comparing and contrasting maus to other forms of literature

How might the medium of a graphic novel work to accomplish what a play, poem, or piece of prose might not be able to accomplish?

Discuss how the images and the language of your graphic novel work together to communicate the plot. How do you think the novel would be different if it were not written graphically? Compare and contrast the medium of the graphic novel to other genres such as prose, poetry, and drama analyzed previously in the class.

Refer to the content from the previous modules to discuss aspects of prose, poetry, and drama and use examples from the texts Maus and/or Persepolis. Questions to consider in your analysis include the following:

  • Why do you think the author chose to write in the graphic novel genre? How does the form contribute to the content and theme of the book?
  • What did you find easier about this book than reading a non-graphic novel? What did you find more challenging? How would you describe the experience of reading this as compared to reading in more exclusively textual genres?