the topic The American poet, Emily Dickinson, had a sad life in which she suffered from health problems and succession of losses. These tragic deaths of her beloved ones affected her writing and style of expression. It can be seen that there is a recurrence of the theme death and immortality in her poems. She imagines death in a lot of different ways such as a buzzing fly. This research paper will tackle her style in several poems such as “I felt a funeral in my brain”, “Because I could not stop for Death”, “I heard a fly buzz when I died” and “my life closed twice before it’s close” a research paper in which you use the computer to analyze the data to make a frequency list, concordance, and collocations and i want her to tell me which program she used and how https://wmtang.org/corpus-linguistics/corpus-linguistics/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nbJGdYS3Is im talking about the theme of death and immortality and i want her to prove that her works are dominated by this theme she can add other poems by emily dickenson if she wants MLA style 15 pages with a brief proposal Al-balawi 6 Are Graphic Novels Literature: MAUS: a Survivor’s Tale as a Model Literature has an ever-broadening definition. Oxford advanced learner’s English dictionary defines literature as a piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. With such a broad definition who is to say that newspapers, graffiti, advertisement and even shopping lists are not literature. For many years graphic novels have been considered immature and lacking of literary qualities and the debate of whether or not they are a form of literature has been put on pause. After the winning of Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale with Pulitzer’s literary prize, and Alan Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen being listed as one of all-time best novels by Time magazine, the subject has been opened for debate again. This research aims to address the highly controversial topic of whether graphic novels are literature or not, and intends to answer the question by conducting a study on Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The presented research will try to answer the main question Are Graphic Novels Literature?. The research will study Maus: a Survivor’s Tale by applying elements of literature such as plot, symbols, characters, themes, tone and setting. Review of the literature: Budick, Emily Miller. "SECTION II. Golems, Ghosts, Idols, and Messiahs: Complicated Mourning and the Intertextual Construction of a Jewish Symptom." Jewish Literature and Culture: The Subject of Holocaust Fiction. N.p.: Indiana UP, 2015. 121-83. In section two Psychoanalytic Listening and Fictions of the Holocaust of this book, the writer provides an analytical review of Maus as one of the best works in Jewish literature. The book gives new information and details regarding Maus and its writer Art Spiegelman which will be of benefit to the research. C.

1. the topic
The American poet, Emily Dickinson, had a sad life in which
she suffered from health problems and succession of losses.
These tragic deaths of her beloved ones affected her writing and
style of expression. It can be seen that there is a recurrence of
the theme death and immortality in her poems. She imagines
death in a lot of different ways such as a buzzing fly. This
research paper will tackle her style in several poems such as “I
felt a funeral in my brain”, “Because I could not stop for
Death”, “I heard a fly buzz when I died” and “my life closed
twice before it’s close”
a research paper in which you use the computer to analyze the
data to make a frequency list, concordance, and collocations and
i want her to tell me which program she used and how
https://wmtang.org/corpus-linguistics/corpus-linguistics/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nbJGdYS3Is
im talking about the theme of death and immortality and i want
her to prove that her works are dominated by this theme
she can add other poems by emily dickenson if she wants
MLA style 15 pages with a brief proposal
Al-balawi 6

2. Are Graphic Novels Literature: MAUS: a Survivor’s Tale as a
Model
Literature has an ever-broadening definition. Oxford
advanced learner’s English dictionary defines literature as a
piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. With such a
broad definition who is to say that newspapers, graffiti,
advertisement and even shopping lists are not literature. For
many years graphic novels have been considered immature and
lacking of literary qualities and the debate of whether or not
they are a form of literature has been put on pause. After the
winning of Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s
Tale with Pulitzer’s literary prize, and Alan Moore’s graphic
novel Watchmen being listed as one of all-time best novels by
Time magazine, the subject has been opened for debate again.
This research aims to address the highly controversial
topic of whether graphic novels are literature or not, and intends
to answer the question by conducting a study on Art
Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The
presented research will try to answer the main question Are
Graphic Novels Literature?. The research will study Maus: a
Survivor’s Tale by applying elements of literature such as plot,
symbols, characters, themes, tone and setting.
Review of the literature:
Budick, Emily Miller. "SECTION II. Golems, Ghosts, Idols, and
Messiahs: Complicated Mourning and the Intertextual
Construction of a Jewish Symptom." Jewish Literature and
Culture: The Subject of Holocaust Fiction. N.p.: Indiana UP,
2015. 121-83.

