Sorry it took so long for me to post! I am at caveman status when it comes to using technology… seriously, I even find iPods confusing.
I honestly was not excited about blogging and doing my booktalk about graphic novels. I knew nothing about them other than Manga, which is not something I am completely interested in, and comics, which I considered something for the Sunday paper. When I did go to Dr. Buehler’s office to choose a book, I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was about graphic novels. She showed me ones about topics I was interested in like homelessness, the Cold War, the Holocaust, etc. I chose a relatively short book and began reading. What I loved most about my experience with this graphic novel was that not only did the characters tell a story like in a movie, but the art in the book was equally as important as the content, perhaps even more!
From a teaching perspective, I was happy to see a way for visual students to learn that didn’t involve them reading and rereading and not even processing the words. I also appreciated the amount of talent and work that goes into making such novels. I did some research as to when the graphic novel began, and it turns out they have always been around! Cave paintings and hieroglyphics are technically graphic novels because they evoke the power of pictures to help tell a story.
I know I can’t be the only one who was less than enthusiastic to have to read a graphic novel at first, and I’m wondering if anyone else was surprised by how good these novels actually are. Did anyone go through that experience of being proved wrong like me? I’m a little embarrassed for not even wanting to give this genre a shot just because of my assumption of the genre as a whole. Do you think that other people have the same assumptions and that’s why they defer from reading these books? I’m just wondering… I am definitely going to reconsider this genre, especially for education.
My experience was definitely a good one, and I guess I should’ve known since we have yet to read any books that I don’t like in this class.
- Jo
Jo,
ReplyDeleteI, like you, was not excited about reading graphic novels. I knew it would likely be a quick read but wasn't sure how good of a book it would be to read. The only previous graphic novel I have read was Persepolis, a novel about a young girl's life in Iran, I enjoyed that book because I appreciated and was interested in the topic. When beginning American Born Chinese, I have to admit I wasn't all that excited, by the end of it that had not changed. I agree with you that graphic novels have a great purpose/advantage over other novels. They not only tell a story they show the reader one. I agree with you as well that the genre can be used as a teaching tool. I think some reluctant readers are more likely to enjoy a graphic novel than a plain print novel, it would also be greatly beneficial for visual learners (I had not thought of it that way though).
However while I agree the genre itself is a great learning tool and should be used more to encourage reading, I have to admit I was not impressed with American Born Chinese, it was the first book we read this semester that I did not enjoy.
Jo,
ReplyDeleteI had similar experience as well. I was skeptical about how much value I'd find in a graphic novel, but I was quite surprised!
It was also nice to challenge myself a bit and get out of my "comfort zone" of reading. I'm so used to visualizing characters and settings in my mind and forming a "picture" that only I can see, so having illustrations in front of me was quite a different experience.
I also have never read any graphic novels. Now I realize that they can have a lot to offer. I also like what you said about the story being told like a movie. I hadn't really thought of that way, but you are right it really is like a movie. Maybe that's why so many reluctant readers like graphic novels. After reading the novel this week, I think that we can get just as much out of graphic novels as we can out of literary classics.
ReplyDeleteAlisa
I used to think (as in when I was about 10ish) that graphic novels were immature forms of actual novels. I was under the belief that the longer a novel was--the more words and only words it had--the better of a novel it was and the better of a reader you were. I was young! It's so embarrassing to admit in reflection...
ReplyDeleteThis is only my second graphic novel, though. Despite having broken through that view, I still haven't taken up the genre and each time I'm impressed with what it has to offer. So I'm not really sure why I hold myself back as well as why it wasn't until college that I was even exposed to the graphic novel.