As a fan of graphic novels, there are several graphic novels either on the booklist for my Religious Studies class or mentioned in the introduction of the book The Jewish Graphic Novel that I either own or have read previously. Maus, Volume I and II and Miriam Katin’s We Are On Our Own. But before this class I had never read A Contract With God or heard of Will Eisner. To be honest, my first thought was “I wonder if he is related to the guy that used to run Disney.” So I was not sure what I would think of this graphic novel.
Upon reading it, I have to say that “I love this book.” There are few books that I get a truly emotional response from. I may think a book is well written but can put it out of my head soon after I read it. A Contract With God is not one of those books. The stories in this book that really hit me were A Contract With God and The Super. They both evoke an emotional response from me but for different reasons.
As a formerly religious person, I can say I have had my own “Contract with God” moment when I was still in high school. So, I can really feel for Frimme Hersh’s pain when his daughter dies.
The story The Super is an entirely different case. I actually feel guilty for feeling for the super in the story. Is he a pedophile or someone that was unable to resist a temptation? I don’t know. But it does seem like he was a lonely man whose only constant companion was his dog. The young girl with the innocent veneer takes advantage of this loneliness and the natural hatred of the super by the residents of the tenement for her own benefit. It shows even the most innocent looking can be evil on inside. This made me think about the term the “banality of evil.”
The entire graphic novel seems to be a chronicle of broken dreams and frustrations by the tenants of 55 Dropsie Avenue. Although sad, they all continue to hope for better.
Interesting post. I find it to be quite thoughtful for a homework assignment. I agree that Eisner's 'A Contract with God' is a thought-provoking graphic novel. It's definitely different than most gn's that one would typically read.
ReplyDeleteIt is emotional to read. The characters are in a difficult situation to begin with, so you feel sympathy from the beginning. Then they suffer even more. It is definitely easy to feel for Frimme and the super.
One thing that I found interesting was that you mentioned you felt guilty for feeling sorry for the super. I think it is important to remember that we all have our quirks, and that everyone has feelings and has potential to change.