The potential of the narrative in graphic novels, based on analysis of the chosen works of the non-fiction genre

Abstract

This dissertation presents a thesis, that comic books as a medium present a wide range of exceptional narrative possibilities. The main reason of said versatility lies in the characteristic use of both verbal narrative and visual symbols, in order to cause specific emotions. The research of the emotional communication between an author and a reader, as well as author’s ability of installing himself in the story, were the main focus. By analyzing different examples of non - fiction comic books, I was not only uncovering different paths of narrative in the genre, but also I was reviewing stories with a deep, emotional bond to the author. I was also researching the various stylistic and artistic tools, available at the authors’ disposal. By analyzing the use of metaphor, I was further developing the analysis toward describing the crucial role of ideograms in the construction of the narrative. While perceiving the images across the page in their structure as a visual language, with its own set of rules, grammar and potential for carrying a certain meaning, I was exploring different methods of describing the reality presented. Reviewing books such as renowned „MAUS” or „Footnotes in Gaza”, I was at thesame time challenging the subject of comic book compliance to the rules of journalistic ethic. I took under consideration the notion, that journalistic work should present only corroborated content, stripped from all the creative contributions of the author. In the literary field, this limitation is fairly manageable - it is reflected by the language used or the shifts of narrative focus. Nevertheless, in a visual, creative medium, such as graphic novels, such level of objectivity is inherently unobtainable - or so it would seem. By the sheer act of drawing, by choosing the every stylistic aspect - from the basic thing as perspective, up to the details of person’s face - author is bound to distort the presented reality and present his subjective interpretation. On the other hand, the visual side can become in itself another layer of communication with the reader, bearing a clear reference to the other visual mediums. This aforementioned dichotomy of the graphic novels, which are both visual and verbal, was my main area of interest. Though being a printing medium, such as books, graphic novels are in many aspects more similar to films. One of the main examples is the use of the written scenario, which is similar for both comic book and cinematography. In both, the script is not an independent piece - only its final effect decides about its viability. The script itself fades into the shadow of the film or the comic book, being veiled by visual side of the narrative. At the same time, comic books are deprived of the audiovisual continuity of the film medium, being forced into the sequential form of story telling. To provide the recipient with the necessary dialogs, establishing narration and other, necessary parts of the proper story, the author is forced to use the written text. Therefore, it wouldn’t be inappropriate to call the comic book recipient „a reader”. The same applies to the author - final effect is always a culmination of work of a writer and an illustrator. Sometimes a comic book is an effect of a cooperation of two or more people, but even when it’s been made by just one author, it is necessary for the two specialist to take part in its creation. Following the statement of professor Jerzy Szyłak, the role of the comic book author is alway chimeric, as he is forced by the medium to be two different artists at the same time. Finding the aforementioned subject fascinating, I attempted to challange the notion of the comic book as a simple, pop cultural medium. Though perceived as such since its creation, the use of sequential narrative in the form of strips of consecutive pictures can become a very powerful carrier for the deeply moving stories. Nowadays, graphic novels are more and more popular, exactly because the growing appreciation of their potential to convey an ambitious and complex storyline. It is my hope, that the point of view presented in this dissertation, with passing of time, will reflect the opinion on the subject of the bigger and bigger part of the public.