Persepolis and Epileptic

When comparing and contrasting Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, and David B's Epileptic, the only similiarities I could find were that they are both in black and white, and that they are both telling a story of a childhood. So my question is, what is the effect of the way each author tells their story that makes them different?


First, let's look at Persepolis. The author illustrates her panels with few detail and for the most part, everyone looks the same ( but maybe with a different expression, like the picture above). I think the signifigance of the way this novel was drawn let's the reader focus on the story of Satrapi's war-filled childhood. She [Satrapi] sticks to the traditional paneling throughout except when there is death, war, or something little Marjane is thinking about (i.e. the tortures of her parents' friend, Ahmadi on Page51. There are no borders on this panel which give it that daydream like state that I have so often mentioned in blog posts before).

How does the lack of detail (the art, not the story itself) help the reader focus on the story, and what comes out of the novel as a whole when the drawings are subtle? The author begins her story so young and naive. In class, we discussed a lot about identity and how Marjane "found" hers. However, I believe the form and style of Persepolis suggests missing out on a childhood. As we all know,by the end of the book, Marjane is sent away. What stands out to me here, is that she was always so outspoken and ready to argue with her parents,until the moment on page 148 where she says: "At that point, I started to have my doubts. Why say such things if they were coming too?" Not only is Marjane forced to grow up quickly because of the things she has experienced, but she also has to do it for her own well-being. Call that finding your identity if you will, but by showing this progression into adulthood, Marjane tells a wonderful, moving story without using too many abstract ideas or drawings.

Speaking of abstract ideas and drawings, let's move into Epileptic. As mentioned earlier, Epileptic is also in black and white like Persepolis. However, this story is effective because of its artwork. How is David B's artwork effective in telling the story?We are told that black and white is what many comics use as to not take away from a story. In the case of Epileptic though, without the detail of little Pierre-Francois's drawings of battles, his intricate daydreams as well as monsters, one would not understand the struggles that accompany an illness like epilepsy.
What is the significance of the abstract ideas and drawings (i.e. monsters, samurai wars, etc)?
In looking at the picture at the beginning of this post, I would argue that Pierre-Francois feels like he needs to protect his family from this disease that is wearing them down. He is in full samurai armor as well as the central figure in this picture. but who is protecting him?However, his brother is nowhere to be seen. Often times, when Jean-Christophe is present in a picture there is a monster lurking in the background...

What is the effect of the "monster" that is drawn when Jean-Christophe is having a seizure or angry about his illness?I think that the author uses these abstract images as a way of dealing. in the beginning of the book, Pierre-Francois is always ready for his brother to have an attack and defends him when others pick on him (Jean-Christophe). As the novel progresses though, Jean-Christophe gets more and more taken over by this monster epilepsy and I think David B is representing that the boy who used to be his best friend is no more.

Finally, how is Epileptic an effective story but still different from Persepolis?Epileptic deals with a topic of illness and the struggles that a family must try to deal with. In writing this story, David B successfully illustrates how his worries and pain had to be put on the back-burner for the well-being of his family. In Persepolis, we are introduced to a little girl growing up during a war and under a strict regime her parents did not believe in. The way this story is different is that it is more focused on informing the reader of the time as well as showing a progression of a little girl, growing up and becoming more and more knowledgeable of her surroundings.Epileptic by David B. does not try to inform the reader of the illness by giving definitions or facts, but with intricate drawings straight from the mind of a young child witnessing the effects of epilepsy on his family as well as himself.

McCloud, Sandman, and even a little V for Vendetta

When I began reading Neil Gaiman's, Sandman, the form and style of the pages and panels themselves are what really stood out to me. After I finished, I asked myself, what was the effect or significance of the lack of traditional paneling? In McCloud's Understanding Comics, he asks, "Can emotions be made visible?" (Pg. 118). In the case of Sandman, the answer to McCloud’s question is a definite yes. McCloud also writes, “ The idea that a picture can evoke an emotional or sensual response in the viewer is vital to the art of comics” (pg 119). The art gives a feeling of being in a dream/free falling throughout most of the story. At some points I even found myself reading a page out of order which was confusing. Then I would have to go back and read it again. Much like when one dreams, the events can be somewhat confusing and out of order.

What is the significance of the colors used in Sandman? I was discussing this volume with a fellow classmate and remember saying that this book made me think of a thunderstorm. The use of purples, black, greens, and blues are the main reason for me saying it. As a story about the dream realm,I think the artists wanted the reader to feel like it was nighttime, a time when one usually dreams. However, because the dream realm had been disturbed, the colors seem a bit scarier and more powerful.

What is the significance of an idea, thought, or dream in Sandman? While Dream himself was captured, the world of dreams began to deteriorate. The villain in the story, Dr. Destiny, asks Rosemary what she thinks dreams are made of. She replies that they are just dreams. He comes back with this statement which I think encapsulates the story’s main idea: “People think dreams aren’t real because they aren’t made of matter, of particles Dreams are real. but they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns, and lost hopes…(pg 148). Humans are always thinking, always worrying, and always wishing for something. I think its also important to mention the scene with Dream and the demon in hell that reiterates this point. Dream is challenged by the demon, and they are going back and forth thinking of one powerful thing after another, when it comes to the demon saying, “ I am anti-life, the beast of judgement, I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of the universes, gods, worlds…of everything…” to which Dream replies with, “I am hope”(Pg125). Saying this, Dream defeats the Demon and gets his helmet back.

From the above question, one can go further and ask what is the significance of an idea, thought or dream in V for Vendetta as well. When Evey thinks she is being held captive and tortured, she survives because of the letter from Valerie. Valerie writes that her integrity, “that one inch” and “in that one inch we are free” (Pg 156). Even in a time of despair V for Vendetta seems to be saying that an idea of something, something abstract can help you through. Much like the idea of hope overcame the demon’s challenge of the end of the world in Sandman. Without dreams, hopes, desires, and thought, one cannot survive and I think that is what a lot of these two stories (Sandman and V for Vendetta) are about.

Maus and Hayden White

What is the significance of the black and white print in Spiegelman's Maus?
In the book Understanding Comics, the author, Scott McCloud writes: "In black and white, the ideas behind the art are communicated more directly. Meaning transcends form. Art approaches language"(pg. 192). The pictures in Maus are equally as important as the text so I believe Spiegelman didn't want to drown out the meaning with color. He is telling the story of his father's survival and the black and white conveys this idea while also showing the characters as symbols of certain people that is also important to recognize.

What is the significance of Spiegelman's form and style of telling his story in Maus? As mentioned above, the black and white print makes the reader focus on the recount of his father's time during the war without distracting too much with bright,detailed pictures.
I also think it is important to mention that (and this was mentioned in class) the panels for the most part are a consistent in their size and detail. However, there are a few examples where the image is larger and the significance here seems to be that they are important moments from the story. For example; when his father sees the swastika for the first time (pg. 32), as well as when Anja and Vladik arrive at Auschwitz (pg 156). To draw these panels like Spiegelman did was definitely deliberate. By making these bigger and more detailed, the reader is drawn to these images on the page first (or at least that's what they did to me).

The discussion of form and style in Maus brings me to Hayden White's chapter on narrative and reality. Honestly, this chapter was confusing and at first I had no idea how I could relate it to the story. During class discussion today,though, it was mentioned that White may be implying that the morality and meaning grow out of reality. In Maus, the reader finds meaning through the story and the narrator. This begins to become more and more apparent after looking closely at the details of the comic as well as getting to know the central characters.

I promise my posts won't be so boring every time, I'm pretty new to this blog world.