Stuck Rubber Baby has a very different style than any of the novels we have read so far. I want you to discuss the differences of the storytelling/narration, illustration and layout, and amount of information. Just talk me through what you were thinking while getting acclimated to the new style of the novel. How has this thought process affected how you read the first part of the novel?
The narration of this novel seems to be more literature-based. It is also more inviting, perhaps, than the other novels we have read. What is the effect of the interjections by the man who we are to assume is Toland's current partner? What about the extra details the audience gets from each drawing (sound effects, the stars when Bernard was beaten up, song lyrics…)? What do you enjoy or dislike about all of these new types of information we receive from this book?
I also wanted to see if anyone has any ideas for why Sammy Noone's last name resembles the term no one. Just something to ponder.
Does anyone know why the book has its particular title from reading the story so far?
Just tell everyone what you were thinking while reading; make guesses and discuss them!
I suppose this novel wastes no time in introduction. It moves through the past pretty quickly to get us up to date with Toland's life and lifestyle. By page 5 or 6 we already know this novel is going to be frank and maybe even a little graphic. It's using a similar mix of past and present imagery like in Maus. We encounter moments of past with narration as well as present moments telling us about the past. This differs from Persepolis' rather chronological setup.
ReplyDeleteThe art style seems a lot more expressive than a lot of what we've read so far. It becomes abstract in many places and tends to be moody.
It is very text dense as well, which is a little bit different from what we've read so far. Cruse crams a lot of dialogue onto each page. Despite all the narration, this novel does get very emotionally intense. I keep thinking back to the powerful imagery of Toland lying in bed thinking "I'm not your lifeline" as the words swirl about him. These deeply moody and emotional moments hit me in ways text alone couldn't. Just saying "I was up all night thinking about what she said" is not as strong as showing me him writhing and swimming in words of rejection. I think this is a key factor that make this novel so effective.
First off, just like Ruthie said, this book moves WAY faster than the others that we've read. This gives it such a big difference. It's interesting that it's written in a first-person retrospective format combined with the incredibly fast pace. More often than not (in my experience) when it's a first person retrospective narrative, in paired with a really slow pace to get the reader thinking and on the same page as the narrator, which I would say I definitely prefer over this fast pace. It's really hard to sympathize with or get to know Toland very well. The thought boxes that tie the story in the past that it currently being told to Toland in the present help a bit, but only just a bit. So as far as that part goes, I'm not too big of a fan. I like to feel with and for the characters I'm reading about, and I just don't feel like I've been given that option with the information that I've been provided. I just don't think it quite works.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the title goes...the only thing that comes to mind is when he tried to put the rubber on to have sex with Ginger and it was just stuck.
After reading the assigned chapters in the novel, my jaw literally dropped. Having a book about the civil rights movement is one thing that we have usually read, but a man trying to accept that he is gay is very uncommon in the literary world. I've never read a book that had the main character as a homosexual before. The art style of this comic is very different from what we have been reading in the past. The details are more expressive and better shaded even more than Incognegro, yet there is something about the style that seems to stand out. Maybe it's just me, but it looks like the women have more of a masculine appearance to their faces. It is clear that they are women, but they could have me fooled if they're femininity wasn't detailed. Perhaps this is the narration of Toland taking effect on the environment and how it is perceived. Or maybe I'm just crazy, but that's what I saw.
ReplyDeleteAs for Sammy's last name being Noone, resembling to no one, I honestly don't know what to make of that. Surely Sammy's last name can't be a coincidence. Maybe it's play on words that hint the audience that she'll end up with no one at the end of this book. Just my two cents. We'll probably see more in the book later on.
The amount of narration in the comic was a little off putting for me as I had to make sure that instead of just reading the text which is all over the page that I was also paying close attention to the pictures as well. I appreciate the narrative as it helps keep the story tight and moving forward but it does make the page seem crowded and bit hard to take in evenly. I’ve found it best to read each panel at a time taking in the story as well as the characters. It can still be difficult as all the text triggers a literature reading mode rather than comic but in trying to take both in at once it helps me to slow down and take in everything.
ReplyDeleteI assumed that Toland’s partner was someone he knew from his young adulthood but then at other times it seems like he is removed from the events that Toland recounts by some of his remarks. But it does create an interesting dynamic of knowing the character comes to terms with his sexuality but not knowing the journey he endured before reaching this point in his life. The fact that each panel is given extra details such as each person in the audience being drawn fully without any short cuts, the music drifting in the air, the sounds of what happens at the most critical moments speaks a lot about the care that has been poured into this comic. It’s not just about a message it’s about people and how they heard and viewed things during something as huge as the civil rights movements along with the struggle for homosexuals. I can’t say I dislike any of the details as it expresses life as it once was.
