Laurie Sandell's use of accessible language in her graphic novel, The Impostor's Daughter, allows for Sandell to appear as a reliable narrator, be it of her own story. By using accessible language, Sandell juxtaposes herself with her father, who touts his unearned degrees and uses language to manipulate those around him. This juxtaposition implies that Sandell is not manipulating the reader and that she is, as the cover of the book states, writing "A True Memoir."
By including the childhood drawings of her father, Sandell further legitimizes her story as well as her stance. The fathers narcissism is illustrated by Sandell in early childhood with his extremely large head that occupies the majority of the space in the drawings. Sandell, now an adult, is literally illustrating the transformation in her relationship to her father by depicting him true to scale. In her adult depictions, Sandell no longer aggrandizes her father but does quite the opposite.
On page 225, Sandell affords neither him nor her mechanism of denial any favors; he appears overweight, negligent of personal hygiene, "stuck" in front of the television, and necessitous. He sits on a lime green couch, already connoting "retro" or "old," but with springs sticking out of it. Sandell goes further to use language to point out the demise of her father: a milk crate being used as a side table, a TV dinner, a bare light bulb.
The illustrations and narrative are interdependent in that they mutually depend upon the other to accurately tell the story according to Laurie Sandell . The structure of the graphic novel, in Sandell's case, allows for her to convey not only her emotions but what she sees and, more importantly, how she sees. We are able to experience Sandell's transformation or evolution from her elementary drawings through adolescence, into young adulthood, adulthood, and lastly as an adult in recovery.
Impostor's Daughter is a memoir that demonstrates a 12 step philosophy that recovery is possible. Sandell has told the story of her recovery and conversely the story of her father and the consequences of his unwillingness/inability to recover from his life and decisions.
Anna, I find your observation about the way in which Sandell juxtaposes her accessible language against her father's inaccessible academese interesting. I wonder however if this actually invests truth in Sandell's rendering of the story or, rather, demonstrates her keen awareness of the way language is used to shape the way in which a reader (or listener) receives narrative. While I was particularly interested in the theme of recovery of truth (which takes place in this book both metaphysically and physically through her actual participation in a recovery program) I'm also not convinced that the truth she has recovered is pure... She after all, did learn from the best how to spin a good story... Which brings up an important question about the role of "T"ruth in the practice of writing memoir.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI was also interested in how Sandell's drawings evolved over time. This line in your post caught my eye, "We are able to experience Sandell's transformation or evolution from her elementary drawings through adolescence, into young adulthood, adulthood, and lastly as an adult in recovery." I was curious about how you found the juxtaposition of her "elementary drawings" in her adult life versus her youth? Did you find they complimented the story at both stages of the narrator's life?
I am glad you discussed this aspect of Sandell's art, and if you have time, please share your thoughts.
Thanks for sharing,
Margaret