Reading Traumatized and Depressed Women: A Cognitive Study of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis

Abstract

Depression is a mental disorder that disrupts individuals’ thoughts and behaviors. Psychologists recognize depression as one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Anyone may develop depression regardless of age or social background; yet, women are most likely prone to depression. Numerous theories have studied the nature of depression, its causes, symptoms, and healing process, among these, is Aaron T. Beck’s model of depression. Beck’s approach gives a comprehensive examination of depression and provides a therapeutic theory based on the model, known as cognitive behavior therapy. First, the study aims at studying depression, its reasons, symptoms, and why women are most likely affected by it in comparison to men. Second, the study targets understanding depression in literature and shows the effective relationship between them. Hence, to fulfill these aims, the present study makes use of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. Through the cognitive approach, the analysis will uncover how depression might affect the heroine’s impulses, thoughts, and actions, which means having free access to her mindset and providing more understanding of her situations without being misread or misanalyzed. This represents the originality of the current study which presents novel ideas in the respect of adapting Beck’s model of depression to the selected text. Therefore, using an original psychological methodology to investigate literary works opens new horizons for psychological analysis in the literary area.