Teaching with the Graphic Cannon

I think that the graphic cannon is a great addition to any classroom curriculum, and is a great way to differentiate instruction. There are many pieces of literature that students tend not to comprehend because during the periods that many pieces of literature were written, the English language was different from what it is today. Pieces like Beowulf or the Canterbury Tales are transformed in such a way that students can actually see what is going on in those pieces of literature, instead of stumbling across words that they cannot understand, completely missing the meaning or themes behind the words.

Presenting novels and other pieces of literature in different ways such as in the graphic cannons, films, or music can connect older material to students in a greater way. I know when I first read Pride and Prejudice I struggled with the words and way the characters spoke because it was a different time. It wasn’t until the second or third time when I read the novel that I began to understand what they characters were saying because I was familiar with the language, and could make out the meaning of words or phrases that I hadn’t before. The graphic cannon version captures the characteristics of the Bennet family well, and so you gain a deeper insight into their characteristics.

I think it is very important for students to have multiple mediums to study literature. The stories contained within the graphic cannon are illustrated beautifully, and so students not only are exposed to great artwork that is engaging, but they are also exposed to literature in a new way. Teaching novels with a graphic novel cohesively can allow for students to have greater interest in the “dated” literature of the past. Plus, who doesn’t love a good picture book anyways?