The graphic Novel, “What It Is”, by Lynda Barry expresses the idea of creativity in the perspective of the author. By gradually discussing about her childhood experience, we were given her own reflection about how creativity is formed. However, it wasn’t a gentle and smooth road for Barry. A section of this book titled “Two Questions” deals with one of the many obstacles Barry had to face throughout her life. This section is useful for understanding the creative process.
One reason, the “Two Questions” section is useful is when it shows the start of creativity from imagination. In the section Barry states, “The lines made a picture and the picture made a story. I wasn’t the only kid it happened to. Every kid I know could do it” (124).
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Throughout pages 127-134, one can see how the Two Questions appear as demanding ghost that torment Barry. Often the ghost will critique her work as if each of them needs to be good and not weird. And as Barry will constantly ask herself as to what happened and what is missing as she struggles to find any closure to the answer. And all the ghosts will do is give her vague answers and then continue harassing with insults. And even through the years of sticking with only “good drawings”, Barry was never satisfied or ever happy about drawing them and then continues to struggle just what is “good” in the definitions of others. Many can relate to this idea of having to please others while struggling with creating the work itself because it offers a sense of appreciation that is rather difficult to obtain on your own. And the answer to solve one’s own doubt is always the hardest to understand.
An alternative reason as to why this section of the book is useful is the understatement of one’s own creativity. At the end of the section, Barry states, “to be able to stand not knowing long enough to let something alive take shape! Without the two questions so much is possible. To all the kids who quit drawing…Come back!” (135). Barry understanding that creativity is limitless is when she can finally let go of the two questions that had plagued her mind for years. This new understanding has given her back that sense of fulfillment of drawing without
Barry also uses metaphors to get her message across. Throughout the essay she mentions sound and it being turned off. Sometimes she used it literally, and sometimes figuratively. In the beginning she explains that she and her brother would often watch television with the sound off while her parents are fighting. She and her brother did not mind because it was something that brought them closer together. Later in the
In his introduction to the topic, Barry opens up the piece by establishing the passage’s tone and the roles of certainty and uncertainty in
The Graphic Novel, “What It Is”, by Lynda Barry expresses the idea of creativity in the perspective of the author. By gradually discussing her childhood experience, we were given her own reflection about how creativity is formed. However, it wasn’t a gentle and smooth road for Barry. A section of this book titled “Two Questions” deals with one of the many obstacles Barry had to face throughout her life. This section is useful for understanding the creative process.
In the introduction of the book, Levitt and Dubner use scenarios from history and everyday events that explain how in many of them, generally accepted beliefs, known as conventional wisdom, are wrong. For example, they mention a scenario in which crime rates in the 1990’s were expected to rise greatly; however, they dropped to its lowest level in 35 years. Due to conventional wisdom, people predicted the increase in crime rates, crime was deemed unstoppable.
Barry begins her persuasive essay with the techniques of ethos and pathos, by stating her situation at home when she was seven. Her sorrows begin with words like "I snuck out of the house" and "my parents had been fighting all night." She states "The morning I snuck out, I woke up filled with a panic about needing to get to school". This statement plays on the readers emotions while also implying that school is important to her, portraying ethos and pathos. She shifts into a section were she uses pathos. In A DARK OUTSIDE,
Graphic design lives on a spectrum of consequences. The beginning of the spectrum houses the design that remains unnoticed by most. This idea is illustrated in the novel when the narrator begins to discard a chewing gum wrapper. The narrator would not have registered any thought on the wrapper’s design without the outside force from his graphic design professor. This is not an indication that the wrapper’s design was unsuccessful; the wrapper’s purpose was not to shock the internal working of its audience. In this case, ease is desired. The wrapper’s design remaining unnoticed is a reflection of all of the things it did
Everything and everyone has a tile. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, we all have a title and with this title it makes us feel different thing like am I good enough. Or what do I change about myself to make others like me. How about a book. We all pick up or put down a book just because of the cover and mostly the title. “Eye of the Beholder”, “Of Mice and Men”, and “Please Don't take my Air Jordans” all are obscured and do go with the thematic questions because they make us feel like a person did something wrong which would make us think that that person is a monster. The texts “Eye of the Beholder”, “Of Mice and Men”, and “Please Don’t take my Air Jordans” all have their ways to tie around the thematic questions.
He intentionally made this complicated and frustrating so we, as the readers, can make the connection by reading what isn’t there; the expression, “Reading in between the lines!”
