Sixteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Graphic narratives play an irreplaceable role in the study and delivery of healing and healthcare. They are a path toward gaining insight into the human condition. For healthcare practitioners, patients, families, and caregivers dealing with illness and disability, graphic narrative enlightens complicated or difficult experiences. For scholars in literacy, cultural, and comics studies, the genre articulates a complex and powerful analysis of illness, medicine, and disability and a rethinking of the boundaries of health. (Squier & Williams eds., 2015) Through humorous animal characters, Jackie Schuld (2015) shows that although there is no straightforward map through grief, there can be laughter and positive experiences amidst the mess. Going through chemotherapy can cause one to feel emotionally exhausted and mentally overwhelmed. Schuld (2017) provides hope and encouragement so that sanity and humanity can be restored. As a former schoolmate and English-Chinese translator of author Jackie Schuld and her two books, Grief Is a Mess and Making It through Chemotherapy’, as well as a professor in art, I analyze Schuld’s graphic style and creation perspectives applied in storytelling and final presentation in this paper. Furthermore, I discuss the concept of healing graphics and share my related course design and student projects.