Wow. I haven't blogged for a really long time. Perhaps I should respond to each of Patrick's posts to make up all of the blog entries. But I think it'd be much easier to create my own entries. Besides, I like Maus so I will probably make all of my entries on it. I think the reason why I enjoyed it was because I am completely a visual person. I learn visually and I think feel more strongly through visuals as well. The whole time when I was reading Maus I felt like I was watching a movie because the angles kept changing as a video camera would and sometimes the frames will zoom in or zoom out, creating the illusion of motion. However, although I do enjoy the visuals in a graphic novel, I also do like the freedom of reading a novel without pictures so that while I read I can make up my own pictures and interpretations in my head. I think graphic novels are interesting because you can visualize what the illustrator sees which is especially very cool if the illustrator has interesting concepts and details. For example, I thought it was awesome when Spiegelman drew his Jewish characters with pig-masks. I like how on p155 the way the Germans catch Vladek and Anja is by taking off their masks.

I know someone said in class that he/she did not like the illustrations. I actually like them a lot. I don't think they are realistic. It's not something that I would frame and put on my wall for fifty years, but the point of the drawings is not just to look pretty. I think the drawing style is expressive and has character which allows it to convey ideas to the viewer more efficiently.