John Robinson Exploratory Writing on Nat Turner 12/1/11 Kyle Bakers Nat Turner follows the actions of slave

rebellion leader Nat Turner. On page 186 Kyle Baker depicts Nat Turner being hung on noose from a tree. The scene is filled with mixed emotions. There is a sense of Nat Turner finally becoming free while at the same time it is possible everyone is just mourning and relieved that the gruesome murders of their neighbors is over. Kyle Baker uses multiple devices to create this sense of mixed emotions. The image on page 186 first stands out because the lack of a gutter used in the page. This device is called a bleed where the image goes all the way to the edge of the page. The picture seemingly stretches into eternity, which makes the reader feel they are part of the scene. The technique draws attention to the mood of what is going on in the scene. The lack of gutter on this page also leads to sense of time being stopped which makes the reader pause at the page to reflect on the significance of the scene. This all ultimately lets the scenery linger with the reader. The size of the image depicts this scene as mythic and signifies the importance of the scene. There is very little motion going on in the scene as everything is eerily still in the image. The only motion in the scene is the ray of sun shining down on Nat Turner. When viewing the line of motion starts out at the top left of the page and the reader is led down this ray of light to Nat Turner hanging on the noose. This line of motion has the reader almost disregard the people watching Turner hang. The placement of this image is also interesting in where it is placed in relation to the next page. The very next page 187 is the beginning of Triumph. The word Triumph seems advocate that Kyle Bakers story is heralding the slave rebellion rather then reflecting on horrors Nat Turner brought to others.

The shading used in the scene sets the tone of what is going on in the image. The shading in the image has Nat Turner in the ray of light and a shadow is cast on the people watching Turner hang. The light shading and relatively clear background provides a sense of safety and peacefulness. The darker shading around the onlookers lends to anxiety and unrest they are feeling. It is also interesting how Baker left the scene to be interpreted in multiple ways. The scene as the rising of Nat Turner in a spiritual sense to freedom. There is also a sense of the onlookers grief and sense of relief that the nightmare of their neighbors being slaughtered is over. Lose cross hatching used on the tree adds to the sense of disruption and commotion associated with the tree and the rope hanging from it. The whole scene is similar to Jesus being crucified on the cross. The tree taking the rough shape of a cross and Nat Turners legs bound add to the similarities of a crucifixion. Baker is also using directionality in multiple ways in the image to create meaning. The image follows the trend of other images where Nat Turner is being hung in the way his head is point up and points towards the right, which signifies progress. At the same time the ray of sunlight is leading from Nat Turner up to the top left of the page. Moving to left signifies returning home, which could add to Nat Turners spiritual ideas including maybe joining Christ in heaven