Lacey's Blog

I think using graphic novels as a medium for storytelling is one of the best. They give readers the whole picture instead of them having to visualize the content themselves. Graphic novels are the best since they contain little dialogue, which also helps the reader process easier.  I never thought about using graphic novels to tell a non-fiction story, but I thought that the Pride of Baghdad did a fantastic job. Even though it was based on a true story, the author and the illustrator got to take a creative route with the dialogue of the animals and the VERY graphic depiction. (I did not like seeing the giraffe's head blown off) I haven't read a graphic novel in a while, because I used to find them time consuming and boring. But now having read the Pride of Baghdad, I think I should give them another chance. I found it really enjoyable and a simplistic read, which is what I love. I would not consider them less legitimate works of storytelling, I think the illustrators of ...

  After listening to "The Hitch-Hiker," what are your thoughts on radio as a storytelling format? Did you find the story captivating? If so, what multimedia elements contributed to that? What do you think are shortcomings of this format?      I think that radio as a storytelling format is good. I did find "The Hitch-Hiker" by Mercury Summer Theater captivating. I think the story's use of music and sound effects help play a part in setting the scene and the overall set mood. I found myself getting chills when the hitch hiker appeared, the suspenseful music and the speaker's slow talking helped with that. The speaker changing his tone of voice help decipher what were the stage directions, speaking in a soft tone, and what was dialogue, speaking with a louder tone. I thought that listening to this radio story played much like a podcast, whereas when I actually listen to the radio now, it's in my car when I'm not paying as much close attention because ...

  Do you think that most stories fit Campbell's "Hero's Journey" Monomyth model? Why or why not? Can you provide an example or two?      I think that there are certain aspects of Campbell's model that fits most stories, but there are many excess parts that I feel do not happen in every story. I think his ideas of the main points fit, like the general separation/departure part, but within the initiation part, I feel that the "meeting of the goddess," "women as temptress," and "apotheosis" specifically don't necessarily happen in every story. I just feel that Campbell's model is a little too detailed with each element that may happen. I thought Harmon explained story structure better with his simplistic circle model. Campbell's elements do happen in a lot of stories, but I feel that they are better described as details that would happen within each part of a story. I think that the movie Frozen doesn't fit every element ...