Graphic Novel: A Personal Analysis

War is by no means simple. It is not just a battle between men or nations, as there are wars rooted within ourselves. War to many is unknown and painful, showing the dark side of humanity, and to others it is a sign of glory and conquest. Ernest Hemingway shows his view of the realities of war in “Soldier’s Home” by the experiences pinned onto Harold Krebs, a WWI veteran. Krebs' loss of interest and detachment to post-war society alludes that an unattainable reality to fit back into everyday life was placed on veterans by civilians who had romanticized views of war. This marks the need for elaborated war stories to end in order for veterans to be deservingly accepted back into society.

In every American war combined, about 1.2 million soldiers have died fighting in battle. Many look past the effects and consequences that going to war can lead to and every soldier is assumed to be a hero. Others believe that killing anybody, whether they are innocent or on a battlefield, is in no way honorable. Writers who protest war use imagery, irony, and structure to explain the negative effects of battle.

There are many idea’s that are applicable to the modern world that can be expressed through the horrors of war. Such ideas can be found in “Tomorrow when the war began” a 284 page book written by John Marsden, (an Australian author). The book is set in the fictional town of wirrawee and stars 7 teenagers going on a camping trip for 5 days, and when they come back, to their horror Australia has been invaded by a foreign country. They have to become adults mentally and emotionally to survive with the new conditions of their homeland. Patriotism, changing when required, and taking things for granted are prevalent throughout the story and I will explore the in depth concepts of these three ideas.

After reviewing my life, I have decided my life defining moment was when my family and I moved to Texas from Oklahoma. I consider this move my life changing moment because it changed so many things in my life. This move set the stage for an entirely new life for me. Moving six hours away from the only home I knew certainly called for many changes.

A similar idea is used In Bruce Dawes poem “Homecoming”, he uses vivid imagery and other poetic techniques to display his opinion on war. He uses his unique Australian cultural context that helps connect

The second theme is the unromantic reality of war. Richie and most other soldiers enter the war with illusions about what the war will be like. Like most other civilians, he learned what war is from movies he watched and stories that he heard and they portray battles as heroic and glorious, the army being organized and efficient, and the warfare depending on skills and

War is a very tough subject to be talked about, changes the way people live in a negative way. Through author's views, themes taken away from war are interpreted differently but can tell the stories using the same literary devices. Hwang Sunwon the author of “cranes” and Guy de Maupassant the author of “Two Friends” have contrasting themes throughout their stories but both use symbolism to develop the theme.

The most effective and influential thing an author can do while writing about war, is in some way channeling the reader's emotions. By doing this, it should interest the reader further because it will make them feel more affiliated with the text. In pieces of writing about war that we have read this year, all of the different authors use different methods in their writing. The three most compelling examples out of all the pieces of literature that we have covered this year would be, a quote out of All Quiet on the Western Front, Fallen Angels, and “Why am I Opposed to the War in Vietnam” a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. These all channel the reader's emotions very effectively.

“War is hell, but that's not the half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you dead.” Tim O’Brien wrote in his novel The Things They Carried. There are many different ways to connect with a reader through pieces of writing. Tim O’Brien captured many readers through his detailed writing and telling of Vietnam War stories throughout the novel The Things They Carried. In the memoir If I Die in a Combat Zone, his writing lacked thorough description and feeling compared to The Things They Carried. Tim O’Brien connects with the reader through his writing

“Tomorrow When The War Began” by John Marsden, is a novel of survival, friendship, love and war. He uses many language techniques (e.g. simile, metaphor, personification, oxymoron, irony, symbol, allusion etc.) to get across to the reader the importance of each of the themes discussed. He also uses these techniques to set the mood in each chapter and to help emphasise each major point in the novel. “We’ve learnt a lot and had to figure out what’s important- what matters, what really matters.”- Ellie

Poets frequently utilize vivid images to further depict the overall meaning of their works. The imagery in “& the War Was in Its Infancy Then,” by Maurice Emerson Decaul, conveys mental images in the reader’s mind that shows the physical damage of war with the addition of the emotional effect it has on a person. The reader can conclude the speaker is a soldier because the poem is written from a soldier’s point of view, someone who had to have been a first hand witness. The poem is about a man who is emotionally damaged due to war and has had to learn to cope with his surroundings. By use of imagery the reader gets a deeper sense of how the man felt during the war. Through the use of imagery, tone, and deeper meaning, Decaul shows us the

Have you ever been to war? Do you know someone who has? Do you know that war changes people, both soldiers and their families? Paul Fleischman's historical fiction novel, Bull Run, the poem, “Faded Coat of Blue,” by J. H. McNaughton, and Suzanne Collins futuristic novel, Hunger Games, all represent the theme that war changes people, whether they have been in the heat of battle, or not.

Emmanuel Gilbert graphic novel, Alan’s War is a recollection of soldier Alan Cope’s life during World War II. Compiled and artistically re-countered by Guilbert, Alan’s narration gives the audience a different perspective about wartime. In the end, these two men collaboration created more than just a war story. However, Alan was only one soldier who was part of this greater fight and his story reflects his own experiences. Therefore, the “truth” and “authenticity” of Alan’s voice in the story is challenged because of his biased perspective that stems from his race, age, and economic status.

And this amazingly helped me understand that there is no getting away from destruction. It really does represent the reality of war. When a family only has the company of each other, that is the only good take away they have while in the middle of their country’s crisis. Just like what the photographer stated, there is no right and positive representation of being stuck in battle. I really found this photo fantastic, especially because this was the first one that caught my eye. As I began to analyze it, I found more and more ways to connect it to the reality of war. Many families who’ve experienced losing their loved one to war can relate to this photograph and agree there is no way out of the hardship.

My graphic novel is based upon the topic of understanding and maturity over the years, representing my thoughts upon my environment. The graphic short novel consisting of twelve panels depicted a child who developed with changes throughout life. The point of view of the graphic short is of the author reflecting upon a glimpse of their life in a series of flashbacks. The reason why the the story is told is an introduction of who the artist is, in a first person perspective. A personal touch is in the foundation of the piece that could be easier conveyed in text. The images, along with the captions do not capture the full story of what the pictures help exploit in the graphic. If the plot was explained more deeply, with more vivid detail and examples, the flow of the plot would be simplified. In writing, the flashbacks within the story would be introduced and conveyed in a way the story would not seemed as rushed, with proper transitions in substitution of panels. The graphic short would be best if formatted in full text instead of captions with slight dialogue.