Graphic Novels?

This week in class, we discussed the validity of graphic novels. Before this class discussion, I never really thought about graphic novels being intellectual. I always thought that since there are pictures involved, they have to be more like children's books. But reading "Show and Tell" really gave me a glimpse into how graphic novels really are. I realized that what novels say in 400 pages, graphic novels can say in 100. All of the pictures and words work together to make a stronger impact on the audience. And I just want to say that people who think graphic novels are easier to understand are sorely mistaken. Although it was probably easier and faster to get through Maus than a regular 159 page novel, there was so much symbolism and irony that I missed while reading it. For example, I was surprised to find that when Art's father, Vladek, was pedaling on his stationary bike, it symbolized the fact that he couldn't move forward from his past life of war. Moreover, the wheel on his bike was used to spin into the story of his life. These things went over my head while reading, which goes to show how graphic novels can be challenging. Furthermore, the plot line for Maus is very mature, and isn't something that just anyone can read. It's about the Holocaust, which by itself is an extremely serious subject, and the way Spiegelman writes it is in a very mature tone. To conclude, graphic novels are actually much more than I originally thought.