3. In section two Psychoanalytic Listening and Fictions of the
Holocaust of this book, the writer provides an analytical review
of Maus as one of the best works in Jewish literature. The book
gives new information and details regarding Maus and its writer
Art Spiegelman which will be of benefit to the research.
Chute, Hillary. “Comics as Literature? Reading Graphic
Narrative.” PMLA, vol. 123, no. 2, 2008, pp. 452–465.
This article argues the case of graphic novels as a literary
genre. The article views the debates surrounding graphic novels
in general and the different critical opinions about them. The
article also provides information on the history and background
of graphic novels in general. This article will equip the research
with the different views regarding the debate around graphic
novels along with new information regarding its history.
Grimwood, Marita. Holocaust Literature of the Second
Generation. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
This book reveals a detailed analysis of literary works
written by or about the second generation of Holocaust
survivors and one of which is Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The
book discusses Maus from the historical and biographical
perspective thus provides new information regarding Maus’
themes and characters.
Park, Hye S. "Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale: A
Bibliographic Essay." Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of
Jewish Studies, vol. 29, no. 2, 2011., pp. 146.
A thematic criticism of Maus: a Survivor’s Tale, the article
provides a useful summary of the studies currently available on
Maus. Covering topics such as critics’ opinions and an analysis
of Maus; thus the article will help provide critical views and
discussions regarding this graphic novel.

4. Mullan, John. How Novels Work. Oxford UP, 2006.
This book establishes ground floor for evaluating novels in
general through the demonstrating of literature elements. The
book focuses mainly on the works done in the last ten years
prior to its publishing. It doesn’t only feature traditional
elements known by most novel readers such as plot and
character but rather new not so known elements such as
prolepsis and amplification. The book opens the reader eyes to
new techniques used in modern day literature. This book will
help the research analytical study on graphic novels.
Rothberg, Michael, and Art Spiegelman. ""We Were Talking
Jewish": Art Spiegelman's "Maus" as "Holocaust" Production."
Contemporary Literature, vol.35, no.4 (1994): 661-87. 20 Oct.
2016.
This article illustrates a detailed analysis and critical
discussion of Art Spiegelman’s Maus: Survivor’s Tale and its
relation to Holocaust and Jewish literature. Which is important
information for the research.
Pagliaro, Michael. "Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words?
Determining the Criteria for Graphic Novels with Literary
Merit." English Journal, vol. 103, no. 4, 2014., pp. 31-45.
This journal details a principle and a method by which
graphic novels can be evaluated for literary merit. The journal
also highlights information regarding the rule of imagery in
graphic novels in general. Thus the journal will help the
research analysis of the graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale.
Pedri, Nancy, and Laurence Petit. Picturing the Language of
Images. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013.
This book is a collection of thirty-three previously
unpublished essays discussing the interaction between words
and images. The book covers a variety of media such as

5. literature, painting, film and comics from the 18th century to
the present time. The collection focuses on specific works one
of which is Art Spiegelman’s Maus. The book will help the
research by providing new information regarding Maus and the
argument of graphic novels as a form of literature.
Weiner, Robert G. Marvel Graphic Novels and Related
Publications: An Annotated Guide to Comics. Prose Novels,
Children's Books, Articles, Criticism and Reference Works,
1965-2005. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2008. Print.
In addition to the book being aimed towards marvel’s own
graphic novels and comics, the book also documents the history
and evolution of the genre in clarity. Robert takes his reader
step by step into the making of graphic novels. The book will be
of great benefit to the research as it will provide the historical
background of the graphic novel and establishes a better
understanding of the genre.
Interview with Art Spiegelman - Talk to Al Jazeera. Perf. Art
Spiegelman and John Seigenthaler. Aljazeera America, 2015.
Art Spiegelman - Talk to Al Jazeera. Aljazeera America, 11
Sept. 2015. 19 Oct. 2016.
Aljazeera media network televised interview with Maus’
writer and artist Art Spiegelman. In the interview Spiegelman is
asked questions not only concerning his novel and the holocaust
but also his life. This interview will provide details of the
writer’s biography and views which are needed for this
research.
Methodology:
The research aims to answer the question “Are graphic
novels literature?” and intends to do so by conducting an
analytical study on the graphic novel Maus. In the research the

