Ernest & Ethel

I really liked this graphic memoir. I find it interesting that my first two GN are very similar in that there both memoirs with a strong historical emphasis.
This GN is by Raymond Briggs a well known and prolific writer with a amazing career I would say that Ernest & Ethel is an autobio because it is based on the life of his parents. And since he was there he would be a first person narrator. The story itself appears to be a simple tale of two people falling in love during the turn of the century and settling in for a relatively unremarkable and comfortable life ( like my parents). But Briggs thanks to Briggs masterful story telling it is much more.

The story is set in England, which is another interesting aspect of this memoir because I the reader get to see what it was like in England during WWII and learn about the political parties and social unrest going on during that time. Also the language is very British and Ethel is kind of a Mss Priss while Ernest is blue collar Joe and Ethel is a maid in a mansion.. In one sequence they buy a simple Victorian house with a beautiful iron gate and indoor plumbing including a claw foot tub. Later in the memoir we then see the same house in shambles with gate missing due to World War II when iron and other precious metals were scarce and hard to come by. I remember my parents talking about rations of pantyhose, food and other stuff. We see the birth of her one and only child and his development from pampered child to long haired hippie. Also the simple things like their first bed and he ask to try it out and Ethel refuse because its broad daylight. In this day of reality televising where all your business is out there scenes like this are a reminder of how prudish our world once was.

What really captivated me about the GN is the graphics, since I'm a visual person the imagery really came alive. The art work is very detailed. For example on pg 7 there are only 3 panels but the last is huge and lush with bright colors of red and the detail down to the maids uniform and on the previous page again the details of the ivy sprouting up the brick home is very impressive.
In McCloud on pg 51-53 he talks about the picture plane? he say most comics lies near the bottom of the picture plane" he then gives an example of Charlie Brown and i mention this because although the graphic art is very detailed through out the book the faces of the characters are about a 55 on the chart (pg53)

Themes: life cycles, politics, love, class, gender roles.

Subjective: Love it i want to his novel When the wind Blows next

The role of the reader: Pull a chair and come along for the ride. Its like if i sat down with an elderly person and ask them to tell me about their life this is the story i would get.

History: World War II, Socialist Politics, great inventions of mankind (television, car, refrigerator), Aquarius age (long hair art student)

I'm really glad i chose this book as my first graphic novel because it wet my appetite for more and also let me see that there are many genres. My 65 yr old Aunt would read this and love it. two thumbs up