A Variety of Tools for the Dissemination of Plot in Graphic Narratives

During our class visit to the Wellin Museum, one of the things that struck me the most was the difference between the text-image relationship of various works. Particularly, I was drawn to the differences in graphic narrative techniques between George Cruikshank'sBreaking-Up (1959) and Honore Daumier's The Member of All the Academics (1984). Daumier's work is relatively text-heavy. The title alone informs audiences of the pompous and elitist nature of the character portrayed. My french-speaking group members informed me that - in short - the extensive text beneath the image is grandiose, highly-exaggerated verbiage that supposedly imitates the air with which the pompous caricature himself would speak. The image is simple and easy to visually digest. The sole character is placed front and center, drawn in a much heavier line than the foreground and background, almost as if he is standing in relief. As such, viewers will likely be drawn to the text to illuminate the story behind the character, possibly concluding that the comic is a critique of the French academic elitist climate of the 1980s. Without the text, however, such a reading could not be drawn.

Cruikshank's Breaking-Up, on the other hand, stands in stark contrast to the text-heavy work of Daumier. Whereas the text in Cruikshank's work is limited to the title and is incredibly simple, visual components prove to be far more complex. Unlike the first work, there is no one clear central figure in the comic. Additionally, the relay of glances and juxtaposition of actions keep audiences drawn to the image as opposed to the text. The visual narrative in Cruikshank's work seems much more intricate and detailed. One interesting component of this image is the allusion to Thomas Rowland's Dr. Syntax hanging in the background. Although I don't entirely understand the meaning of Cruikshank's work, it is easy to see that whereas Daumier's work is given meaning via text, Cruikshank's story is propelled forward by complex imagery.