Questions from the Fink Article

  1. Fink quotes Scott McCloud writing that McCloud “suggests that in reading comics, one must pay attention to the interplay of image and words, noting discrepancies between what is written and what is shown.” In what ways does reading between the lines in the graphic novel Skim applies to what McCloud is saying? Is it the representation of food on the pages without the actual talk of Skim’s body image? Or the juxtaposition of the gym class based on days when Skim is participating or not based on her injury?
  2. The article writes about how image versus actual depression is depicted in the eyes of others, (142) whereas to some they see the person as if they’re losing weight and looking better, inside the person themselves depressed based on something happening in their lives. How does this translate throughout the graphic novel Skim, does how much of it shows that no one is really paying attention to the protagonist?
  3. “In this flashback to age thirteen, Skim recounts being invited to the costume slumber party of a popular classmate, only to be chased and then locked out of the house by a “herd of ballerinas” (85). The skinny White feminized bodies of the party’s exalted attendees are framed against the Asian nonconforming bodies of Skim and her classmate Hein, who are forcibly removed from the birthday celebration. The ballerinas giggle at Skim (who is dressed as a lion) and Hein (who is costumed in combat gear) from inside the house, tossing out their lootbags as if to formally exeunt them from the event.”(136) How does this separate the other, versus the in-crowd? Skim is only invited at the last minute in the graphic novel, but is surrounded by the supposed perfect image of the female body. How would this effect a person in the future in regards to how the world would perceive them?

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *