AoB 2 Describing the Structure of Media Texts

maus

This graphic novel had a closed narrative. as at the end of the novel the main character dies. The first book on maus is a open narrative as it leaves you on a cliff hanger this makes you want to want to read the second installment. the first installment of maus follows Tzvetan Todorov’s theory of equilibrium/ disruption/ equilibrium this is repeatedly used throughout the first and second installments as there are moments of calm followed by disruption and then calm. the second installment does follow the theory to a certain extent but ends in disruption as the character dies at the end of the story therefore ending the series this way that the narrative has been used in maus reminds me of a documentary cause its going back in time to ww2 and it is a recount of what it was like for one person throughout the war the other media type this graphic novel reminds me off are of a ordinary novel because of the way it were written its like a story of his life also you could link this to a film because it uses flash backs throughout the novel but unlike films the comics can't use sound or do slow motion but these are invented by the artist in the way of movement lines also you can over exaggerate more better than films the framework is used ingeniously because the frame work is use to get through the story and to draw you in also it gives the characters human like senses also the novel was done in first person this can provide more context and can engage the reader by using the frame work to give a change of tone or the technique of telling the story the narrative hook that was used in maus is the way the writer uses mice to symbolise Jews cats as Germans (cats chase mice) pigs as polish fish as Britons and the frogs as the french these are all stereotypes used throughout the novel also the mice were taken from illustrations of Micky mouse drew by Walt Disney who was an anti Semitic other narrative hooks used are the picture of the dad near the end of the novel and how he looks nothing like the main character ect.