Reading response 5: The vocabulary of comics

In "The vocabulary of comics," Scott McCloud explains the usage of comics and icons. Icon is "any image used to represent a person, place, thing or idea" (5). He argues that even though images are simplified in comics, they also amplify the most significant aspect of the thing their represent. McCloud thinks that the reason people like cartoons is because we identified with them. This happens because the further they are from the real object they represent, the closer the cartoons are to universality. Also, McCloud argues that "humans are a self-centered race" (10) and that's why we have the tendency to see ourselves in everything.

Questions for Discussion and Journaling

1. I don't think there should be a limited age in which people can watch cartoons or not. I believe that adults like cartoon because they feel kids again. There are cartoon that last for a long time so when adults see them, they bring them memories from their childhood. It's also a good way to relax and enjoy their free time.

2. I think Mc Cloud uses the comic book format because he's talking about it. So as he is describing his theory, he's demonstrating it while setting examples of what he's talking about. He could have done it with out the pictures but it would have taken a lot of words to describe something that he can just show us. This can relate to what he says about how the simpler the drawing the more interesting the message.

Applying and exploring ideas

1. I think visual imagery would be really useful to teaching strategies. If you think about it, when children begin their learning process, they start with images. Everything they learn is based on them. I think that it is easier to learn and to remember new knowledge if you have and image to relate it to.

2. McCloud contend that we are more likely to see ourselves in generic cartoon images because we are a self-centered race and we see ourselves in everything.
I don't know if I recognize myself with the subject in a photograph. What I do recognize is that there's someone from my own race, I recognize them as a human being. I also think that we do have a more detailed awareness of our own face because we do get a chance to look at them through mirrors or other reflecting objects.