parenthetical citation.

Example:

"He was obeyed," writes Joseph Conrad of the company manager in Heart of Darkness, "yet he inspired neither love nor fear, nor even respect" (87).

Rule: When the author's name does not appear in the signal phrase, place the author's name and the page number(s) in the parenthetical citation.

Example:

"If the existence of a signing ape was unsettling for linguists, it was also startling news for animal behaviorists" (Davis 26).

Rule: When a quotation runs more than four lines, do not use quotation marks, but indent it one inch from the main body of your text. Double space the block quote. Incorporate the author's name or the title of the piece into a signal phrase preceding the quote. Finally, provide the page number(s) of the excerpt, in parentheses, immediately following the final punctuation of the quotation.

Example:

At the conclusion of Lord of the Flies, Ralph and the other boys realize the horror of their actions:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (186)

For Paraphrased Ideas:

Rule: When paraphrasing where the author(s) is clearly identified in your text, provide only the page number in the parenthetical citation.

Example:

Others, like Jakobson and Smith, hold the opinion that children who attend pre-school are better socially adjusted than those who do not (156).

Rule: When paraphrasing where author(s) is not clearly identified in your text, provide author(s) and page number in the citation.

Example:

Between 1968 and 1988, television coverage of presidential elections changed dramatically (Hallin 5).

Citing from Indirect Sources:

Rule: When quoting a reference that is not originally from the source you have, after the reference use the phrase "qtd. in" (quoted in) and the author(s) of the source you have, the volume of the source (if more than one), and the page number. An indirect source may be documented in the Works Cited page.

Example:

Samuel Johnson admitted that Edmund Burke was an "extraordinary man" (qtd. in Boswell 2: 450).
   
        For My Personal Iran Topic Report I used resources such as the "American Historical Review: Iran" by Shaul Bakhash and also Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.    Knowing where the information comes from is essential because otherwise someone could be writing complete fiction and there's no way for the reader to know whether it is valid or not. I used to skim right past bibliographies but now that I understand the importance of citing sources I pay  closer attention to where all the information is derived from...That way I can look into those sources to fin out their credibility and ultimately decide whether or not to trust whatever it is I am reading. The Lab has been very helpful to me but i wanted to say i really do appreciate the extra effort you have put in to be sure that we all understand why properly citing your sources is such a crucial aspect of effective writing. Thanks so much for your time!

I just noticed this post was saved as a draft but never published...If you are able to give partial credit I would be oh so grateful!

Roots of the Revolution (Keddie Vs. Issawi) Formal Paper #1

Jake Peoples

English 1A

Stacey Knapp

*Revised after
3/14/2013

Roots of the Revolution 

             When a Country is in political crisis, it's religous leaders and community of believers to the state's conscious attitudes are vulnerable and likely to either revolutionize or resort to traditional ideas. Iranians have endured two-thousand, five-hundred years of tyranny and submission, therefore the majority of peoples haven't had much input in establishing government. First, the Iranians were suppressed by their own emperors, then came the Arab invasion from the West. After that, the Mongolian invasion from the East, and to this day they're being immensely effected by Modern Imperialism.Influenced by Western Ideas, clerics have emerged as champions of the common people and popular causes in Iran's recent history. Besides the clerics, there's also the Ulama, who represent the traditional Iranian power-elite and support existing social order.

           The Ulama opposed Mohammad Mossadegh (Nationalist Prime-Minister) and his promises for fundamental changes in Iranian Society. Ulama involvement in politics throughout the 1960s-70s was motivated by by maintaining material interests and existing power-structure or hierarchy. They supported the Shah during the Oil Nationalization Crisis and even extended woman's suffrage in effort to limit the lower-class' input in politics. Merchants typically supported constitutional movement, although the existing government worked to their advantage in expanding trade as well as agricultural activities, so they opposed foreign involvement. The Revolution ultimately occurred due to an expanding economy, not because it was declining! Artisans as well as merchants were tired of competing with foreign competition, as a result they demanded a greater say when establishing National Policy.

           In the book Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, there's a short statement that might have caught the reader's attention by demonstrating how a revolution functions in a very simple way. Marjane reveals how "The Revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don't turn, it falls"(10). At that point the reader should take a moment to ponder what the author meant by that. Everyone can relate to how a bicycle works, so I appreciate the way this statement illustrates an activity that we're all familiar with. Such a basic sentence explains the persistence and focus required in the action of riding a bike, as well as participating in a Revolution.

           Nikki Keddie's overall view is that the economy as a whole and the majority of the population suffered as a result of the changes brought about by Iran's involvement in international trade. She explains how Iranian villagers became much more vulnerable famine and scarcity because of the changes in crop patterns in favor of cash crops. Nikki emphasizes that while some merchants benefited and in some cases thrived because of trade relations with the West, most did not(Iran,1486). For a small prtion of Iranians, the standard of living progressed and excelled during this time. Her main point that is repeated throughout her work is that Iranian entry into the world market was much more harmful than helpful to Iranian Society. Keddie reinforces  the fact that Western Influence has dominated the Middle East and elsewhere in the third-world since World War II. She disagrees with imperialism in general and consequently opposes the United States' involvement in distant culture's governments(Iran, 1487).

