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Tintin And The Cigars Of The Paraohs Analysis

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Commentary on the text provided for analysis The text is an excerpt from the graphic novel Tintin and the Cigars of the Pharaohs, showcasing the exploits of the titular character Tintin. It follows his latest escapade in an Arab country, and seems to tell a fast-paced action adventure story. Hence, its purpose is mainly to entertain its audience (which would presumably consist of the readers interested in reading such stories, especially in comic book style), and this essay will explore how the author Hergé does so while capturing their attention and captivating their imagination, all within the constraints and conventions of this visual medium. First off, he keeps the layout simple. Each panel consists of three or …show more content…

It is very distinct and a mix of realistic and cartoonish features. Hergé’s use of thick brush strokes with no variation the width of the lines, solid colouring with no shading, and a palette composed almost entirely of warm pastel shades renders the art style to seem a tad flat, but aesthetically pleasing all the same. The backgrounds are detailed and usually feature the location in which the action is taking place, and in this particular excerpt include elegantly drawn scenery from the Arabian region. The rugged landscape and shots of the sea are eye catching and suggest an action-packed adventure story before one even begins to read. Varied camera angles, including aerial shots, medium shots and master shots make the scenes dynamic and add a touch of flair, apart from enhancing the audience’s understanding. The clean, pleasant and visually stimulating art style attracts the reader and draws them into the story, rather than distracting them. This particularly suits the genre and narrative structure of the book, where the plot unfolds quickly and the action taking place is always at the centre of …show more content…

The subject-to subject transitions are used to set up the scene and help the audience construct a clear metal picture of the events taking place. They feature side characters and camera angles that have them in the foreground. This also gives the effect of a third person point of view. Showing the readers action that isn’t visible to the eyes of the protagonist and providing them with clues so they can connect the dots while not divulging actually pertinent information in order to keep them on their toes is a common element of this genre and the author uses it well to engage his readers. The action-to-action transitions appear when the protagonist is at the centre of the action and we are seeing the scene through his eyes. The events in these scenes unfold in rapid progression. Another frequently occurring element used to emphasize action is emanata. It takes many forms in this text, including sweat drops, multi coloured stars, lines to denote physical actions like running, swinging a gun and shouting. It exaggerates the actions and produces a comical, cartoonish effect that is conventional in comic books and makes the scenes

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