I really like coming to class after reading the assigned novel and getting background knowledge about the novel. It constantly gives me that moment of "Aha! I get that part!" I think reading the novel and coming back as a class to interpret it is really cool way to understand it. By giving us the background after we’ve read the book, it challenges us to figure out the parts we don’t understand when first reading it.
Both interludes in Megillat Esther flew right over my head because I didn’t understand the references. Discussing them as a class allowed me to appreciate the interludes and understand why they might be in the novel. However, this makes me question the people that do read the comics who don’t have the large support group that we do to discuss what certain frames might mean. Maybe reading comic books is an acquired skill, and after understanding what type of story you’re getting into, comic book readers do their own research or background of the story if they don’t already know how to interpret them.
The artistic detail Waldman displayed in Megillat Esther is something to be admired. Although I mentioned my appreciation for the detail of the art in my last post, I still hadn’t picked up on some details that others had. After our class discussion, I’ve decided my favorite frame has to be on page 58 displaying those who had been hanged. With the footnotes as part of the ground, it really forces you to look deeper into each picture. Someone brought up the fact the footnotes on the page, can be taken as literal footnotes, as those who were hanged are right above this piece of the frame. I think interpreting art, like those displayed in comic books, in your own way (like the footnotes) is a really cool aspect of graphic novels.
I can’t wait to flip the book and see what other details I can pick up on.
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I agree with your first paragraph. While I've always been pleased to come to class and have a discussion session about whatever it is we're reading, I was really looking forward to this week's class. I think that's because this was the first book I would consider myself kind of lost-while-reading the first time though. There is something fantastic and pretty productive about reading it before class, coming to class and getting filled in on history/other interpretations, and giving it a second read through.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled by the conversations going on here! It's amazing to hear other people grapple with the text and imagery. Megillat Esther is read every year as part of the Purim celebration. The entire story is an exaggerated snapshot of antiquity through the eyes of Judaism. You're supposed to read the story every year...so i wanted to make sure that there was something new to discover each time. It is not a an easy read for people unfamiliar with the language of comix. But if Hebrew or Japanese is your native tongue the right -to-left portion of the book is very intuitive.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing:)
Live Lively- JTW
Thank so much for your words of wisdom! The idea of discovering something new each time you read it, hopefully every year, is a really interesting idea. The amount of detail and thought that went into each page is really quite admirable. Thanks again.
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