Responding to Fun Home and Graphic Novels

Graphic novels are an interesting approach to literature and books in general. I find it somewhat weird as I feel that an important part of books is that the reader creates his/her own images in their mind when reading. So I wonder why a writer would necessarily take this away and instill their own images on the reader.

After reading Fun Home I found it to be an entertaining read and the use of images in sort of a comic. The way images were used in this graphic novel showed a lot of emotion that would otherwise be somewhat difficult to show using words. For example in the image below just the small changes in facial expressions show the awkwardness during this car ride.

In Fun Home I found that the only way that the daughter could talk with her father was always through literature and was some of the little common ground that had with each other. This is shown a lot throughout the story as there conversations and interactions with each other always short and their relationship can look distant.

I also found reading graphic novels held my attention longer than regular books. I enjoy regular books as well but I felt I could read this entire book in one sitting no problem.

Update 11/20/2019

In Your Black Friend, I saw it more closely as comic than a graphic novel as it was very short and also colorful. It was, however, an interesting read none the less. I liked the repetition of "your black friend" throughout the story.

In Your Black Friend, I was intrigued by the style of art writing for this short story, it even almost was written like a poem in my opinion.

For the most part, my experience reading graphic novels have been positive although I can see where it could be lacking especially people who enjoy creating their own images and thought when reading a traditional book. I believe graphic novels can excel at sending a specific message to the reader.