Names has to be the trickiest of all to figure out in this book. The idea of Sammy’s name never being similar to no one never occurred to me. I actually saw his name being more of noon with an e at the end and even at that I wouldn’t know if that would bring about some significances. The title as well doesn’t seem to reference anything I know off top of my head. I thought perhaps it was related to slang in the time period of the story but it doesn’t look like it. When I search just stuck rubber I get some results for the actual book and plenty results of rubber being stuck in mud so perhaps that gives some idea of the title?
Stuck Rubber Baby can be summed up with one word regarding style and that is dense. Like I've seen some dense work before but wow that was a lot. The story is so far has so many undertones and sub plots. It even has similar ways of story telling as Maus, where it breaks time and allows for real time interruption by breaking down the 4th wall and showing Toland and his partner interact as Toland tells the story. I, like Alexander, have never read a book where the main character is a homosexual, so I am excited to see where he plans to take us, especially since his character believes that he can make himself straight.
ReplyDeleteThe art style is something is completely different from the last couple of books that we have read. It is very aware of how dense and real it is. at the same time most frames reference themes and ideas of german expressionism and surrealism. My absolute favorite frame is the scene of his parents car crash. that frame alone shows the surreal experience of losing one's parents in such a great way. Cruise distorts the pictorial plane into a lose organic form that speaks of loss and sadness.
All being said, I think Stuck Rubber Baby is going to be fun but very challenging read compared to the other comics we have read already.
I've been intrigued by the narrative style of this book because it is one I've never encountered in a graphic novel before. Every other graphic novel I've read has been either third person or first person retrospective. While this narrative clearly falls under the latter category, Toland isn't just telling the story; he is telling it directly to the reader (or it could be an as-yet unrevealed character) and the narrative often flashes to the present to show him or his husband/boyfriend reacting to or commenting on some aspect that was just conveyed. I have read short stories written in a similar format, but I think that the flashes to the present are something that could only be done with a graphic form.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to these amusing flashes, I have particularly enjoyed the many references to folk music. Folk music was exploding in popularity at this time, and the inclusion of it in this story completely grounds the story in reality. People of all races, genders, and creeds were listening to and singing these songs as part of the Civil Rights movement, demanding an end to discrimination and violence. Several songs and artists, such as Dylan and his ballad "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" are referenced both directly and indirectly throughout the story. I have to admit that I actually laughed out loud at one because of its subtle hilarity; on page 40 (in my copy) Toland tells us that he watched Ginger audition for a fellow who was looking to put folk singers in coffee shops. Ginger apparently did not get the job, but this was a direct reference to the way Albert Grossman, a music manager, discovered Peter, Paul & Mary, who are referenced again when we see three tiny dots singing "If I Had a Hammer" at the Million Man March (they actually did perform there, right alongside Dr. King). I actually think that the man watching Ginger's audition WAS Grossman because it would explain the fact that they never heard from him again. But that's merely a theory.
I'm not sure what acclimation Stuck Rubber Baby requires. It's stylistically different, yes, and has some more intricate layout designs, but it essentially reads the same as our previous assignments, in my opinion. The narration is very similar, as it is in the same past-tense of the two autobiographical texts we've read. The art style, however, is much more realistic in comparison to what we've read so far.
ReplyDeleteThe partner is a tool of reassurance, establishing the closure of the sexual confusion he's describing. I'm not sure what is meant by 'literature-based', and although there's nothing particularly novel about Cruse's visual devices, I enjoy the variety of expression, beyond just spoken word.
I have to agree with Matthew, I don't necessarily feel a strong difference between this novel and the past ones, at least as far as narrative goes. It's a story told in the past (which differs from Incognegro, but none of the others), and it jumps around a lot to different stories, and interjects back into the present, like Persepolis and Maus. Stylistically, it is a lot more realistic, but it's pretty similar to Incognegro's art, if not maybe a little more realistic. I think the main differences are in use of things like sound effects, texture, etc. The textures especially are pretty vast and different, like people's hairs, backgrounds, etc. They're very vivid, almost scratchy feeling, which is a pretty interesting and unique take. The sound effects are pretty unique too, with chewing, music, and whatnot. It all serves to try and bridge the gap between the written word and the whole picture, and I think it does a pretty good job overall. It definitely brings the reader more into the world, making them feel like they are almost in the same room with the characters. I think the interjections from the "partner" or whoever he is are a little strange. I think they serve a purpose that is will be lead up to the further we read into the book, but I found them to be a little bit distracting. I agree with Matt again about how he thinks it is used to show the closure he is going to receive towards the end of the book, kind of giving him a light at the end of the tunnel effect.
