Running Head: Graphic Novels 1

Reading Graphic Novels Enhances Literacy and Develops Critical Thinking

LeeAnne Neilson

Emporia State University

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Abstract

This paper will illuminate the strengths of incorporating graphic novels in the classroom

curriculum as it pertains to enhancing literacy and developing critical thinking skills in students.

The definition of a graphic novel will be discussed and distinguished from comic books.

References will be made to the beneficial nature of graphic novels for all reading levels and the

stimulus they provide. Reasons will be discussed regarding why educators have not fully

embraced using this medium in the classroom despite a vast amount of research showing its

potential for enhanced learning. A variety of benefits derived from integrating this genre into the

core curriculum will be summarized.

Keyword: graphic novels, comic, curriculum, critical thinking, literacy, visual

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Reading Graphic Novels Enhances Literacy and Develops Critical Thinking

Despite popular belief, graphic novels are not a new genre. The earliest known comic

book debuted in Europe in 1837 by a Swiss caricaturist named Rodolphe Tpffer who created

The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck (http://www.thecomicbooks.com/old/Platinum.html). It was

not until 1938 that Americans embraced this new format of reading when Action Comics created

Superman. In the 1960s, Americans developed a passion for Japanese comic books known as

Manga. Since then, interest in this genre has exploded, yet it was not until 1994 that graphic

novels became an authorized subject heading in the Library of Congress Authority File

(Williams and Peterson, 2009, p. 166).

Graphic novels fall under the umbrella of comic books, but not all comic books are

graphic novels. Goldsmith defines this genre as storytelling through . . . sequential art [and]

distinguishes them from comic books by saying that graphic novels present a story with a distinct

beginning and end (Williams and Peterson, 2009, p. 167). Comic books on the other hand are

ongoing serial episodes, written by many authors over the years, with a character that never dies,

and there is no storyline progression. Graphic novels have only one author, more extensive

plots, character development, and are a complete story.

This genre is similar to comic books because both use a combination of sequential art

frames and word bubbles to convey a story. However, an aspect that distinguishes graphic

novels from comics is that the connection between words and images is closely woven together.

Every graphic detail included in the story is carefully considered and provides clues to the

unfolding story. The additional details often further illustrate the characters personality or

foreshadow an important event yet to come. According to Burmark (2002), the typeface used in

graphic novels is carefully chosen to reflect the emotions being conveyed because "type is
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emotional and situational" (p. 20). Incorporating color in Japanese graphic novels is considered

but is seldom used because color can either distract the reader or enhance the experience.

American graphic novels designed for children are done in color. Jeff Smith, the author

of the Bone series, initially created his first book in black-and-white format. The publisher

Scholastic was influential in convincing him to publish the book in color. He did not initially

embrace the suggestion because he wanted his book to reflect the black-and-white format he

knew as a child. He soon realized though that adding color would add another layer to his story.

Color would add dimension and depth, establish a mood, make it easier to identify characters,

and most importantly draw children into the story. Color also allows the reader to inference

background knowledge such as time of day by adding a bright orange color to signify the sunset.

Scholarly researchers are now promoting the inclusion of graphic novels in the school

curriculum due to their popularity among young people and the potential this genre has for

developing critical thinkers and literacy development. Concerning this genre, Moeller (2013)

explains that graphic novels require the reader to use both the back and frontal cortex functions

of the brain [in order to] create meaning with the use of visuals (p. 15).

Fisher and Frey (2008) are proponents for the graphic novel genre as a means of

promoting literacy. They state that graphic novels can be used to enable the struggling reader,

motivate the reluctant one, and challenge the high-level learner (p. 32). They cite findings from

Robert Lindstrom, author of The Business Week Guide to Multimedia Presentations, regarding

how the eyes are a significant medium of gathering information. He points out that about 30% of

the nerve cells in the brain are devoted to processing visual information; whereas only 8% are

used for touch processing and 3% auditory interpretation (Fisher and Frey, 2008). Fisher and

Frey (2008) explain that:

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Words are used to recall things we have already seen and experienced. . . . When students

are first learning to read, particularly if they have had limited life and language

experience, comic strips and comic books can be a fun way to make the image-word

association. The visual clues make it more probable that the students will have a positive

experience while reading and feel encouraged to read more. (p. 11)

