ENGL 3301 Graphic Novels
This course will provide an introduction to the study of graphic novels by examining the development of the artform and applying methods of formal analysis that take into account the unique aspects of book-length graphic narratives, including the combination of words and images, the sequencing of panels, and the layout of pages. Lectures and discussions will particularly focus on the following questions:
- How has the term “graphic novel” historically been defined, and what are the difficulties of defining this term?
- What are the visual storytelling techniques employed in graphic novels, and how do these techniques offer new ways of experimenting with narrative form (including plot, character, setting, transitions, and other stylistic devices)?
- How have biographies and autobiographies been represented in non-fiction graphic novels, and how do these texts illustrate the subjective experience of identity, memory, and trauma?
- How has history been represented in graphic novels, and how do these texts address the constructed nature of historical narratives?
- How have current events been represented in graphic novels, and how do these texts serve to critique mainstream journalism, the power of mass-produced images, and the impact of media saturation on public discourse?