When relaying a message to an audience, the creator must keep in mind the medium that they are planning to use to do so. This is the main idea of the third chapter in Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics. Throughout this chapter, McCloud brings up concepts and methods used by graphic novel artists that are not discussed frequently. For example, when talking about transitions in comic books versus film, McCloud mentions how the readers are the ones who have to make that inference in order to create that transition and connect events from frame to frame. In film, the transition is physically, actually there, so there is no need to do the same. In graphic novels, it is something that the audience simply has to deduce depending on the situation. Obviously, films use this technique as well, but it is not as collaborative of an effort because time is there to move things along.
In addition, I found this segment very interesting because it pinpoints things that I have never thought about before. Honestly, this one quote from Chapter 3 made me begin to think about my existence on this planet as a whole: "Our perception of reality is an act of faith, based on mere fragments" (McCloud 62). I have never truly thought about what perceiving things really mean. If we do not see it, did it even really happen? Do we have to be actively observing things for them to be a part of our reality? Similarly, perception is a large part of the many thematic elements within V for Vendetta.
The graphic novel series incorporates several messages throughout its storyline. The big ones I noticed were justice, revenge, and perception. The titular protagonist, V, wants revenge on the people who performed cruel experiments on him. He also wants justice for the people that have been wronged under this dystopian regime. However, the novel is able to portray the difference in perception between the characters. For example, in Book 2, when Evey is kidnapped and forced to go through an excruciating ordeal, the experience traumatizes her. However, after learning that V orchestrated the whole thing, her perspective changes. She sees the lessons that he was trying to teach her, although in a very unconventional way. This is a great example of how context changes the way people perceive things. Moreover, the fact that V for Vendetta was able to generate that type of shock factor through a series of images and texts is surreal. It really goes to show that art and audience go hand and hand when trying to emphasize the importance of perception.
In addition, I found this segment very interesting because it pinpoints things that I have never thought about before. Honestly, this one quote from Chapter 3 made me begin to think about my existence on this planet as a whole: "Our perception of reality is an act of faith, based on mere fragments" (McCloud 62). I have never truly thought about what perceiving things really mean. If we do not see it, did it even really happen? Do we have to be actively observing things for them to be a part of our reality? Similarly, perception is a large part of the many thematic elements within V for Vendetta.
The graphic novel series incorporates several messages throughout its storyline. The big ones I noticed were justice, revenge, and perception. The titular protagonist, V, wants revenge on the people who performed cruel experiments on him. He also wants justice for the people that have been wronged under this dystopian regime. However, the novel is able to portray the difference in perception between the characters. For example, in Book 2, when Evey is kidnapped and forced to go through an excruciating ordeal, the experience traumatizes her. However, after learning that V orchestrated the whole thing, her perspective changes. She sees the lessons that he was trying to teach her, although in a very unconventional way. This is a great example of how context changes the way people perceive things. Moreover, the fact that V for Vendetta was able to generate that type of shock factor through a series of images and texts is surreal. It really goes to show that art and audience go hand and hand when trying to emphasize the importance of perception.
Comments
Post a Comment