ReplyDeleteAs for Sammy's last name, it's definitely an interesting choice. Perhaps he wants to emphasize to who he's telling the story that this person is a no one, nobody of importance anyway? Not 100% sure on that one, but it's definitely interesting, and confused me right off the bat.
This graphic novel is one that is very different from what we have read so far! The images are more clear and detailed—even more than Incognegro. It also shows Toland telling the story and commenting on instances that have happened. Some of these instances remind me of Incognegro as far as finding the story a bit confusing to follow but I like that Toland puts his own spin on it and pulls himself out of the narrative to comment on what happened. I found it confusing to have “flash-forwards” rather than flashbacks but I liked the different spin and made it more realistic and seem more as a person/character telling a story. I enjoyed the aspect of the main character being gay. We have touched on a lot of issues throughout this semester before but I found it interesting that there is a graphic novel surrounding the “gay” world. The reason? I haven’t had a book assigned thus far that have tackled more contemporary issue of LGBQT. I have enjoyed the novel thus far because not only is it different from what we’ve read so far, it is also a new contemporary graphic novel surrounding the issues of LGBQT that I feel comfortable using in my classroom to address to my students.
ReplyDeleteI sort of agree with both sides of the conversation regarding the style of this comic. The beginning read much like most of the other comics we've read so I can see why Mike and Matthew are of that opinion. For me, the difference started around chapter 5 when Cruse starts entering a LOT more dialog balloons and panels, so I also agree with some of you who feel the style of this comic is different than others we've read. There is a LOT going on in chapter 9 with the combination of images, sound effects, and dialog balloons but I didn't dislike it. I just found that I had to spend more time on each page. Many of the comics we've read so far have a lot less dialog so the connection between the words and images happened more quickly. This comic just requires the reader to work a little harder.
ReplyDeleteSo far I am enjoying it and I appreciate the detail which has been given to the images. I agree with Mike that they are much more realistic than other comics we've read, especially in the hair and facial features. The attention to detail in these images may explain the attention to detail in dialog. Cruse obviously has a lot to say and is trying to make the most of available page space.
As far as the title goes, I am sure everything will be clear in the end. I remember on the first page he said something about pictures of dead bodies that he saw being "stuck" in his mind. He also mentions "rubbers" a lot in the beginning of the book and someone mentioned the condom getting stuck from being in his pocket for so many years. He also mentions his sister's desire to have a "baby" quite often in the beginning. I don't know... I'm sure it will all make sense later and I'm excited to see how this comic will turn out.
I agree that I didn't see much of a difference in the narrative part of this book. I think it is a lot more like a novel than some of the other stories in the beginning, but the style changes over the course of the book. I think the realistic illustrations stuck out to me the most, and slowed down my "reading" somewhat. I noticed that it takes a lot more care to absorb the illustrations while also thinking about the story that's being told here, much like McCloud talked about when discussing icons.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in seeing how the title pulls in. My guess when I picked up the book and looked at the title wasn't a very appropriate one, but I'm hoping it has more significance than that in the end.
I'm a fan of the progression and narration style of this comic so far. I can see the influence of some aspects from Maus; such as breaking the fourth wall and talking directly towards the reader, and the author even uses metafiction when he describes his use of the word “faggot” to describe himself on page 6. The interjection of Toland’s current partner is interesting because it works to highlight certain life changing events, such as the first time he came out to Ginger. It is because of these aspects that I feel that this narrative is much more personal than the other works we have dealt with. I almost feel like an unseen character in the story that’s in Toland’s house.
ReplyDeleteThe comic is also one of the more detailed works we have read this semester, and the use of Cruse’s visual devices are a nice touch. These aspects do slow down my reading time because it forces me to thoroughly look over every detail, whereas the simple drawling of Persepolis, I could skim thru much quicker. One thing that does trouble me, I’m not sure why so many words in the dialogue are bolded. Is this trying to convey a southern accent, or simply trying to emphasize the significance of that many words?
As for the title of the book, there hasn't been anything to explicit yet that states why it is what it is, but maybe that’s the point. Maybe the author wants it to be ambiguous. Although I do agree with jenniferd2012 current working theory as a possible answer.
I think that a part of the reason why the storytelling is so different from other novels is because of its subject matter. It could be argued that Stuck Rubber Baby is a bildungsroman, yet not in the traditional sense. Toland is not exactly coming of age, but rather coming to terms with his homosexuality and changing opinion of racism and integration.
ReplyDeleteI am going to take this opportunity to simply say this: I do not like the illustrations. Something about the grainy style just makes it feel too dark and grim, even in the novel's more joyful moments. Furthermore, the faces of the people look too distorted; like the artist was attempting to create semi-photorealistic depictions of the characters, but still distorts them. It just feels creepy to me, and it honestly distracts from the story. I just can't look at it for very long without feeling as if all the characters in the novel have no redemptive qualities, but are merely doomed to be miserable all their lives. I suppose that if this was Cruse's intention, then he accomplished it wonderfully. But for my personal, aesthetic tastes, the artwork makes Stuck Rubber Baby hard to read at times.
It took me awhile to figure out why the book was titled so, but I have a feeling that the title comes from an event between Toland and Ginger. (SPOILERS) When Toland attempts to make love to her, he struggles with the condom that he has been carrying with him for years as it has since grown stuck together, and Toland is unable to perform with Ginger. Thus, a stuck rubber. Furthermore, (MORE SPOILERS) when Toland finally does manage to make love to Ginger, his lack of a condom results in her becoming pregnant and ultimately offering up her baby for adoption. My guess would be that a "stuck rubber baby" is a baby that comes about as the result of having a condom that is stuck together and therefore unusable. It is interesting to see how the title puts so much weight on this singular event.
I have to be honest and say that I am having a very hard time reading this one. I figured out why the title is called 'Stuck Rubber Baby' it is because he kept a condom in his wallet for so long it dried up and got stuck together. The main character did not realize that condoms can do that if left in the wallet for too long. He found his out around page 60 when he tried to have sex with a woman and broke down and told her everything that he was keeping bottled up within him.
ReplyDeleteI can easily see the underlying issues of race like we had in previous readings and I can see that the main issue so far is a white man during this race war trying to understand his own homosexuality. However, I do not know if it the art style or the dialog but I am just having the hardest time keeping myself from closing the book and shipping it back to Amazon for credit. I am just not interested in this story like I was for the other stories that we have read for this class. It possible be due to the art style more than anything. The overly cartoony art style of this story makes me like its counterintuitive to the main issues of the story, almost as though its making light of the LGBT issues found in the story. It is a very hideous art style. I found it very distracting when reading the story. It took me longer to write a response for this book because I just did not know what to say other than 'I don't like it.' Pages 164-166 are the worst and it happens again on pages 178-180, the illustrations on those pages are so busy that it becomes confusing and difficult to read. This style of art is obviously done for a reason but I just don't understand why. I was very confused.
Toward the beginning, I found myself a bit confused as to where I was in the timeline. There seemed to be a quick shifting back and forth between past and present. Eventually I caught up, but it required some re-reading. Toland's partner's interruptions allow for the nice ability to catch up. Otherwise I would keep getting pulled in further without any idea as to how I got there. Homosexuality is definitely an unusual topic for a comic. Especially as the first pages made me immediately think it was solely another comic about racial issues. As many have said, dense describes the bulk of Stuck Rubber Baby.
ReplyDelete(Note: I thought I had published this last week, apparently it didn't go through. Apologies!)
ReplyDeleteThe thing that strikes me most about Stuck Rubber Baby's narrative style is just how dense it is. If you lay any page down on the table and look at it objectively, it is so tightly-compacted and filled to the brim with images and information that it almost seems like an unorganized mess. Yet, if you break down what is actually being explored on each page, the volume is usually very small. Instead of fitting a lot of text in a handful of panels, Cruse often goes with the opposite route: a high volume of panels, often interspersed with a few lines of dialogue. This is a very visual graphic novel. It lingers on faces, bodies, the idea of motion. It puts its stock in showing, rather than telling.
And for the most part, it works. The novel takes place in a very specific time of America's history, and having visual representation of how the world was is vitally important to understanding the context of the plot itself. However, I will say that there were moments where I became lost on the page. Cruse's panel layouts can sometimes be confusing, and it's sometimes hard to follow the narrative flow.
Something I find interesting is that, despite the story being a very grounded one, there are moments of hyperreality sewn throughout the graphic novel (Bernard seeing stars, etc.). There's a sort of whimsy to the material, which really conveys the idea that this is a memoir of a man who is (for the most part) fondly remembering his past. Despite the unusual choice of narrative framework (i.e. having the older version of Toland be a present character), these things very much help us "get into" the narrator's POV.
The pacing and art style really reminds me of the old Comix movement from the 60's and 70's. Stuck Rubber Baby feels like it would be right at home in an issue of Zap Comix, sandwiched between works by Robert Crumb or Kim Deitch. While it doesn't share the extreme nature of those kinds of works, it does have the same heart, which stems from using the comic format for self-reflection and broad examination.
The names of the book are very odd, and make me curious just how closely this material is based on real-world people. It's a weird, blurry line in that the material feels so autobiographical, but is filled with fictional characters. For example, with the reverence to which is paid to her, I was sure Anna Dellyne was a real person. As it turns out, she appears to be just the opposite.