Graphic Storytelling
One of the beauties of narrative research is that it allows us to draw widely from the many areas of knowledge and inquiry. In composition and applied linguistics, we don’t often draw upon art, but narrative research encourages us to tap into the creative aspects of human understandings. So we can write narrative inquiry in a creative way and we can also illustrate our stories to draw upon visual modes of understanding. The graphic novels I asked you to read are meant to help you think about the interdisciplinary nature of narrative inquiry.
Discussion Questions
1. How would you characterize the storytelling techniques of Frank Miller and Will Eisner? Are any of them applicable to narrative inquiry? How?
2. Consider the research documenting style Eisner users. How might we make use of this approach when doing narrative inquiry?
3. How does the art in Superman: Secret Identity and Will Eisner’s New York add and/or detract from the storytelling?
4. Can art be used in narrative research? What would be the benefits and/or deficits of incorporating art into narrative research?
5. Busiek explores how fiction can shape reality (pp. 10-13). Do you think this really can happen? Can fictional stories shape our world? What does this mean for narrative inquiry research?
6. Clark struggles with his sense of public responsibility vs. his need for personal privacy (see p. 55). Discuss this tension in terms of narrative inquiry research.