Understanding Comprehension through "Chopsticks"

I must admit… I was a little hesitant before reading “Chopsticks” by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral.  I really have never delved too deeply in the world of graphic novels, so when we were assigned this book, some uncertainty came over me.  This was surely going to be a new experience! 

Relying nearly entirely on images to tell the story, this novel was truly unlike any book I have ever read.  However, it was this format that facilitated an environment of deep engagement for me.  I found myself deeply engrossed in the analysis of each image in order to comprehend the development of the plot.  The very nature of the book required you to focus your attention on the images.  Searching for “clues” hidden within the pictures became a regular and enjoyable routine for me.  Honestly, I have rarely ever reached the level of engagement I achieved while reading this novel. 

For me, this novel proved that not all great novels have to be filled with words.  The authors of the novel were able to masterfully convey plot and emotion relying almost exclusively on images alone.  The photo albums, post cards, newspaper articles, and letters all added a sort of realism to the novel that text alone has a difficult time achieving.  In addition, I believe the young love story genre transferred well into this medium.

After enjoying this novel, I realized that many of the comprehension strategies I have used to understand this book aligned with the Key Comprehension Strategies from Chapter 11 of the Graves text.  The foreshadowing of the news report and investigation of the disappearance of famous pianist Glory Fleming served the role of Establishing a Purpose for my reading.  I was immediately intrigued to find out what events led up to her disappearance. Using Prior Knowledge came in handy when remembering that Glory’s late mother worked for W.J. Import-Export, the same wine distributor Frank’s mother gets her wine from.  Throughout the book Making Inferences and Asking and Answering Questions kept me engaged and in tune to what was going on to. With so many detailed illustrations, it was vital to Determine What is Important in every image to get the most out of the text.

 The absence of words for this novel served as sort of a handicap for advanced readers. The option to find deeper meaning through text was not available, so the reader was forced to make inferences through pictures.  So, in order to understand the novel, mature readers were forced to use skills early readers use when they read such as making observations and inferences by looking at the pictures to develop comprehension.

Personally, this book served as sort of an exercise for me in recalling strategies younger readers use to comprehend text.  As a future teacher, this recollection is important in understanding how young readers develop their comprehension.

I look forward to the class discussion on “Chopsticks” and how it relates to the Graves text.