Comics: Blondie

I found this assignment rather daunting as I do not consider myself a comic fiend, however when looking at the list of comics to write about I was pleasantly surprised to see a few comics I am familiar with, particularly "Blondie" and "Popeye." I was most drawn to investigate "Blondie" by Chic Young, as I was certain my childhood perception of the comic would change once revisiting it in my 20s. What drew me to this comic when I was young was how attractively drawn the female characters, Blondie and her daughter always looked pretty and well put together and that's how I wanted to be. I was also intrigued, and mostly puzzled about how the everso clumsy and geeky Dagwood managed to snag a beauty like Blondie, and covince her to marry him and later on have his children. After looking into the history of the comic I discovered that Dagwood was from an extremely wealthy family and to my surprise - a well known player among the women of the area. Perhaps he had a charm to him, before he got stripped off his family's wealth due to the family's disapproval of Blondie, who they were convince was a gold digger. The comic follows Blondie and Dagwood in their day-to-day dealings which are humorous as they relate to most marriage and family scenarios and bring forward everyday issues like work stress filtering into the home, a demanding wife, a forgetful husband and so on in a light hearted manner. The comic's blog reports that Blondie and Dagwood appear together "in blissful love and happiness in over 2,300 newspapers all around the world…translated into 35 different languages in 55 countries and read by an estimated 280 million people every day." This is remarkable for a comic that began in the 1930s. 

Reading through the comic in search of discovering how different the feeling of reading with visual aids is in comparison to reading literature with only words, I realized there is indeed a difference. When reading the comic, I found myself looking at the images first before reading the dialogue to try and decipher for myself what was going on without being told, to see if the caricaturist was successful in conveying the message to the reader. In parts I found myself trying to block out the image and only reading the dialogue in order to interpret the situation presented in my own unique way. I was however unsuccessful in my attempt to read without looking at the pictures, as your eye is so drawn to the images, especially once so well illustrated. Reading comics is a whole new reading experience, unlike reading a non-graphic novel, here you are vividly directed, you are not left wanting or imagining as all is right in front of you. There is no room for making your own assumptions as the answers are right there for you, Dagwood's facial expression as he plops onto the couch after a long day at work and is confronted by Blondie's requests on the house's needs. It is similar to watching a series, only without the long drawn stares and television antics. 

I love how comics have the ability of getting to the point without the long drawn descriptions and planted uncertainties in non-graphic novels, they are a great escape into the storytelling world, without getting lost... 

Assumptions of Oz

It may come as a surprise to many that coming from Africa I do have some reference and knowledge of Oz. I was exposed to Baum's "The Wizard of Oz" as a young child, however I do not recall the exact method in which this piece of literature was delivered to me, whether it was in book form or through film, I used to be an avid reader so let's say it was in book form. Regardless, I know I enjoyed the story, however revisiting it now as an adult, I realize I did not fully grasp the depth of this work. Looking at the story now, I realize how layered in meaning it is and how aspects of the story have been regurgitated and regenerated in modern television and films. I also realize how I had confused "The Wizard of Oz" with C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia" perhaps due to the existence of parallel themes in both: idea of stumbling into an unknown realm, being exposed to a whole new reality and facing obstacles along the way; the existence of wonder, magic and the surreal as well as the christian symbolism.

I have always been fascinated by these stories, intrigued by the adventure, the pleasures and dangers and the many lessons that come with such, lessons that resonate and apply to modern day life.

The Great Gatsby: ALiterary Work?

Is the Great Gatsby a literally work? It goes without saying that this timeless story is a literary work, as it encapsulates the elements that create a literary work : characters, a theme, general tone, defined setting, creative plot and conflict, all that make it an imaginative and creative piece of literature. The characters and plot in the story are not narrated by an omniscient character, but a present character in the story, Nick, Gatsby's neighbour, who is conveniently connected to both the protagonist-Gatsby and the antagonist-Daisy, as well as the other important features to the plot, giving us a well rounded view of the story. The Great Gatsby offers commentary on various themes, the main ones being power, justice, greed, the pursuit of the highly sought after 'American Dream' and not forgetting betrayal. 

From my readings and viewing of the movie, I feel as though the root of the pursuit of power and the American Dream that leads to greed seen in Gatsby's corrupt attaining of wealth, stem from his blinding love for Daisy, who later betrays him despite all of his efforts to win her back. Gatsby falls deeply in love with Daisy, a love that he cannot let go of. He becomes a fool for love and lets it blind him to the reality that Daisy has a strong bond and loyalty towards her husband Tom, a bond that cannot be confused with love, as it is plain she is still very much in love with Gatsby, yet her alliance is with her husband Tom. One would say that this story is anti-romance, as it does not have all the elements that create a true romantic story; the love story between Daisy and Gatsby does not have a good start or a good ending. The lack of a fairytale romance story is what attracts this story to me as it shows the harsh realities of love, how investing your all into someone cannot guarantee a long lasting commitment from them. Gatsby invests his all into trying to impress Daisy, by throwing these lavish parties and building up his image with his expensive vehicles and lavish displays of wealth and she is not moved enough to choose him. 

It is also worth noting how Fitzgerald cleverly integrates technological forces into the story, using the automobile and telephone to add a dramatic twist to the plot. The automobile is used as the transporter as well as the destructive force as it is the murder weapon that leads to Gatsby's death, and the telephone is used as the communication tool as well as informer, the story is continuously interrupted by the telephone Gatsby has to answer, which also exposes his criminal dealings. 

Overall, Fitzgerald has managed to put together a very compelling story, a timeless, creative and realistic literary work.