COMICS JOURNAL 06: Wordless Graphic Novels (White Collar)
Title: Graphic Witness: Four Wordless Graphic Novels
Authors: Frans Masereel, Lynd Ward, Giacomo Patri, Laurence Hyde.
Pages 163-290: White Collar by Giacomo Patri
The author Giacomo Patri (1898-1978) was a commercial artist and belongs to the white collar middle-class. His protagonist was well off at the beginning with a stable job, nice suits, cheerful and healthy family, and his own house. Whenever he saw workers, the blue collar, actively forming labor unions and protesting for their rights, he did not think that it is necessary for him or the white collar population. However, the original clear but winding future path towards the top began to have cracks during and after the Great Depression period. He lost his job, his wife got pregnant but they cannot afford the abortion fee, he cannot find another job, his wife got sick and need to borrow loans for the medical expenses, he lost his home to mortgage company, and finally he found there was indeed no difference between white and blue collar. There are not enough protection for all kinds of employees in the country. Then he started to join the labor unions, trade unions, and related activities such as protest.
The 120 linoleum woodcuts illustrated how the white collar struggled during the stock market crash during the early 1930s. There are no words describing what happened to the protagonist but the contrast effect between the main character and the blue collar workers, the changes of the environment, the changes of emotions, how the protagonist eventually found similarities between himself and the workers, and finally joined the workers to fight for their rights documented how the white collar started to aware the necessity of labor unions. The graphic on page 287 with both the white and blue collar workers walking toward the same direction with same facial expression explained that protection and security for employees are necessary for all kinds of workers no matter you are white or blue collar. The white collar protagonist used to carry only a suitcase now carrying the same big fabric bag as the blue collar workers.
Using facial expressions, contrast effects, emotional and environmental changes instead of texts to assistant people understand the story encourages readers to think more about what was happening and make evaluation based on their understanding. This made the readers more involved compared with providing descriptions about what was happening. Therefore, wordless novels may have greater effect on the readers to some extend. What happened to the protagonist reminded me the importance to prepare ourselves for unexpected events and do not take it for granted.
This story documented how the economic situation and social security system affected people about a hundred years ago. Why this story still representing nowadays' middle class?
Authors: Frans Masereel, Lynd Ward, Giacomo Patri, Laurence Hyde.
Pages 163-290: White Collar by Giacomo Patri
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| Page 287, Graphic Witness: Four Wordless Graphic Novels White Collar by Giacomo Patri |
The 120 linoleum woodcuts illustrated how the white collar struggled during the stock market crash during the early 1930s. There are no words describing what happened to the protagonist but the contrast effect between the main character and the blue collar workers, the changes of the environment, the changes of emotions, how the protagonist eventually found similarities between himself and the workers, and finally joined the workers to fight for their rights documented how the white collar started to aware the necessity of labor unions. The graphic on page 287 with both the white and blue collar workers walking toward the same direction with same facial expression explained that protection and security for employees are necessary for all kinds of workers no matter you are white or blue collar. The white collar protagonist used to carry only a suitcase now carrying the same big fabric bag as the blue collar workers.
Using facial expressions, contrast effects, emotional and environmental changes instead of texts to assistant people understand the story encourages readers to think more about what was happening and make evaluation based on their understanding. This made the readers more involved compared with providing descriptions about what was happening. Therefore, wordless novels may have greater effect on the readers to some extend. What happened to the protagonist reminded me the importance to prepare ourselves for unexpected events and do not take it for granted.
This story documented how the economic situation and social security system affected people about a hundred years ago. Why this story still representing nowadays' middle class?
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