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.
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