This genre also greatly benefits deaf, hearing impaired, and English as a second language

(ESL) children because they can focus on the actual written words. In traditional books,

sentences are longer and contain descriptive words. These children get lost in the story because

they are trying to decode the written language. In graphic novels, the descriptive words are

eliminated and found in the images. This is similar to how these children process the world

around them. Heward (2006) explains that American Sign Language (which is used by many

deaf children) is a visual-spatial language in which the shape, location, and movement pattern

of the hands, the intensity of emotions and the signers facial expressions all communicate

meaning and content (p. 371).

White (2001) explains that the pictures in a graphic novel provide contextual support to

the text information and . . . through illustrations that support text rather than just restating it,

graphic novels provide a depth of information that is absent with text alone (p. 21). Children

with hearing losses struggle to learn vocabulary, grammar rules, proper sentence structure, and

other features of communication compared to their peers because of the lack of auditory

reception. This in turn affects their literacy skills. White (2001) makes a strong argument for the

use of graphic novels in teaching literacy and critical thinking because they employ many of the

same skills that are needed to understand traditional works of prose fiction. Thus, the skills
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developed through reading and understanding information presented in the graphic novel format

translate readily to the reading of non-graphic texts (p. 25).

Smetana (2009) provides further insight concerning graphic novels as a powerful medium

for enhancing literacy. She declares:

Children who grow up on comic books often seem to have better vocabulary and

understanding of how to use verb tenses than those who do not read comics. Indeed, the

average comic book introduces children to twice as many words as the average childrens

book and five times as many words as they were likely to be exposed to in the average

childadult conversation. Thus for Deaf students, who have not experienced many child

adult conversations in English, this genre provides a scaffolded resource for vocabulary

and syntax. (p. 231)

Research by Frey and Fisher (2008) has lead to the understanding that graphic novels are

not an inferior form of reading. In reality, a graphic novel has many advantages in strengthening

literacy and developing critical thinking. They advocate for the inclusion of this genre in the

classroom.

The reading of graphic novels promotes better reading skills, improves comprehension,

and complements other areas of the curriculum. The student who, due to physiological,

environmental, or cultural background, is unable to form pictures in his head while

reading the printed word is not really reading. He is simply word-calling. The words

give him no message, and they bring him no joy. He needs more. The reduced amount

of text and attention-grabbing graphics in graphic novels help ESL students and

struggling readers infer, predict, and reflect on what they read. Their skills improve as
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they read more, their improved skills lead to greater comprehension, and their enhanced

comprehension creates a desire to read more. (p. 33)

Despite sixty years of comic-related research, educators hold onto the false belief that

real learning only occurs through text-only books and that pictures do not aid in language

development. It is also possible that one reason why comics and graphic novels are not being

utilized in the school curriculum is due to ignorance regarding their potential for enhancing

literacy and developing critical thinking skills. Educators may also lack the skills and training

necessary for comfortably merging graphic novels with traditional reading to meet the common

core standards.

Some educators have recognized the benefit of using this genre in the classroom, but they

are in the minority. According to Frey and Fisher (2008), only 4% of K-12 teachers are

incorporating graphic novels in their school curriculum. Seglem and Witte (2009) reference

research findings from Flood and Lapp, who give a powerful statement, regarding why graphic

novels are not included in the school curriculum. Flood and Lapp state:

The best reason most teachers give for not including visual arts within the classroom is

their fear that it would take time away from traditional reading and writing skills. Their

view, while legitimate, denies students the experience of the layered information in the

real world and reflects the unsupported view that traditional literacy is the only literacy.

(p. 217)

Educators who have set aside this fear and experimented with using graphic novels in the

classroom have discovered that they do not take away valuable time from teaching required

material included in the common core standards. In fact, researchers have found that graphic

novels align with common core standards such as analyzing material critically and examining it
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using a variety of sources. Accelerated readers often need a challenge and graphic novels will

provide a stimulus for them to engage in problem-solving endeavors. Another benefit of using

this genre in the classroom is it reduces the amount of time spent on one specific book and

allows for the inclusion of more literary texts to be focused on during the school year.

