What’s so great about graphic novels?

(417 words)
Adapted from a text by Brittany Bunzey, found here

Basics. Think of a graphic novel as a long comic book with a beginning, middle and end just
like a "real" novel. Graphic novels utilize images and texts to tell a story. There is not a
singular type of graphic novel. Just as there are different subgenres within each traditional
genre, the same goes for graphic novels. They can be as funny and entertaining as Captain
Underpants by Dav Pilkey, or it can be as heart-wrenching and historical as Maus by Art
Spiegelman. Graphic novels are written for all ages too from young kids to adults.

How to Read. On the page, you'll find the text and pictures contained in panels. The space
between panels, the gutter, represents time elapsing from panel to panel. The reader moves
left to right, top to bottom (just like they do in a “traditional” book), and move through a
narrative.

Words & Pictures. Sometimes, in a graphic novel, words and pictures are dependent on
each other. This means that without the text, the images wouldn’t make sense, and without
the images, the text wouldn’t make sense. Text and pictures are most often contained in
panels, which are the containers of each image. Traditionally, these appear in rectangles,
but as graphic novels have developed over the years, like other art forms, the graphic novel
has pushed it’s bounds and stretched its conventions.

But are they really reading?

YES! Many people believe that the presence of images is cheating because it does the work
for the imagination; however, this idea is incorrect. The text involved does not merely repeat
the image, and it doesn't explain away the image every time. As I said before, sometimes
they are dependent on each other, other times there aren’t any words at all or it’s a black
panel with only words, and sometimes, the brain has to make inferences from panel to
panel. You’ll find that there’s deep themes that exist even in the silliest of comics.

Graphic novels are a wonderful way to experience the joy of story-telling and reading. We
highly recommend you check them out and even better yet, read them with your child. Ask
them what makes them so excited to get the next one in a series or what they think about
the content. Read some of their favorites. They make statements, address the age-old good
vs. evil conversation, and do as much as chapter books do, simply in a different form. After
all, reading is reading whether it involves pictures or not.

Strand i. - Looking for information in the text

1. In paragraph 1, the author describes the structure of a graphic novel, “with a

beginning, middle, and end”. When we do story mapping we call that:

a. Establishment, close-up, cut away

b. Introspection, climate, resurrection

c. Resolution, conflict, climax

d. Introduction, conflict, climax, resolution

2. What would be an appropriate antonym for heartwrenching in paragraph 1?

e. Selfish

f. Funny

g. Emotional

h. Romantic

True/false questions

3. The graphic novel has stayed the same since it was first created True/False?

4. The graphic novel is an art form True/False?

5. Graphic novels do all kinds of things, like a normal novel, except….

a. Talk about good vs. evil

b. Tell stories

c. Include words and dialogue

d. Talk only about things that aren’t real

Strand ii. - Looking for the key features of the text

 6. What is the purpose of this text? (remember, it’s about the whole text)

a. It’s an article about the differences between “normal” novels and

graphic novels

b. It’s an instructional text about how to become interested in graphic

novels

c. It’s an article explaining why graphic novels are excellent for reading

d. It’s a warning text explaining that graphic novels are not good for
learning

7. Who is the audience of this text?

i. Parents

j. Students your age

k. Authors of graphic novels

l. Teachers of students your age

8. How do you know? Point to specific examples/words/phrases in the text that tell you
what the audience is

True/False questions True/False

9. The tone of the text is neutral towards graphic novels

10. The text says that reading graphic novels is exactly like reading
traditional novels

Strand ii. - How does this text connect to what we have been studying?

11. Look at the paragraph called Words & Pictures. What does the text say is important
about the relationship between pictures and text? Explain in your own words (no copying)
12. If you think about Beowulf, how has the balance between images and text helped you
understand the story? Think about the use of perspectives as well.

13. Which picture would you choose to go with this article?

Why? Explain your answer with at least 15 words

15. PEE question : Here you have to write down your answer to the statement at the
 end of the text, “reading is reading whether it involves pictures or not”.

Use the PEE format here below to help you write your answer. You should write at
least one sentence in each box

P(oint): Here is where you give your opinion

on this statement. Do you agree or
disagree? (You can’t just say “Yes/No”, you
have to write a full sentence

Evidence: Here is where you give examples

that back up why you think that. You can
use examples from the text.

Explanation: Here is where you explain why

this evidence backs up what you are trying
to say.

Use the powerpoint from Friday’s lesson to help you with this question!