Big Paper Final/History and Grapic Novels

Big Paper Topic


How history is portrayed in Graphic Novels.

The question is GN considered literature and my answer is yes. I used the Webster depiction of literature to draw my conclusion. I said that to segue into my Big Paper topic of how GN portrays historical events. Almost all the GN I happen to read had a strong emphasis on history whether subtle or blatant. I love history all forms (world, local, marine, and music etc..)

Persepolis is about a young woman coming of age in Iran. GN novelist, Marjane Satrapi portrayal of life under the repressive regime of Shah of Iran. The executions and the morality as ridiculous as it sounds now but it was a reality back in 1970’s and 80’s. I remember the hostage crisis and the tension Americans felt toward Muslim similar to what is going on now with the Taliban.

In Ethel & Ernest which is my favorite GN. Raymond Briggs incorporates history as a subtle background in his memoir about his parents. His parents meet and marry in 1930 and there is a scène on page 11 where his parents are peeking in the bathroom admiring the porcelain claw foot tub in awe. On page 74 his parents get their first house phone and his mother is afraid to answer it. Briggs doesn’t beat you over the head with history but its there for example his parents like mine were affected in different ways by World War II. Briggs memoir would be just a sweet love story of life, love and death but he wisely infuses historical references through out the novel to make it more real and intimate not mention educational.

Fun House by Allison Bechdel is another personal memoir in first narrative about growing up in a dysfunctional home with secrets. Unlike the other GN l mentioned historical references are not as blatant you really had to look and seek them out. An example would be the style of clothing the characters wore would point to 1970’s.m (pg15). The orphan dress and later in the novel the suits jackets with the huge butterfly collars. Bechdel description of her parent’s avant-garde pre- children lifestyle speaks of the 1960’s (pg 70-75). Then there is the whole issue around her father’s homosexuality. It would be easy to blame his desire for secrecy on the sign of the times, however it appeared to more complex that just society wasn’t ready for a gay man. If it were 2007 her father would have still struggled with his sexuality.
Over all I think GN when done well serve as great and informative way of portraying