In which you compile a number of sources to prove an amazing point about a novel of your choice.

I’ll present the essay in steps, then lay out the rules. Remember to record all information (essay titles, author names, URLs of interesting essays, and search queries) in your journal. Bring this journal tomorrow.

1. Think about a few novels you’ve really enjoyed.
2. Look up the titles or authors in the EBSCO Databases here. (Click the link, then click “EBSCO Databases, then “Select All,” continue, then “Continue,” check “Full text,” then enter your terms.)
3. If you don’t find several articles about your book or author, start over from #1 –or– search for similar titles and authors, the period in which it was written, or the genre. Root around, you may come up with an idea just by searching similar works.
4. Once you have a number of articles, check the bibliography, the source, the subject matter of each. If one looks solid, continue. If not, move on to the next one.
5. Skim the article. If it’s interesting, print it (or email a copy to yourself and print at school tomorrow) and repeat #4 with another article. If it isn’t interesting, discard it and repeat #4.
6. Once you have a number of interesting articles, grab your copy of the book and begin re-reading it if you’d like.
7. Reflect and feel content about your full night’s work.

We’ll discuss all of the specific guidelines in class tomorrow, but here are some to set you in the right direction:

This is going to be a research paper over the historical, philosophical, or cultural context of the novel. As you go, you’ll record all steps, information gathered, and ideas in a journal. I will meet with each of you daily until you have a solid footing with this project. Come to class every day with an explanation of your night’s work along with your research, the work and your journal.

Historical: You will be explaining what circumstances may have enabled the novel to come about (the impact of previous works or the historical context). For example, if you wrote over Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, you might write about the “perfect storm” of Victorian Gothic literature and scientific exploration during the Edwardian eras.

Philosophical: You will be writing over the philosophy presented in the novel. A Freudian interpretation of Lord of the Flies (which we touched on during our discussions) would be appropriate here.

Cultural: Some novels seem to be timeless and continue to have impacts today. With the cultural essay, you will research the impact a novel had on a time period other than the one in which it was written. Of course, tracing the repercussions of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein would be great, or the resurgence of Lord of the Flies during the sixties (thanks, Ellen!) or recently, with the production of the movies.

Post any and all questions below or write them in your journals for class tomorrow. We’ll be looking at all of these approaches in more detail then.

NPR’s Glen Weldon has a list of the year’s best graphic novels here.

I’ve only read Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli, so I guess I’m a bit behind the times. For those who have asked, the two graphic novels I’ve been using as examples are Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware, and Blankets by Craig Thompson.

I’ve already given you a list of my favorites, though I would add the Scott Pilgrim series and Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse (it is as gross as it sounds, but the artwork’s amazing), as well as The Squirrel Machine (more brilliant art—a mix between Charles Burns and Chris Ware) and a number of newer Batman titles. Gotta love the Dark Knight.

As always, use your best judgment when choosing a graphic title. Some can be quite, erm, graphic.

Have I overlooked anything? I’m always looking for new stuff, so share your knowledge in the comments.

Yeah, it’s a commercial. But…FACES!

We’ll continue our discussion over your graphic novels tomorrow with a look at choice and plot.

Not that kind of graphic.

We spent much time on the imagery within Gothic literature—from the dramatic scenes of creation and destruction to the weather that cast an eerie (sometimes eerily calm) glow on the action. We’re going to continue this look at imagery (and plenty of other devices) with a study of graphic novels.

Your homework for this weekend is to travel to your favorite local book purveyor  and browse the graphic novel shelf (the library has a solid collection, just check before you drive).  Find a book that interests you, purchase (or borrow) it, and bring it to class on Monday.

"But wait," you say, "I don’t like superheroes and I’ve never even touched a graphic novel.  Heck, I don’t even know where to start."  Tilting my head in consolation, I respond: "Aww, shucks.  I’ll help you."  Offering a nick to the chin, we begin our journey:

Graphic Novels 101: A story in which your kindly teacher leads you through the illustrated world of the graphic novel, ending in your personal discovery that the most often looked down upon medium actually contains stories worth reading.  And studying.

First lesson, a list.  These are the cream of the crop.  The first three are autobiographical (though Jimmy Corrigan is only partly so); Sandman is masterfully written fantasy; Cerebus is part fantasy, part social satire (think Gulliver’s Travels with an aardvark); the final two are modern superhero tales.

• Chris Ware’s Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth—Ware’s novel traces three generations of Corrigan men, their effects on one another, and the title character’s life in unintentional isolation.
• Art Spiegelman’s Maus I and II—The story of Spiegelman’s father’s life as a Jew under the Nazi regime.  The tale is haunting and beautifully drawn.  Spiegelman won a Pulitzer for Maus I.
• Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis—In this graphic tale, Satrapi describes growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
• Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman series—I warn you, I have had several friends become hooked after the first novel.  First published as a series of 75 comic books, the series tells the story of Morpheus (Dream) and his five siblings (Death, Delirium, Destiny, Destruction, and Desire).  While the series should generally be read in order, Dream Country (#3) contains two of my favorite Sandman stories.  Please flip through before purchasing; some of the stories are a bit violent.
• Dave Sim’s Cerebus series—Like I said, Gulliver’s Travels with an aardvark.  To my knowledge, this is the longest running storyline (6000 pages) in comic history.  I could be wrong.
• Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men—Whedon, of Buffy the Vampire fame, is the current reigning master of witty dialogue.  The story is solid, but the characters are simply amazing.
• Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns—Often cited as the turning point in superhero comics.  Miller’s Batman is aged, doubtful of himself, and hated by the media.  Oh, the media.  If you want to begin a thorough study of the modern comic book, this is the place to start.

Now, go out and consume.

We’ll begin a formal look at graphic novels on Monday, so please pick one up before then.

Remember, this list is merely a starting point; find a work that piques your interest, not one that you think I want you to read.  Remember, remember, graphic novels are occasionally violent and may contain images that are inappropriate for high school.  You should get parental approval before purchasing anything not on the above list. Also, remember, remember, the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot…

[Note: I realize that I am completely ignorant of authors, titles, movements, styles, etc. in the manga genre.  Please forgive this, and know I will accept any guidance you can offer in this realm.  I also realize that the Graphic Novels 101 subtitle contains an overly long sentence followed by a fragment.  Do as I say, not as I do.]

“That [You] May Infuse a Spark of Being into the Lifeless Thing” You’ve Wrought. Or something like that…

In class today we worked through a peer review of your essays. Here are some things to check as you type your work tonight:

• Proper margins, type, etc.
• MLA Works Cited page
• Is your introduction interesting? Does it capture the attention of the largest audience possible? Make them lean forward?
• Do your paragraphs answer all relevant questions about your thesis? (A great way to check this is to give your thesis to a friend and get them to ask questions about it. Make sure all the answers are covered in your paragraphs.)
• Do you provide relevant support? If your quotations are longer than a sentence, it is usually best to cut them down to the bare essentials; don’t be afraid to tear into the author’s work. Make it your own.
• Are your sources cited correctly? MLA guidelines for books are here, and movies halfway down the page here. If you can’t find the information on the movie, check the IMDB.

As always, post questions below.