“Pedro and Me” is not only about how Pedro uses his own experience to help others but also how Pedro is loved by his family. One of the panels showing that love is the one at the end of page 148: Pedro’s family reunited around his deathbed. Using different techniques of comics, Winick has given the readers a chance to live the moment with Pedro’s family: first of all, similar to other parts of the book, the drawings of face is rather an abstract version. It has been said, “This is the universality of the cartoon imagery. The more cartoony a face is, for instance, the more people it could be said to describe” (McCloud 31). Such technique has an effect on getting the audiences identify with the characters and evoke the emotion (McCloud 42). For example, look at the panel, I do not see just Pedro, I see a person surrounded by loved ones and I can relate to my own experience of losing someone in my life. Secondly, the word has been smoothly incorporated in the panel: short sentences pace slowly. They signify the feeling of sad and sorrow when Winick add the ellipsis […] at the end of the second sentence and allow more space before the third sentence: not only do they narrate the picture but also convey a confused feelings of characters whether they should be happy for the family reunion or they should let the sorrow take over. Thirdly, the white background of the image of the family mixing with the panel’s black background symbolizes a good event in the worst circumstance. In summary, simple details in drawings, clever combination between word and picture, and great contrast of backgrounds within the panel have well served the purpose of Winick in conveying the message about the love of Pedro’s family toward him and about the conflicted feelings in the family’s reunion.
Samantha's elaboration:
In addition, I think that the last set of words are lower on the panel because it adds more of a dramatic effect. I think it also hits the reader harder that they are going to lose Pedro for good. Also, I totally agree with you in that we can't tell whether this is a happy moment because the family is reunited or it is sad because Pedro is dying. Also in the book, the white has mostly signified happiness and the black has been grief or loneliness. I think that the picture was meant to be somewhat happy because it was white compared to the words that spoke the truth and were in the black.
Work Cited
Winick, Judd. *Pedro and Me*. New York: Holt, 2000. Print.
McCloud, Scott. *Understanding Comics*. New York: HarperPerennial, 1994. Print.
Work Cited
Winick, Judd. *Pedro and Me*. New York: Holt, 2000. Print.
McCloud, Scott. *Understanding Comics*. New York: HarperPerennial, 1994. Print.
You did a great job analyzing the panel. You wrote in a very organized way, which made it easy to follow what you were saying. I like how you added in techniques about how to draw comics. By doing that, you were able to convey your message a lot clearer. I also liked how you talked about the contrast between black and white. That was a good analysis. Overall, this was very impressive work. Well done.
ReplyDeleteCam, this is a fantastic analysis. I liked that you went outside of the book itself to get an explanation of why the panel spoke to you. That approach made me understand the universality of the panel and look outside what I had previously thought to analyze the panel personally. Additionally you pointed out other characteristics of the panel that I had overlooked; the way you described the white panel against the black background as being a good occasion in the midst of tragedy is something I never considered.
ReplyDeleteWell done. Your analysis is very thought provoking.
You chose a great panel, nice use of the visual aide. My favorite part was when you said that Pedro and his family did not know if they should embrace it for a family reunion, or be sad because of the circumstances of the reunion. You also threw in a second source to point out the use of cartoons by a proffessional mind. Great job.
ReplyDeleteNice job on analyzing the panel. I agree that it is portraying a good event in the worst circumstance. What you point out about the actual text itself is good. Words are powerful things, but we usually think of only the actual written words, we lose sight of the composition and organization of the words, I hope you know what I am trying to say, it was a great analysis of the short and smooth words, creating such a dramatic tone in themselves.
ReplyDeleteReally good job on your analysis. I think you really paid attention to the detail here and captured its complexity. The part about confusion between being happy for the reunion but sad for the circumstances is so right. I felt the same way when I read that the first time, my mood suddenly changed almost instantly in the middle of that panel. I also think you are right about the words fitting very well, “smoothly incorporated.” The short sentences and pace really create the feeling of this panel.
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