           Charles Issawi had a different outlook, and expresses the fact that by the mid-1970s, Iranians enjoyed a much better standard of living than when compared to twenty years earlier. Issawi states how after 1960, Iran's industrial growth was almost unmatched in history! Iranians were able to develop roads, railways, and airports at a surprisingly efficient pace(Iran,1489). Charles had a much more positive perspective when compared to Nikkii's Analysis. He shows how while the standard of living increased for the majority of Iranians, income-gaps steadily grew as well, proving how dysfunctional the "Trickle-Down Theory" is in reality.

           In 1953, a Pro-American dictator attempted to modernize Iran ans forcibly remove Islamic Religion when ninety-percent of Iran's population was Muslim! One can imagine how ineffective that was trying to enforce laws upon a society that most disagreed with. The U.S. payed one-billion dollars to influence Iranians and arm them against opposing forces. Some say the Revolution was instigated by the U.S. who illegally intervened with Iran's government. Mohammad Reza Shah (1941-1979) invested in infrastructure and manufacturing of consumer goods to take advantage of Iran's rich resources. Since most Iranians were unaware of exactly how valuable their land was, the dictators have always been able to taken advantage of it without distributing the wealth among the populace. Shah consistently promoted large-scale agricultural and educational opportunities with hopes of progressing as an entire culture!

                                                                                                                                                   

Works Cited    

 Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis.  New York, NY: Patheon, 2003. Print.

 

 Bakhash, Shaul. "Iran." 1991. Iran. N.p.:n.p., 1991. 1479-496. Print.                                   

Persepolis (Reading Response)

          I appreciate the way Marjane Satrapi invites us into a young girl's mind during a time of extreme Political Crisis. She is at a stage in her life where she's very curious and desperately wants to gain a better understanding of the world and her country's government. I think it's safe to say that the main character is a bit sheltered and obliviously enjoys certain aspects of the Upper-Class in Iran such as having a maid around the house and also the fact that her father drives a Cadillac. I found myself trying to relate to what it was like to grow up in a place that's so drastically different from what I'm used to.
         I  have never left this Country, so I can only compare my personal experiences to what I've seen in the United States, and I imagine it's extremely biased information. Especially in the Mainstream Media, I feel like most of it is persuading the public to oppose Iranians which can be very easy when we only hear one side of the story. I understand Persepolis takes place in a different time period than my Lifetime but the illustrations make it easy to understand what life was like for Iranians then.
         Learning about the veil really opened my eyes to the purpose of Iranian beliefs. It makes sense for women to gain respect of men mentally, rather than just attracting them physically like we see here in the United States. Our society enforces these ideas of beauty into our heads so that people are treated much differently based solely upon their appearance. I try to imagine going to school where all the students are seemingly identical and in some aspects it doesn't sound very bat at all. I believe respect is derived from admiration of the content of one's character, when one is distracted from getting to know another on the inside, their motivation may be obscured.  From personal experience, I've seen girls who are dressed a little more exposed than most insult and embarress others who appear less attractive on sight. Seems like some girls think they can make themselves seem superior simply because they're spoiled and their parents can afford the most expensive, revealing, and popular clothes. If everyone wore similar clothing there would be no room for demeaning actions that regularly damage the youth's self-esteem making them feel like they don't belong when they did absolutely nothing wrong! I was always curious about why traditional Iranian women dress the way they do and I'm grateful I got the opportunity to gain a better understanding.
          I admire the way Satrapi stands up for herself and says what's on her mind on several occasions. She didn't take crap from no one, not even the principal, she repeatedly stood up for herself and what she believed was right. Although she was persuaded by peer-pressure once or twice, I feel like she followed her heart with every decision. She goes from a naive little girl who is unaware her father's Cadillac is uncommon to a rebel in a jean jacket buying tapes off of the black-market.
           It's sad to follow her life through the years and hear about people she knows dropping like flies on a regular basis. The closest thing I can compare it to is the ghetto in San Francisco or any other Gangland. Even though her father was able to buy a Cadillac and is better off than the average Iranian, he still cannot insure the safety and security of his family. As Progressive peoples in Iran, they're outcasts in some ways. Satrapi's parents endured great risks in order to satisfy their daughter, while it may have been frowned upon in Iran, I support their actions because nobody was harmed so no harm, no foul.
           I became surprisingly attached to the characters throughout the book. I felt like I was there the first time she skipped school and had to explain herself to her mother, I've been in that position before so I can easily relate to the emotions she must have felt at that time.   Now I understand how Iranian Society functions and how restrictions/laws are enforced brutally and not always by the Police. For instance, when her father was drunk he got pulled over but was able to bribe the Police and avoid being arrested!
          Throughout Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi does a great job of explaining each situation as she grew up and it was easy for me to relate to how she felt at each stage of her life. Reading through the eyes of someone that young encourages me to think back on the days when i was her age and what I went through compared to what she went through. It's easy for me to picture kids at recess but a little more difficult to imagine walking into Religion class. It would certainly kill kids sense of individuality, forced to be constantly conforming to traditional ways of life and not welcoming them to express their fresh ideas. It seems to me that they disable themselves from evolving if they are not open to new ideas. It kind of sickens me to see a society so dominated by Religion, they're almost blind to what's right and wrong. For example, when Satrapi's relative had his third heart-attack and requested to leave the country to seek better medical attention, the Iranian man replied "If God wills it." Now i understand there are people just like me in Iran, the only difference is they have been born into much different circumstances. They did not choose to grow up in a War-Zone, but that's what ended up happening. Once I realized the Author was the main character, I was overwhelmed with respect towards Marjane Satrapi, and also towards the entire Middle East.

 Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis.  New York, NY: Patheon, 2003. Print.