Comics – Allyson Monroe

Versaci stated that the primary goal is to encourage students to see themselves as having a voice in the question of what constitutes literature. The question of how to accomplish what we want our class to learn is to energize and engage students. Versaci explained that we must teach much needed analytical and critical thinking skills and invite students to develop meaningful opinions about what constitutes literacy. He stated that comics could and did address mature subject matter, because in todays world adolescents and teenagers are surrounded by diverse and increasingly complex media, and will often find classroom materials to be dull, irrelevant or both. By teaching through a comic book, teachers can catch students off guard in a positive way as Versaci mentioned. It led students to become more engaged in the given work. Comics are able to put a human face on a given subject, where they can blend words and pictures, so that in addition to the text readers are able to see the characters through the illustrations. Versaci also includes that comic books require an active subconscious and participation on the part of the reader. This is referred to as “closure,” where the reader fills in the details of the empty space. Comic books can also provide a sophisticated and interesting approach to various events and issues. He as well states that his primary motivation for using comic books in class is to provoke students to think more deeply about how artistic value is accorded to particular works or genres. Comics give way to more questions of literature and in the process allow students to understand that all voices, including their own, need to be heard.

Scott McCloud states that vision is one of the five senses that he values most. He stated four basic principles; learn from everyone, follow no one, watch for patterns, and work like hell. In comics formalist-trying to understand how it works, classicist-beauty and craft, animist- believes in content, iconoclast-human experience. With that come thinking, sensation, intuition, and feeling. Comics can refer to life and revolution.

I think reading the comic book genre was different than the other readings we’ve done. I like how there is pictures to go with the texts because it really gets you involved and wanting to read more. The pictures, in my opinion give the words life. They put life into the story and you can jump into the pictures and imagine the comic without even having to come up with a picture because it is right there. Comic books are super fun because the words are everywhere and the pictures are fun to look at. Even though the wording may be short, you can definitely pick out the story plot, the characters, the theme, and what the story is all about. I’m a visual person, so I love looking at photographs while I read. I enjoyed the comic books very much! Comics bring a book into reality; you can imagine the situation because you are visually seeing what is happening while reading. It makes you think ACTION! I think comics are a great way to get kids reading. I think I would start with comics in my classroom and go from there because it is enjoyable and kids will have a blast with it. I think the hardest problem I have with comics is the reading that jumps everywhere, it is hard for me to keep track but once I get on a roll there is no stopping me. I would use comics to write creative stories. I would also use them as a way to express one self; a person would write a story about themselves and create images around those words and could explain to the class how the words relate to the picture and how the picture may relate to the words. It would be a fun,  and an expressive way to get students involved with literature!