6. elements of literature will be applied to the novel.
Outline of the paper:
Introduction:
In this section of the research graphic novels will be
introduced with the biography of Art Spiegelman the writer of
Maus: a survivor’s tale the model chosen for this research and a
summary of Maus’ plot. The introduction will also include the
definition the graphic novel genre and will explore the history
and origins of graphic novels and its association with Maus the
model chosen for this research. Along with critics’ opinions
regarding graphic novels in general and Maus: a Survivor’s Tale
in particular.
Chapter one: plot, symbols and setting.
Chapter one of the research will explore the plot, symbols
and setting of Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. Maus takes its readers
on the emotional heartbreaking journey of its main character
Vladek. In Maus Vladek a polish Jew is interviewed by his son
Art who aims to make a comic book about his father’s surviving
story, the graphic novel doesn’t only cover the events of the
holocaust its self but the years leading up to world war II and
the years after surviving the hunting memories of the tragic war.
Perhaps the most obvious and most striking Symbolism in Maus
is portraying the Nazis as cats and the Jews as mice; but why
did the author choose this symbolism, what does it represent,
and what message does it carry?
Chapter two: Characters, themes and images.
Maus is the story of Art Spiegelman’s troubled relationship
with his father a polish Jew and a holocaust survivor. In Maus
Art interviews his father about his experiences prior and post to
World War II. In the story Art is forced to live under the impact

7. of the holocaust left in his parents. He learns about a brother he
never met and has to deal with the painful memory of his
mother’s suicide. In chapter two the research will view the
characters and themes such as guilt and blame. What is
Vladek’s guilt?, whose story is Maus?, who is the real
survivor?. Chapter two will also address the matter of using
images in the graphic novel Maus. To what extant can these
images help carry the story?
Conclusion
The conclusion will restate the results of the research aiming
to prove the presence of literary elements such as plot, symbols,
characters and themes in the graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s
Tale; thus answering the main question are graphic novels
literature?
The Setting of Nature as Evil and Benevolent in Hawthorne’s
works: The Scarlet Letter and “Young Goodman Brown”

8. Introduction
Nathaniel Hawthorne is among the notable writers of America
and a literary figure in the country’s literature. As a native of
New England, during the Puritan era, he was inspired to write
stories with concepts of nature and wilderness. Some notable
works including “Young Goodman Brown” and The Scarlet
Letter that present elements of nature as evil or benevolent
setting. Hence, this paper will examine the use of nature as a
setting of both evil and benevolent in Hawthorne’s “Young
Goodman Brown” and The Scarlet Letter through the study of
the narrative technique of the author and characters’ attitude
towards nature.
Research question
How does the author manage to use nature in these two works as
both an evil and benevolent setting?
Literature review

9. Methodology
This research is going to analyze the two stories considering the
previous written articles about the subject to correspond to the
research question.
Conclusion
This paper will prove that Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the same
setting which is nature to represent two opposite ideas (evil or
benevolent) in his works “Young Goodman Brown” and The
Scarlet Letter.

10. Tentative Outline:
Thesis: the use of nature as a setting of both evil and benevolent
in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and The Scarlet
Letter through the study of the narrative technique of the author
and characters’ attitude towards nature.
I. Introduction
a. introduction about the author Nathaniel Hawthorne
b. summary of “young Goodman Brown”
c. summary of The Scarlet Letter
d. thesis statement
II. Chapter one: analysis of “young Goodman Brown”
a. The structure of nature
b. Style, language, and narration
c. Reaction of characters
III. Chapter two: analysis of The Scarlet Letter
a. The structure of nature
b. Style, language, and narration
c. Reaction of characters
IV. Conclusions