Module 12: The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

Sís, P. (2007). The wall: Growing up behind the Iron Curtain. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Summary: Peter Sis portrays his childhood in Communist Czechoslovakia through the use of illustration and timelines of events through the Cold War. The lack of color save for red flags to represent allegiance and captions set the stark tone of this time period and are juxtaposed by the colorful infiltrations of Western culture through music, art and ideas. The author illustrates his dreams and aspirations through his young life and the struggle to remain true to oneself while satisfying the demands of the government up until the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Response: I was so moved by this piece and thought it was a well-rounded and creative way to discuss livelihoods in the East during this time. Sis does an excellent job of creating visual accompaniments to his changing sentiments of the government as he grows and understands the limitations placed on everyone’s lives. I think that having been influenced by Soviet rule in his young life, that Sis was able to create a book that is relatable to children and communicates the difficulties of that time clearly through text and illustration.

I did a bike tour through the Czech Republic almost 3 years ago and was struck with Sis’ note at the end as to how much the country has changed after Czechoslovakia became free. It was something that I hadn’t thoroughly considered while traveling through the countryside, but the fact that I was able to do it at all spoke to the steps towards freedom that have been gained in the last few decades.

Reviews:

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

PETER, SÍS. FSG/Foster

Born out of a question posed to Sís (Play, Mozart, Play!) by his children ("Are you a settler, Dad?"), the author pairs his remarkable artistry with journal entries, historical context and period photography to create a powerful account of his childhood in Cold War-era Prague. Dense, finely crosshatched black-and-white drawings of parades and red-flagged houses bear stark captions: "Public displays of loyalty--compulsory. Children are encouraged to report on their families and fellow students. Parents learn to keep their opinions to themselves." Text along the bottom margin reveals young Sís's own experience: "He didn't question what he was being told. Then he found out there were things he wasn't told." The secret police, with tidy suits and pig faces, intrude into every drawing, watching and listening. As Sís grows to manhood, Eastern Europe discovers the Beatles, and the "Prague Spring of 1968" promises liberation and freedom. Instead, Soviet tanks roll in, returning the city to its previous restrictive climate. Sís rebels when possible, and in the book's final spreads, depicts himself in a bicycle, born aloft by wings made from his artwork, flying toward America and freedom, as the Berlin Wall crumbles below. Although some of Sís's other books have their source in his family's history, this one gives the adage "write what you know" biting significance. Younger readers have not yet had a graphic memoir with the power of Maus or Persepolis to call their own, but they do now.

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. (2007). Publishers Weekly, 254(27), 55-56.

Program: Have a program for teens who are encouraged to create artistic personal histories of their own lives. Provide paper and drawing materials and encourage them to think of major milestones in their personal lives as well as the world at large that would be relevant to their lives. Use The Wall and other books as examples.