Tracey Thompson
Graphic Novels
Mid Term Exam
Describe the different art & writing styles of graphic novels you have examined so far. How are the styles similar/or different.
I would describe the graphics in Ethel & Ernest as lush- this my own term in my reading of McCloud he doesn’t use this term on his chapter on vocabulary. Both authors in my graphic novels used first person point of view along with narrative story telling. Fun Home I noticed the frame narrative approach which is a story line within a story. There is a scene in GN where the mother is reading for a play and the material is similar to her life at that moment. (Craig l loaned my book to classmate so I can’t give page #). Both novels I read used interior monologue especially in Fun Home where the narrator is having conversations within herself. Using McCloud picture plane on page 52/53 I would say that Blechdel is in middle and Briggs is toward the lower because his character were more abstract with the facial features were not that defined as in Fun Home where the facial expression were explicit down to the age lines in the parents faces to the style of clothing.
What/How does gender play in the narrative of Graphic Novels
(Plot, character, narrative point of view
In both GN I read both dealt with issues around gender and their roles in the lives of the characters. In Ethel and Ernest is a first person point of view memoir by Raymond Briggs about his parents lives set in early 1920 and ends with their deaths in 1970’s.
The gender issues is subtle, with a strong connection to history
. For example before his parents met his mother worked as a maid and his father worked as delivery man. After their marriage his mother quit work and it wasn’t until the war that she went back to work. During WWII with the men at war and the need for labor many women went to work in factories and airplane plants. On page 51 she announce to her husband that she has been promoted from warehouse to office clerk and they both celebrate. I don’t see any tension around her working outside of home what is illustrated that although she was a working woman the sequences show her doing a lot of housework (washing clothes manually, pressing clothes with old fashion steam iron pg 66 etc..) while her Ernest sat smoking and reading the paper or listening to radio.
Fun Home the gender roles are defiantly more controversial. It also a memoir by Alison Bechdel about her life. The story is told from first point of view which creates questions around how reliable of a narrator is she? Her voice is the only point of view we the reader can draw on. The novel is set in a rural town on the East Coast during the 1960-1970’s.
From page one it is clear without fore knowledge that there is something peculiar about her father. It isn’t stated what those issues are until later but based on the dialogue and graphics such as scenes of father in short shorts, hanging pictures and shining and totally absorbed in decorating the house and making it look like at how piece that her father isn’t the typical father? The sequences show her mother the exact opposite, totally not involved in the care and upkeep of her father. Actually through out the memoir Blechdel has painted a picture of her mother as a bored housewife with ambition of being a great theater actress and l feel kind of a free spirit. She portrays herself as a tomboy (short hair cut, athlete)When you consider the social construct of the time of the three character only the narrator was able to have degree of freedom. The father wasn’t free to be who is due to the expectations placed on him by society. The mother was locked in a box also, l got the impression based on the narration that the mother would have happy to give him the children and she could be free to pursue her acting career. She didn’t come across as the typical nurturing Suzy home-maker type…
How do Graphic Novels address, but aid/problemaitze our understanding of history, and are they historical texts?
Graphic novels and history go hand in hand. A good writer can incorporate history into the text with out it being too preachy of burden down the plot. This is way I look at it, History serves as the backdrop its there and when need be it speaks and then retreats back into its place. For example in Ethel & Ernest this is not only a memoir but a historical time piece also. The story is a simple love story of two people in the early 1920’s set against the historical back of WWII and the invention of automobiles, and household appliances such refrigerator, wash machine. It also tells the subtle story of how women become an integral part of the workforce due to lack of male labor cause by WWII. In Watergate Sue, we the reader get a subtle education on the Watergate scandal of he 1970’s. Again it is told from a point of view of the narrator which we the reader only get one side the scandal. Its there in the back ground as the narrator tells the story of her parents and her journey into womanhood. To bring it all the together I would say that history definitely aids in the telling of a story if used appropriately and not in a judgmental fashion.
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7 comments:
I think that with the art styles and the dialog you could go more into the impact of the art and text, on the actual story being told. You used great vocabulary terms, and with a little elaboration this would be a great answer.
After giving the example about Ethel and Ernest, maybe a bit about how this was relative to the time, or a joining/concluding sentence to wrap your thoughts altogether. With the GN Fun Home, again great examples and connections but add a bit about what the opposing views were. Such as how was her father suppose to act according to the times, along with the mother.
What were some differences in the expectations of the 1920’s (Ethel and Ernest) and the expectations of the 1970’s (Watergate Sue)? This would be a great way to draw the parts of your paragraph together.
All in all I think you did a great, job and understand this stuff a lot better than you think.
I thought it was interesting that you made a point of noting that although the wife in Ehtel and Ernest does eventually go back to work during the war, she still isn't equal to a man in society. She still has to do all of the house work and take care of her husband. It really speaks of the times.
You first paragraph was a little confusing to me, I got the general idea of what you were trying to say, but it was a little bit hard for me to follow.
Otherwise, I thought you started to express some really good insight into the books you read. Just ask yourself some more questions. Find a few more differences and similarities between the two stories you read. It would be interesting, especially since they're both the same genre, to see how the can tell a story in their own ways. Talk about color and language, differences and similarities are everywhere. I think you did a really fantastic job and that this could only get better.
Great job! I wouldn't worry too much about explaining yourself, for example: stating that you loaned the book out. Also I would state who the authors are in relation to the books. In your first paragraph I was confused about who Briggs was.
In the question on history, I'm curious to know how you would compare Ethel & Ernest to Watergate Sue - you do take an example from each, but what different devices do they use, and how impartial do you think they are, in comparison to one another?
i think your did a very good job! but at times i found myself kind of getting lost. so, if you could just clean it up a little, it would be much easier to read. nice work though
In the question pertaining to the role of gender i see the different genders in the book, but I don't really see the role that thet play in the book.
Question ?- If you use "lush," then think about how that corresponds to the terminology that McCloud uses. If you were to answer that question, how does it correspond?
You are beginning to contextualize the answer with content from the books (good use of references), but I'd like to see you develop your answer a little more. Feel free to break it into two paragraphs -- one dealing with art and the other with writing. That would give you more room to develop the answer.
This reflects that you are truly thinking about the material. You might not have a definitive answer, but you do make an attempt -- an attempt that shows me you are still thinking about it.
Be sure to read over it for proofing errors before posting, too.
Question ?- This is a solid answer with historical context adding a layer to your answer. Excellent, excellent job.
Question ?- This is a good start, but I feel like we need more examples here to flesh out the answer. A good start, but not quite finished.
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