Multimodal Works- Blog 4

The first text I looked at was the “Adventures in Depression” comic by Allie Brosh. I liked that the piece blended humor with a serious topic. The illustrations versus realistic footage, images, or text alone, made the reading more approachable and lighthearted. The comic panels were also impactful for expressing emotions and giving concrete examples of how depression can feel. While many can conceptualize or understand depression, it makes the clinical definition less abstract. The comic panels were also often split into two sides–showing both the external actions (or inaction) and the internal intrusive or negative thoughts someone with depression may have. Overall, I thought the medium for this piece was very effective and engaging. Even the decision to post the writing on a blog versus as an article and on print was fitting. This format encouraged interactivity from readers and built a sense of community and togetherness. Commenters could share their own experiences with depression, relate to the comic, or support others making the comic more powerful. 

The second media focused on was a video excerpt from How to Ruin Everything by George Watsky. The clip watched was engaging and incorporated both oral and visual storytelling. I thought that a narrative told through video was effective in this case because of Watsky’s descriptions and imagery. I’m a visual person and having never been to the locations he mentioned, it would be easy for my eyes to glaze over the lists of locations mentioned. In seeing footage of these places, I connected a visual with the story and could imagine myself in Watsky’s position more effectively. I thought one powerful example of this was Watsky’s description of Salina–each description with a correlating photo. 

“Lucky” was another type of media presented by George Watsky. Personally, I found the Ted Talk less engaging and would’ve found the piece stronger with visuals. This could have been animated text of what he was speaking, or images of what he referenced. In terms of voice, his “S” alliteration poem was contingent upon him speaking. This was because to get his message across, the audience had to hear his slight lisp when pronouncing each of the words. The Ted Talk format was however better than listening to the story in a podcast. Although Watsky had limited movement, his presence on stage was necessary for connecting more to an audience. This strengthened his humorous metaphors and use of repetition.

Jaed Coffin’s “How Long Does It Take To Become An American?” was slightly more engaging because he used personal photos to evoke emotion and create a connection with his audience. The use of the Ted Talk format was effective because it demands respect and gave him a chance to not only tell his story but advocate for others. Coffin seemed comfortable on stage and in hearing his voice and seeing his facial expressions in storytelling it strengthened the media’s impact.

The last text read this week was “My Father, Out to Sea” by Jaed Coffin. This text was a good supplementary essay for the author’s Ted Talk. While the talk focuses on his mother and briefly introduces his father, the essay focuses almost solely on his relationship with his father. I thought the reoccurring message of “out to sea” as representative of feeling lost in life (or absent from life) was powerful. The essay provided a more easy-to-follow storyline and was more detailed comparatively. This could be personal preference, but I think his Ted Talk could have been effective as an essay too–however it would distance the author and make him less personable to readers. To best connect to his works, I think the talk should be watched first, followed by the essay.