Setting and Such

The graphic novel I am currently reading is entitled "Flight". It's more a collection of short stories rather than a novel. All of the short stories, in some way or another, deal with the topic of flight. 

In the first "short story", entitled "Air and Water" by Enrico Casarosa, the time period seems to be  World War Two era. This is indicated because of the type of air plane the character is flying and the type of head gear (goggles, leather hat, ect.) he is wearing. It is difficult to say, however, if this character represents the ideals of the time period in which he is placed. He is clearly not human (maybe a dog type animal?). I guess you could say he represent male dominance of the early part of the century, since this character is a male flying a World War Two type plane and the author did not choose to show a woman in the pilot seat. This particularly short little story probably wouldn't have been much different if it had been set in a differnt time period, considering how vauge it is. The aparatus he is flying would be more modern if it was set later, but that wouldn't change the overall theme of the story. However, the story could not have occured 50 years earlier than it does because planes were not yet invented and such a story wouldn't even be fathomable. The setting as it is is entirely fictional because some sort of fury creature is flying an airplane. What the character is doing is realistic for a human to do though, and the messege of the story also remains very real. 

Characters... In Skim by Mariko Tamaki

I have just finished reading Skim by Mariko Tamaki and the main character of the story, the protagonist, is Kimberly Keiko Cameron, aka Skim. The antagonist and the cause of most of Skim's teenage angst is her teacher, Ms. Archer. At points, it could also be argued that Skim's best friend Lisa is also an antagonist character. Skim's strengths include her ability to overcome the social norms around her. She develops an intimate relationship with Ms. Archer, despite the social faux-pas that surround such relationships. Ms. Archer, in return, shows strength by the way her present begins to entirely rule Skim's life. Skim's strength, however, is what ultimately triumphs in the end as she moves on from her harmful relationship. She also moves away from her harmful relationship with her best friend Lisa, who constantly has a grip on Skim's life. 

The reader is drawn to these characters by their many realistic characters. This is a book targeted towards teenage girls that uses teenage girls to convey circumstances, albeit slightly quirky, that are relevant to the lives of teenaged girls. Skim is a social outcast and totally relatable to all girls around her age who generally, at some point or another, feel as though they don't belong. This plays on emotional familiarity, despite some of Skim's quirky characteristics such as her belief in Wicca and homosexual relationship with her teacher. However, Skim's story, despite the quirks, offers hope for teenage girls that their lives are going to turn out alright...