My Favorite Thing is Monsters - Essay Example

Introduction

Artists use arts to express their deepest emotions and thoughts pertaining to different subjects around them. Emil Ferris's visual graphics express her inner opinions in her mind. The illustrations create imagery that one can easily associate with monsters. She claims that everyone is a monster of a kind or at some point in their lives. The author has cunningly explored the themes in life, love, grief, and conflict. Ferris has gone ahead and tried to change people's perception of monsters by portraying them as open minded and compassionate. The challenges being faced by the monsters in the society clearly reflects the harsh treatments the society has had on groups or people dimmed as monsters.

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Graphics

The graphics and comical illustrations give life to fantasies. Modern comics have utilized the use of arts to describe objects that can only be imagined and are not real. The author has captured the readers' thoughts into a fantasy world where they can visualize their imaginations. Therefore, the readers are open-minded to any events that occur in the comic. The art gives some sought of fulfillment to unexplained situations in the real world.

Emil Ferris's life greatly influenced the creation of the comic book. Her love and fantasies about monsters guided her towards the creation of "My Favorite Thing is Monsters." The comic provides her with a distraction from her own woes; she was recovering from paralysis caused by the West Nile virus. A pen and a book provided a way for her to express her thoughts and idea, therefore acting as a distraction from thinking about her own distresses.

The author's unique way of depicting events in the comic gives its readers a chance to choose their own path in the story. This instills creativity and open-mindedness in them. The interpretations of the images vary since it depends on the understanding of the audience or readers. Symbolism has greatly been utilized in this book, so each object or character symbolizes something significant.

Monstrous Nature

Ferris displays the monstrous nature of people in society. She claims that even the loving and caring people such as Karen's mother and brother have incidences of violence in their life. Karen's urge to seek revenge for Anka's death, her neighbor, displays the monstrous nature in her. The comics reflect the societal prejudice that takes place in the real world, such as racism and discrimination or stigmatization of any kind.

Human suffering is a theme that runs through Ferris' comic. Anka's murder depicts the suffering that people go through at the hands of other people. Sexual abuse has also been highlighted through Anka's experiences growing up in a brothel. This shows the suffering that women go through in modern society.

Art is a reflection of the truth that modern comics have used to portray their thoughts. Identity crisis is one factor that has affected each and every person at a point in their life. At the beginning of the comic, Karen's dream about undergoing a transformation into a wolfman. However, she does not fully transform since she hesitated. She claims that the transformation would damage her nightdress but however, she does not want to disappoint her mother. She conceals her identity as a monster because she is afraid of the opposition from her mother and the M.O.B(mean. Ordinary, and boring). Karen also defines herself as a detective who has to bring the truth to the light. Karen's identity as a monster or detective is not fully defined. Her sexual orientation has also played a major role as part of her identity.

Societal Attitude

Ferris has used the book to reflect the societal attitude towards homosexuals. The catholic schools which Karen attends consider intimacy between women as a sin. Missy's mom claims that Karen's sexual orientation is a result of bad influences. She is in denial that her daughter's sexual orientation is coming from within, but instead, she blames it on Karen. Therefore, Missy was not allowed to spend time with Karen because of her "bad influences." The queer in modern-day society also goes through stigmatization and judgment from the society around them. Deeze, Karen's brother, warns her against queer talks since he claims there will be consequences. Therefore, Ferris' art is a mirror of the harsh societal attitude towards the queer community.

Conclusion

Emil Ferris's book "My Favorite Thing is Monsters" is clearly a work of art. The book's artistic components are unique in its own way which can be applied in modern arts. The author's thoughts and imaginations have been fully expressed in the comic. This piece of art provides a clear reflection of modern society. She uses her visual freedom to clearly illustrate her point of view through graphics and literature. Despite all the challenges the author faced in her life, she thrived and overcame all the hardships that came in her way to produce this book.