tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888438300076664400.post7040347123777195852..comments2014-12-09T17:25:07.561-08:00Comments on Words and Images: The Binding of IsaaceAdamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302919444091859459noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888438300076664400.post-43986951859720962152014-10-18T12:39:02.707-07:002014-10-18T12:39:02.707-07:00Given the brevity of your essay, it takes you too ...Given the brevity of your essay, it takes you too long to state your argument: “This is just one moment of the entire book where the illustrations have undertones of contradicting the text bringing to light Crumb’s own rejections of religion.” -- that’s also a rather general claim. A 5-year, 200+ page rejection of religion in the form of literalistic illustration of Genesis is a curious project - this *has* to be more than *just* a rejection (which isn’t to say that he *accepts* religion either!).<br /><br />Although it shows some signs of haste (or at least needed proofreading) your 2nd paragraph is insightful and even beautiful. You say a lot in a little space, and your attention to detail is excellent. “And Isaac never sees his face.” -- that’s one of several really good moments, where you express Crumb’s interpretations with an almost Biblical brevity of your own. I like your focus on trauma, although I wonder if an emphasis on religious trauma leads in any obvious or necessary way to the rejection of religion. Remember that Crumb was raised in a Catholic house; trauma is actually pretty central in mainstream catholicism (ever look at medieval depictions of the passion?). What I’m getting at is, even though Crumb isn’t now a practicing Catholic, there sure is something Catholic about this idea of trauma.<br /><br />I totally agree with what Suzanne says. Here’s my final viewpoint: you write beautifully about Crumb’s depiction of Abraham & Isaac, but I don’t see why you see it as an atheistic portrayal. Trauma is a great topic - but I don’t think you’re really explored the meaning of that trauma, at least not yet.Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16302919444091859459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888438300076664400.post-70632396319778053822014-10-15T16:24:25.681-07:002014-10-15T16:24:25.681-07:00I really like your ideas on how Crumb is able to s...I really like your ideas on how Crumb is able to show all the various emotions Abraham feels that the text cannot. You do a good job describing the different facial expressions he makes and the corresponding emotions to them. However I struggle with this actually connecting with your thesis. I'm assuming your thesis is a combination of the last two sentences in your first paragraph which states: "how he is portrayed here contrasts with the original text." And in the second sentence you say these contradictions prove Crumb's conflicts with religion. I don't think you show contradictions at all in your paper, rather you show that Crumb manages to show more emotions than the text gives, which is good, but it doesn't really connect with your thesis. I don't think expanding on the text is a contradiction.<br />I think this essay would be better if you rewrote a clearer thesis that connects to your ideas. In addition, I think you need more information/details on how this relates to Crumb. You kind of throw it in at the last paragraph, but you don't integrate it with the rest of the essay or connect it to the specific moment you analyze. I think you have some good ideas, but you should integrate them more to how it connects to Genesis/Crumb.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02616102196562966352noreply@blogger.com