Graphic novels have become a new art form in the sense that a lot of authors are using this form of writing to get their points across. Using images to describe what is going on instead of having to use other forms of literary devices and figures of speech. Throughout time we have seen the evolution of literature we see more creative ideas coming to life. In the 1800s it would be highly unlikely to see graphic novels, during that time we saw prose and poetry.
Graphic novels like “Maus” have a way of speaking to the audience through graphic pictures and the way the words are placed on the page. This novel in particular took a real-life situation and made it into a cartoon. Not only does this keep the audience engaged it also makes the material less dry. However, if this were to be written in a novel that did not have picture it would likely be harder to attract audiences of different ages. Graphic novels can be a new way to teach younger generations about the history of different major life events. However, even though “Maus” has images to help depict what the words are saying its still uses many different forms of figurative language and literary devices. For example, the Nazi flag is shown many times throughout the novel. The flag symbolized what Hitler thought the perfect race was during the holocaust. Considering the novel is based off a very controversial time in history, the novel portrays it in a way that is less hard to read.
“Maus” also uses other forms of literary devices throughout the novel to make it more interesting. For example, when there are text bubbles that have a sound in it like, “SNK, SNK” (Spiegelman, 2016) he is using sounds to make the text more intriguing. Spiegelman also uses atmosphere in order to portray the time frame in which tells a story in its own way (2016). He also does this by using his pictures however, even if Spiegelman did not place some pictures for the reader to imagine what it is going on. A great example of imagery used is “We were all digged into trenches near a river, on the other side it was Germans.” (Spiegelman, 2016). It is a great example of if an author used descriptive language then it allows the reader to picture it. In many ways this is how “Maus” can be similar to other forms of literature. Especially when it comes to “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman.
This short story has a way of using many different forms of literary devices to get the plot across for its readers. Gilman has a way of using imagery throughout her short story to show what is going on. Like in “Maus” Gilman does this by explaining what the wallpaper looked like inside the house she was staying at. For example, Gilman described the wallpaper in an interesting way, “This wallpaper has a kind of sub-pattern in a different shade, a particularly irritating one, for you can only see it in certain lights, and not clearly then.” (Gilman,2008). Another similarity is that they are descriptions of history to them. Both in “Maus” and in “The Yellow Wallpaper” they give a bibliography. Gilman used symbolism throughout the entire story as well. This is because the yellow wallpaper was meant to be an expressions of how she was feeling inside, and how she made it through a difficult time in her life. For Gilman the setting of the short story is also important. She explains the houses “The most beautiful Place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village” (Gilman, 2008). Therefore, for Gilman the setting was very important for the reader to understand, which might not be seen as much in “Maus”.
