The Paradigm Shift from Books to Graphic Novels: The Coherence and Aesthetics of Graphic Narratives

Abstract

This paper focuses on the seemingly important aspects of graphic novels that make them a remarkable genre of literature. The aesthetics and the power of illustration are taken into consideration in detail in the study. Maus by Art Spiegelman and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi are taken as case studies. The radically different style used in Persepolis challenged the popular convictions on storytelling and its success as a graphic novel has profoundly influenced many Middle Eastern writers. To determine the efficacy of graphic novels, a survey is conducted among school students. Analysis is drawn from the survey and demonstrated with the help of graphs and pie charts.