In Pyongyang, we follow our author as he travels to North Korea and the events he encounters there. This excerpt and story tell us a lot about North Korea that I for one had no idea about. The fact that he had to leave his cell phone at the air port and then he could pick it back up when he left shocked me. I knew that you could not take pictures everywhere and that is why North Korea is such a mystery to most of the world, but I had no idea they were as strict as that. When he was going through the airport at the very beginning and the officer was checking his stuff and asking so many questions, it was a great way to begin because it gives the reader the sense of how important this trip and national security is for the people of North Korea. It leaves the reader on edge and makes it seem like at any moment something terrible could happen and our author would be jailed or worse. I think it is super important to use graphic novels/ comics as a median for news reporting and journalism because it can give an image to a place that words might not be able to. In places like North Korea where pictures can not be taken, it is useful for the writers and authors to take mental pictures and draw them out for the audience to be able to step into their shoes and see what they are seeing. It is also a good medium for places that are war stricken because it is easier for the general public to digest. To me, it is very difficult to see pictures of pain and suffering which makes me not want to look at is and learn about it. If it is drawn, the audience can still receive the message without being desensitized to it.
To begin this week's post, I'd like to first address a few things about the author's duty to his/her readers. When we think of reading material from other countries or cultures, what factors are important to us? What information do we need in order to recognize the significance of the author's work? For me, it's important for the author to find some way to connect to me as a reader. Do we share a common experience? Can I relate your story to mine? This is not to say that a writer's work is rendered unimpressive if they choose not to do this. But I do think it goes without saying that most impressionable works hit us emotionally. I also think that an author should be conscious of the world that they are painting for the reader. Is it true what you're writing? Does it provide some sort of insight into the world as you see it? Are you confirming outside opinions of your culture, or are you breaking the stereotypes that have been placed upon you? That being sai...
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