One English Language Arts common core standard for grades 9-10 focuses on analyzing

a cultural experience mentioned in a literary text occurring in a country other than the United

States. The Japanese graphic novel format known as Manga would be an excellent source to use

to fulfill this requirement. Manga differs from American action comic books and graphic novels

because it is full of cultural substance and everyday real life scenarios. They are full of

honorifics, which are terms of expressions that are attached to the end of someones name. For

example, kun is the suffix added to a boys name to express friendship or endearment. Not

using an honorific implies a deeper level of closeness in a relationship, but it can be insulting if

the relationship has not reached that level and an honorific is not used. Critical thinking comes

into play as the reader must pay attention to the use of honorifics or the lack of them to

determine the level of the relationship between characters.

There is a great push in the United States for cultural awareness and inclusiveness in all

aspects of life. By using Mangas in the classroom, students get a glimpse of Japanese life

through the text and graphics contained within the novel. In the United States, books are

designed to be read from left to right, but in Japan they read from right to left and a Manga is

formatted in this fashion even though the text has been translated into English. Numbers in the

Japanese culture carry a meaning of significance and the number ten is often used at the end of a

Manga series because it is a symbol of completeness. An example of the use of the number ten
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occurs in the final chapter of a completed series. This chapter will take place ten years after the

events in the previous chapter.

According to Schwarz (2007), graphic novels are an excellent resource for directly or

indirectly, address[ing] questions about war, genocide, stereotyping, poverty, and justice. [They]

may promote discussion in more lively and immediate ways than most textbooks, and . . . offer

points of view often unexpressed in the usual curriculum resources (par 7). One excellent

example of such a resource Schwarz references is Derek Kirk Kims short graphic story titled

Hurdles in his book Same Difference and Other Stories. The story addresses racism and uses

track hurdles in a powerfully metaphoric way. The main character is a teenage boy who is on a

track team and faces racist comments from his coach. He has mastered the skill of physically

jumping hurdles and yet can never fully remove the hurdles of prejudice from his life. The story

ends with the sentence I jump hurdles every day (par 10). This could then lead to a classroom

discussion about personal hurdles the students face. Critical thinking can be developed as

students dissect simple statements from the story such as, Anyone who stepped off the beaten

track, was punished with more laps. . . . I couldnt go on anymore (Schwarz, 2006, p. 61).

Today, the rising generation is surrounded by visual literacy and it is becoming extremely

more important to use visual texts such as graphic novels in the classroom and teach students

how to read and comprehend them. Frey and Fisher (2008) state:

Signs are everywhere-for those who can read them. Because of television, advertising,

and the Internet, the primary literacy of the twenty-first century is visual. Its no longer

enough to read and write text. Our students must learn to process both words and

pictures. To be visually literate, they must learn to read (consume/interpret) images and

write (produce/use) visually rich communications. They must be able to move

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gracefully and fluently between text and images, between literal and figurative worlds.

(p. 5)

This genre is a mighty tool for helping students succeed in the classroom. Students will

retain information when it becomes relevant to their lives. For example, many educators teach

the concept of fractions by having each student cut a paper pizza into sections. This is a visual

representation of a difficult concept. In addition, the next time the student eats pizza they will

remember the fraction lesson, and learning becomes exciting for them as they apply it to daily

living. Kinesthetic and spatial learners will also respond well to this style of teaching.

Graphic novels have been written for a wide range of reading levels. The story plot and

style of drawing are appropriate for each specific reading audience. For instance, Ottos Orange

Day by Frank Cammuso and Jay Lynch is suitable for level three young readers. The story

illustrates the concept: Be careful what you wish for. A critical thinking exercise could involve

asking students to think of one wish and then write down the consequences of that wish. If a

student wished for a dog, then one outcome could be that they have the responsibility of walking

the dog every day, no matter what the weather is like.

Graphic novels can be used to teach art lessons. Ottos Orange Day is about a boys wish

for the entire world to be his favorite colororange. After reading the story, the teacher could

introduce the monochrome art form and challenge students to replicate this art form. This would

stimulate critical thinking as the student plans out light and dark shades and where to include

them for the best outcome. This exercise would broaden a students scope of the many shades of

a particular color found in the world.

