“How to Read a Graphic Novel” by Dr.

Michael Chaney
Courtesy of Mr. Indelicato

Marjane Satrapi chooses a very unique genre, the graphic novel, to deliver her groundbreaking
autobiography detailing her experiences coming of age during a cultural revolution. Her choice
in genre may represent a powerful statement challenging Western values and attitudes. Only
recently have graphic novels shed their reputation as juvenile and unsophisticated--the genre of
children’s comic books. Graphic novels, however, have grown up and are quickly becoming a
highly respected genre garnering serious attention in growing numbers of literary circles.

Before we dive deeper into Satrapi’s personal memoir, we must first understand what is so
unique about this genre of writing and why it helps Satrapi reach and impact a much broader
audience. The video linked below is of a TEDx presentation by Dartmouth University professor
of English Michael Chaney. In it, Dr. Chaney explains the genre and educates students on how to
approach the reading of a graphic novel with a higher degree of acumen and sensitivity.

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Click the link below to watch the TEDx video introducing the graphic novel genre and
then respond to the following question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAyEbgSPi9w&list=PLuOKd-ImGldfjY00evZhxnT
XlRko-GhYQ&index=4

After watching Dr. Michael Chaney’s TEDx video, what are four key takeaways that
will help you understand and appreciate the uniqueness of graphic novels as a modern
genre?

1. Realistic depictions actually detract from our ability to take meanings from the
comics. That if something was drawn more realistically they would not be as
convincing. Since they are drawn like cartoons we gave them authority. This is
because we love to see faces in everything specifically ordinary objects. In the
most cartoonified face we are able to see our reflections

2. Comics are able to train our eyes to recognize individuality despite seriality. We
can see the individual even though they all look the same and are
indistinguishable. Sometimes we are supposed to see the image as a specific
person not a representation of them.

3. Sometimes the comic medium has limitations. For example, it can’t show
movement in one image it has to do it multiple or not at all. We can only
 experience still images. However, they still have meaning because of the exact
reason. It can visually echo other images

4. They allow us to see social relations and abstractions through the complex
interplay of words and images. The gutter makes you unsee what you obviously
see. It is there to make you forget what the previous images that you saw are. It
separates the panels.