An Examination of the Value of Visual Metaphors in Graphic Novels Anonymous College

Graphic novels are often overlooked as valuable contributions to YA literature due to their reliance on illustrations. In reality, however, graphic novels can be a powerful tool in the classroom, one that can be used to hone, articulate, and develop visual literacy skills. Visual literacy includes the ability to interpret, recognize, appreciate, and understand information that is presented via “visible actions and/or objects and symbols” (Finley). One essential component to this ability to interpret, recognize, and understand symbols is the use of visual metaphors in graphic novels. Visual metaphors encourage readers to utilize critical thinking and interpretive skills to decipher the metaphor’s context and meaning within a given spread. Graphic novels are particularly useful when examining visual metaphors, as each author/illustrator approaches and depicts them differently. Three such visual narratives that highlight three different approaches to visual metaphor are Emily Carroll’s Through the Woods, Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, and Laura Lee Gelledge’s Will and Whit.

Though visual metaphors are typically associated with objects, people, and/or symbols, their use is not restricted to these categories. Rather, visual metaphors can...