Philip Nel > Courses > English 440: The Graphic Novel (Fall 2012) > Papers

Papers for English 440: The Graphic Novel

Paper #1

            Do exercise 1.1 or exercise 1.2 from Ivan Brunetti's Cartooning Philosophy and Practice. Please note: you are welcome to do (indeed, encouraged to do) drawings for both, but you need only turn in one set of drawings or the other set. (In the 2007 edition, these are on pages 31-34; I need to check the pagingation of the 2011 edition, which as of this writing I do not own.)

            If you do 1.2, I have one modification to make. Instead of drawing 25 famous cartoon characters from memory, draw 10 famous cartoon characters from memory.

            Part II of this assignment is a written analysis of what you've just done. This is not a class in how-to-draw cartoons. What I hope to achieve by this exercise is greater understanding of how cartoons work, and you will convey what you understand via this two-page essay.

            So, if you did 1.1, which one of your doodles was most successful at capturing the "essence of the thing being drawn" (to quote Brunetti)? I'm not asking which one looked most like it, but rather which captured some essential quality of the object it strives to represent. Which elements of the drawing made it successful? Did any of these elements surprise you? By way of conclusion, you might contrast this successful doodle with the one you consider the biggest failure. Why did it fail? You'll be turning in all doodles here, each one labelled neatly. However, please do not turn in a giant stack of paper. Instead, using a photocopier (or scanner), create smaller versions so that you can put all 6 versions of each object on a single page -- you might create a 2 X 3 grid for this purpose.

            If you did 1.2, which one of your drawings did the best at capturing the "core" of that cartoon character? Why? Which particular elements of your drawing helped get the character's "essence" across so well? Did any of these elements surprise you? As in 1.1, it doesn't need to look most like the character, but rather to convey some essential aspect of the character. By way of conclusion, you might contrast this successful drawing with the least successful one: why didn't this other one work? What's missing? Does what you missed tell you anything about the way you "see" the character? As in 1.1, you'll turn in all examples here, but I'd prefer not to receive a stack of ten. If would shrink them (via photocopier or scanner) so that you can fit several per page, that would be much appreciated.

            Guidelines for writing an essay are below. If you have particular questions, please ask, of course.

Paper #2

            For Paper #2, select a single page from one of the graphic novels we have read for the course, and show how it develops a central theme (or, the relationship between themes) of that work in particularly interesting ways.  Your thesis should clearly articulate the theme(s) which you perceive at work on the page; the discussion that follows the introduction will illuminate how the page develops the theme(s), connecting the page to the work as a whole.

            The selection of the page itself represents an important part of this assignment.  Choose a page which provides a rich source for you to interpret.  (If you are uncertain about whether a certain page would work, please ask me.)  Consider how the page contributes to the theme or themes you see at work locally on the page, and globally in the work as a whole.  Focus on at least three of the following elements:

• style: Is the artistic style more realistic or more iconic?  (See McCloud, pp. 29-36.)  Which, for example, is rendered with a greater degree of realism -- the backgrounds or the characters?  Are all characters rendered in the same style?
• space: How does the artist use the relationship between what is there and what is not there?  Space surrounding an object may call attention to it.  Lack of space may create a crowded or closed-in feeling.
• size and shape: How do the sizes and shapes of panels emphasize the work’s theme (if they do)?  How do the sizes and shapes of the font or fonts emphasize the work’s theme (if they do)?
• line: What emotional effects does the artist’s line convey?  A jagged or sketchy line may convey energy or uneasiness.  A thick, even line may convey solidity.
• transitions: What type of transitions does the page favor?  (See McCloud on closure, pp. 70-72.)  Why use these particular transitions?  What theme or themes might they advance?
• design: How does the artist use all of the above elements to advance the themes of the story?

As you may have guessed, that last question is the most important one.  But you need to address the earlier questions before answering it.

            Guidelines for writing an essay are below. If you have particular questions, don't be shy. You can reach me via email.

Paper #3

            Do exercise 2.4 from Ivan Brunetti's Cartooning Philosophy and Practice. (In the 2007 edition, this is on pages 36-40; I need to check the pagingation of the 2011 edition, which as of this writing I do not have.)

            In adapting a book into a single panel comic, my only restrictions are as follows: (1) Do not choose Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, since Brunetti has already done that. (2) You must choose a book written in words (prose or verse). If it's a collection of short stories, then just focus on one story. So, in other words, you can't choose graphic novels, films, video games, etc.

            As in the first, Part II of this one is a written analysis of what you've just done. As I noted above, what I hope to achieve by this exercise is greater understanding of how cartoons work, and you will convey what you understand via this two-page essay.

            So, why did you create this particular scene? Why did you choose these particular elements for your drawing? Which words, themes, or ideas of the novel did you hope to represent? Which aspects of your work are most successful? As you consider these questions, please read and re-read Brunetti's descsription of his own creative process: he has specific reasons for each of his choices. You'll want to provide reasons for each of yours, too.

            Guidelines for writing an essay are below. If you have particular questions, please ask.

Guidelines for writing an essay

Getting Started...

Writing the Paper...

1. Formulate a thesis. Make sure your thesis is specific enough to be covered adequately in the space of your discussion. Remember: merely noting a difference, similarity, or theme does not constitute a thesis. A good thesis also answers the "So what?" question. Refer to the handout titled "Thesis vs. Topic."

2. Each paragraph should begin with a claim. Just as a thesis claim guides the paper as a whole, a paragraph's claim (often referred to as a "topic sentence") guides a paragraph. So, at or near the beginning of each paragraph, include a topic sentence that states your paragraph's central argument. The topic sentence serves as a bridge between thesis and paragraph by making an interpretive claim that indicates how the paragraph will support your thesis.

3. Provide support. To persuade your readers to your position, you will need to provide some evidence in support of your claims. Examples from the primary work should be used as evidence to prove your assertions. So, pay close attention to diction (word choice), artistic style, use of space, representational style (more iconic or more realistic), layout and design. Cite specific examples. If text, you should quote from it. If image, you should describe it — likely in your analysis of how it works....

4. Analysis and explanation of evidence. Be sure to analyze the example (quotation, style, layout, etc.) and discuss its significance. Explain for your reader how your evidence supports your claims.

5. Conclusion. Your last paragraph should synthesize, not summarize. You should resolve -- and not merely repeat -- your argument. Think of a conclusion this way: it both reminds your reader of where you've been and suggests new areas to explore.

And, after you finish your draft...

1. Revise and edit. Read your paper out loud to yourself. Often you will hear what your eyes will miss.

2. Grammar and structure are important. To help yourself proofread and revise with both of these ideas in mind, please see the handout titled "Keys to Structure and Style."

3. When in doubt, get help. My office hours are listed on the syllabus, and by appointment. My email address is philnel@ksu.edu. Also, please make use of a grammar handbook. Two of the three handouts linked to this paper assignment are geared toward texts rather than comics, but they remind you to pay close attention to detail (in "Imagery and Figurative Language") and to your own language (in "Keys to Structure and Style"). The "Thesis vs. Topic" does use graphic novels for its examples, though it was designed for a longer paper than you're writing here. Still, its general model does apply.