Chapters 4-10 of Persepolis offered a lot more history into the conflict in the Middle East in the late 70s and early 80s. I learned a lot about that history from this book, which is just another reason as to why it’s easier to understand stories told in a graphic format because it helps digest a lot of complex thinking. I thought that these chapters were interesting because she tells it from the point of view of her older self and she is able to remember more, as well as discuss the heavy topics that came from her past. After attempting to make my own comic type story, I understand how difficult it is to pinpoint frames which you want to draw, and I can only imagine how hard it was for this author to illustrate her story. I’m not sure yet what story I’ll use for personal story, but I have a better understanding that it will be harder to illustrate my ideas exactly how I see them, and make them easy to visualize for readers. I also want to write about a more fun memory/story because I think that will be more interesting to draw and give me more options for the format of my story.
Month: October 2023 Page 1 of 11
In relation to story telling, the usage of graphics can be very effective. In itself, the concept of “telling a story” can be seen as simple and childish, yet fun and powerful. Using graphics can really help readers visualize a scene and shows the emotion of a character and setting very well. I also believe that emotion is one of the most powerful things that can be utilized while telling a story, and seeing intense emotion while being shown a new character helps us empathize with them better and makes the story a lot more powerful.
Something I noticed about telling a story in a graphic format is the way it makes it easier to see exactly what the author wants you to see. For example, in the last box on the third page, the author describes how her mother wore glasses for a long time because she was trying to hide her identity. The illustrations of men’s faces looking at her in a menacing way add a lot by showing what the mother was going through and why she was so scared to begin with. There is still room for imagination, but when there are illustrations to go along with the story it adds to the experience of reading. There is a stronger connection between the story and what the story is trying to convey or explain. Graphic format is easier for me to read, and I think that graphics are a positive addition to a story.
Reading “Persepolis,” it’s clear how much the pictures add to the story. The drawings don’t just show what’s happening, they help explain the emotions and the bigger picture of what was going on in Iran. For example, when talking about the veil, the illustrations show the mixed feelings of the girls. The words tell the story, but the images give it depth, helping readers connect with the author’s experiences in a more meaningful way. The combination of text and art makes the book’s messages clearer and more impactful.
The black-and-white images and the tragic story behind them make the whole work full of tragic colors, and the visual impact of the images makes the suffering of the Iranian people in the Iran-Iraq war visually displayed in front of us.
One of the things I noticed about storytelling in a graphic format, reminiscent of my last post, is how it offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate and illustrate the internal thoughts of characters. With an added level of simplicity. Rather than what might take paragraphs of words to explain, can be rendered down to artistic illustrations.
Metaphors can be illustrated in a very real sense. It also gives a level of guidance to the reader’s thoughts and imagination, providing a reference to a certain extent. It’s easier to convey certain concepts or thoughts that are not part of the story – such as the various illustrations of revolutionaries like Che Guevara or the scenes with God. Imagery to go along with the specific wordcraft of the author, whether it be the dialogue in the word bubbles or the narration associated with the images, creates a powerful phenomenon.
I notice that when telling a story in a graphic format, color plays a big role basically equal to the words. While having pictures to go along with the story it takes away from the imaginative aspect of the story. You don’t really have to think about what something would look like in the context of the story because it has been given to you.
I find that telling a story in graphic format gives the reader a stronger visual impact. There is a great contrast between the author’s innocent words and the black and white monotone of the pictures. Graphic format simplified complex ideas and events, making them more accessible for readers.
One thing I noticed about telling a story in a graphic format is that the pictures are able to say a lot more than just the text. When the author tells stories from their perspective and includes graphics to illustrate the story, it can change the meaning for the reader. This happened for me specifically when reading Persepolis because I was very unaware of the history which the author was referring to. However, looking at the images helped me visualize exactly what the author was trying to convey, and I didn’t have to use my imagination to understand what the author was trying to describe. Also, I think that telling a story in a graphic format makes it easier to follow along with and make harder topics more digestible for different readers. By doing this, the author is able to convey more metaphors and demonstrate exactly how they felt in the moment they are referring to.
(11/1/2023)
Looking back for a specific moment where this occurred for me was on page 27 in section 4, and the author illustrates her father taking pictures of the demonstration. I thought this most stuck out to me because the author used a collage type of format, and probably was inspired by the pictures her father took and added them into the graphics.
One thing I noticed about telling a story as a graphic novel is that both the words and pictures matter. The pictures and words complement each other. In addition, there are two different ways the words are used: the text at the top of each box, and the dialogue of the characters. Thus, the dialogue also complements the pictures and text. For example, in the frame in which the narrator is in the bathtub and God is sitting there and asking what she’s doing, the dialogue adds to what the text didn’t. The text details how the narrator wanted to know what it was like to be in a cell full of water, so she stayed there for a while. The dialogue serves as a sort of internal monologue along with the text above. Another thing I noticed was that some frames only have dialogue or some only have narrative text. But I didn’t feel like any of the frames were lacking if they didn’t have dialogue or text. It just worked. Of course, the pictures might have contributed in making it feel more complete.
One thing I noticed about telling a story in a graphic format is that the author has control of the visualization of the story. When just reading a text, different people are going to envision the story in different ways. However, by having those pictures the author can portray the story in whatever way they like. Additionally, this graphic format allows authors to convey a deeper meaning of the story through the style they use. Through different styles, the author can evoke different emotions in the reader which provides another aspect of conveying information besides the text and pictures themselves. In Persepolis, for example, the black and white pictures along with the style contribute to the seriousness of the story.