This genre is comprised of both fiction and nonfiction material such as astronomy,

statistics, database research, World War II, US presidents, history, and so much more. It can be
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used to build students interest in classic literature such as Romeo and Juliet, A Wrinkle in Time,

Frankenstein, Pride and Prejudice, Les Miserables, Great Expectations, and The Hound of the

Baskervilles.

Laycock (2007) conducted a research study in Sydney, Australia, comparing the

effectiveness of using a graphic novel to teach Shakespeare in the classroom. The study

participants were 46 boys from year eight (12-14 year olds) who came from either a high

achieving class or a lower achieving class, which had been predetermined by standardized

literacy testing. The materials used were a print-only text version of Macbeth and a graphic

novel version of Macbeth. Based on exit interviews and journal entries from the participants,

Laycock found that the graphic novel version provided a visual foundation for understanding the

storyline and the unfamiliar Shakespearian language. Some boys reported that they employed

higher-order thinking as they had to analyze the images to enhance their understanding of

both the plays actions and the characters emotions. Other participants employed critical

thinking skills to consider aspects such as the value of using the graphic novel format: to study

Shakespeare, to make comparisons between different text types, and to consider the place of

graphic novels in the English curriculum. Behavior-wise, the boys were engaged in reading,

finished all assignments, and displayed little evidence . . . of distracted, off-tasked behaviour

while reading the graphic novel Macbeth (pp. 15-16).

Although Laycocks study findings are significant, Seglem and Witte (2009) pointed out

that including visualization in the classroom cannot be a one-shot activity. Rather, it must be

woven into the regular classroom curriculum (p. 217). Thus, some educators are seeing the

benefits of including graphic novels in the classroom and have created organizations to mentor

teachers on how to successfully incorporate them into the curriculum. They have created lending
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libraries, websites, and lesson plans for the use of graphic novels in the classroom. These

resources are a valuable tool for educators who are inexperienced with incorporating this genre

in the classroom to explore for ideas on how to successfully use this medium in their curriculum.

Graphic novels provide a new type of stimulus in the classroom for enhancing literacy

proficiency and the development of critical thinking skills. Students will become more engaged

in learning through this exciting medium while increasing their reading skills, developing the

ability to inference subtle information, and have the increased ability to retain information. Do

not fear this genre but embrace it.

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References

Burmark, L. (2002). Visual literacy: Learn to see, see to learn. Alexandria, VA.

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2008). Teaching visual literacy: Using comic books, graphic

novels, anime, cartoons, and more to develop comprehension and thinking skills.

Thousand Oaks, Ca. Corwin Press.

Friese, E. e. (2013). Visual narratives. Knowledge Quest, 41(3), 24-29.

Heward, W. L. ( 2006). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. (8 th

ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education

The history of comic books [website]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thecomic

books.com /old/Platinum.html

Laycock, D. (2007). Going graphic: Using graphic novels to engage boys in school

reading. Access (10300155), 21(1), 13-17.

Moeller, R. m. (2013). Convincing the naysayers. Knowledge Quest, 41(3), 12-17.

Schwarz, G. (2006). Expanding literacies through graphic novels. English Journal, 58-64.

Schwarz, G. (2007). Media literacy, graphic novels and social issues [website].

Seglem, R., & Witte, S. (2009). You gotta see it to believe it: Teaching visual literacy in

The English classroom. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(3), 216-226.

Smetana, L., Odelson, D., Burns, H., & Grisham, D. L. (2009). Using graphic novels in

the high school classroom: Engaging deaf students with a new genre. Journal of

adolescent & adult literacy, 53(3), 228-240.

Tomasevich, M. m. (2013). Super learners. Knowledge Quest, 41(3), 18-23.

White, B. (2011). The world in words and pictures: How graphic novels can help to
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increase reading comprehension for students with hearing loss. Knowledge Quest,

39(3), 19-25.

Williams, V. K., & Peterson, D. V. (2009). Graphic novels in libraries supporting teacher

education and librarianship programs. Library Resources & Technical Services,

53(3), 166-173.