1. What is the purpose of each piece? Is there a moral or a lesson to be learned from them?
By giving the reader a visual representation to go along with the written text, Chast allows the reader to better understand what she is feeling in that exact moment. On page 137, Chast draws herself completely different in each panel. On this page she is describing her dinner experience with her parents one night in the dining room of “The Place”. Elizabeth (her mother) is asking George (her father) how many olives he wants, and this page depicts the back and forth argument that ensues about how many he should eat. In the first panel, Chast draws herself and her parents sitting at the table having a calm conversation. In the second panel, she draws the beginning of the argument, showing her mother’s amazement through her bulging eyes and large speech bubble that covers most of the panel. In a later panel, after making a suggestion that she thought would solve all the confusion, Chast draws herself in a cap and gown outfit alongside a Nobel Peace Prize trophy. This depiction emphasizes how she felt her suggestion would be appreciated by her parents, and also gives the reader the ability to understand her parent’s tendency to create large problems out of small disagreements. In the last panel, Chast’s parents violently scream at her for her suggestion, shown by the the large speech bubble outlined by a jagged edge. Chast was able to express five different emotions in just eight panels without using words to describe her feelings. By doing this, she is tapping into the reader's emotions; not only are the readers reading her story about this moment but they are also in the story with her. By giving the reader visuals that are easily related to, Chast makes the reader they feel the frustration just as she does. On top of showing her exact feelings towards her parents on this page, she also shows her parents’ personalities and how situations just like this one
Book 2: The illustrations are the only thing in this story that keeps the reader intrigued. Without them you would not have a story at all, just random words that have no rhyme or reason to them. Furthermore, if you did not have the words in the book it would be easy to tell where the story is going and help you predict what is happening on the page. It is almost like the creator of the story wants the reader to use their imagination and create their own story by simply looking at the pictures of the
The pencil liberates my stresses and sorrows. Bare and unimpeded, my mind is able to isolate itself from anything that was happening in my life. At my art table, which is merely an escape from reality, my curiosity is able to wander. Within this room, five blank canvas's look in on me as I become a mold of my imagination. A step inside my world develops into a sea of color and exploration. The vibrancy of the walls resonates throughout. Over the years, my room has served as my oasis. It’s my escape from monotonous and mundane routines. It’s my exploration of another side of me. I observe such works of art almost as much as I create. Taking notice of my classmates’ innovations and inspired by their creativity, my paintbrush begins to alleviate stress. I strive to produce pieces others will appreciate, but often find myself to be the true admirer. My pride, in this world, is driven simply by my own curiosity to express myself. I credit this side of me as the “passion” that supplements my insane drive for success. This passion has sparked critical thinking in me as well as how I see failure. Life is a blank canvas and you can truly draw whatever you want, and if you fail, you start over and don’t make that same mistake again! Hard work takes ideas quite far, but true success is derived from ingenuity and the generation of
In Lynda Barry's essay “The Sanctuary of School” Barry gives her own personal feelings and experiences about the school system. She points out the fact that when times are “lean” the first things the government eliminates from the school systems is the art, music. and other creative programs. In her essay she gives her readers insight on her childhood, explaining how going to school was her get-away from her financially and emotionally unstable home. Barry points out how she and her brother weren’t noticed by their family while at home. For example, at the age of seven Barry sneaks out of the house while it was still dark because she feels a sudden urgency to get to school; when she gets close, she feels a sense of peace come over her. When
Barry trough out all her writing uses excellent writing strategies. One that she uses well to her advantage and to support her claims is figurative devices. "It was quiet outside. Stars were still out…It was as if someone had turned the sound off on the world" Barry's use of simile comparing the world of early morning to television with the sound off, really paints an image in the readers head as for how it felt to walk during that morning. The author, Lynda Barry from the start is trying to prove that school is more than an educational place. She begins by telling the reader her encounter with the janitor, and the feeling she gets ones she sees him. Barry supports this claim with some dialog as well as using figurative language and imagery. She starts the claim with the dialog, rapidly getting the reader's attention which also creates a minimal character development of the janitor. Then continues to use great imagery that allows furthermore understanding of the janitor, "he was old with white hair, thick glasses and an unbelievable number of keys." A person whom they all loved, for his kindness and the great sense of humor.
While art does have its advantages, it will not solve everyone’s problems. It is true that not everyone enjoys the thrill of creating a beautiful masterpiece because they might have been forced to take that class. However, those who love these classes show that there is a relationship between creativity and