Analysis Of Expanding Literacy Through Graphic Novels

Many people have heard the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but it would take a critical observation to further understand the impact and the story behind the image. Throughout life, we all have been exposed to different types of literature such as poems, novels, folktales, and comic books although they all might share the same elements of themes, metaphors and a purpose. Graphic novels can also be used as an alternative literacy pedagogy. When people read, they try to understand and interpret what the author is trying to express by imagining and creating a story of their own, but at the same time analyzing the author’s point of view. For instance, Maus I, by Art Spiegelman, emphasizes critical thinking by allowing readers to

In the article “Expanding Literacies through Graphic Novels” by Gretchen Schwarz, states that “to read and interpret graphic novels, [people] have to pay attention to the usual literary elements of character, plot, and dialogue, and they also have to consider visual elements such as color, shading, panel layout [and] perspective” (59).In other words, it takes a critical thinker to be able to read not just the text but the illustration. Also to understand the visual impact the scene creates, and to understand and interpret why the author chose to portray or word something in a way. Throughout the novel Spiegelman established analogy in Maus I: he portrays the German as Cats, the Poles as pigs, and Jews as mice. Not only did he portray them as animals but he used them to represent the different ethnic identities/nationalities He also portrayed them in a hierarchical way. For instance, naturally cats prey on mice and mice are always scurrying, hiding, and surviving as they are “naturally” considered pests. This relates to Spiegelman illustrations because the Germans viewed the Jews as less than "human" that needed to be exterminated. For instance, he portrays the crossroads as the Swastikas illustrating that is Germany territory meaning that they are trap and being hunted because there is nowhere to go. The

By doing so, he makes the reader understand and sympathize how difficulty is to re-encounter those painful memories from the Holocaust and to move forward with life. As he begins telling his story to Artie, Vladek begins to pedal but when he would recount a painful memory he would pedal faster as if he wanted to escape the memory. For instance, on page 81 there are three images of his father on the stationary bike where he is remembering how Richieu, Artie's older brother did not remain alive/ survive at the Holocaust (his aunt Tosha had poison herself, and the children when she found out the Germans were going to finish out the ghettos) as he is remembering at the second image he is peddling faster and by the third image he stops peddling. The fact, that the bike is stationary it symbolizes that no matter what those painful memories would always remain. Although, he wants to leave the past behind by peddling faster he cannot simply outrun them because those memories are what define him and are now part of his life. That is why Spiegelman uses repetition to create pathos because he wants the reader to feel not just Vladek but Artie's pain of losing not just a son but a bother in a tragic way at a tragic time by illustrating suffering through his memories. Spiegelman illustrates that the Holocaust has a huge impact on Vladek life that every day is a