Resist and Rebel: Life Narrative Subjects that Use Gender Performance to Subvert Patriarchal Ideals

In “Resist and Rebel: Life Narrative Subjects that Use Gender Performance to Subvert Patriarchal Ideals”, I examine how the graphic memoir Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and the memoir An Education by Lynn Barber, along with their accompanying film adaptations, deconstruct a limiting idea of “woman” by presenting dynamic and fluid representations of women through their coming-of-age journeys. Examining these life narratives allows the reader to understand how construction of subjectivity and voice within the textual narrative and the implications of body through the visual cinematic experience can be used and read as forms of resistance to, or subversion of, traditional patriarchal norms. The last chapter of my thesis also directly explores how a feminist life writing–oriented pedagogy is deployed in the first year composition space by examining the ENG 101 and 101.10 courses I taught at Illinois State University, as well as offers potential applications of a feminist life writing–oriented pedagogy in a course that engages more directly with Persepolis and An Education