Meghann Kuhlman

ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative

Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015

Kuhlman

A Boy and His Comic Book

I worked at a small coffee shop as a waitress for almost a year before the owner died. I
dont think anyone really felt sad, necessarily. We were more concerned when it he announced
that his son would be taking over management. None of us knew his son personally, but we all
clearly remembered our boss going on seemingly endless rants on how his son was nothing but
a thief and an addict while he was alive. The son waltzed in and, within two months, our shop
closed permanently. The register had been losing money; no one remembered to reorder coffee
beans or napkins.
Its a shame, really, Our boss stared into the distance dramatically, shaking his head. He
wiped his nose on his sleeve, a dusting of mysterious white powder leaving its mark on the
flannel pattern.
So, I started my senior year in need of a job. I searched the mall and other retailors
downtown, but no one wanted to hire a senior in high school with one job under her belt and a
strict curfew of 9pm. No exceptions. I was resigned to never being able to go to out with my
friends again when Mike Diekman knocked on my door.
The Diekmans were a family that lived next door in a custard yellow house. They had
lived next door to us for the past five years, but I hadnt really gotten to know them until they
had their first child and were in need of an occasional babysitter. Mr. Diekman was a middle
school history teacher, while Mrs. Diekman worked at a dialysis nurse at the Mayo Clinic. Since
both jobs required long hours and some weekends, I watched their oldest, Gabe, a few times a
month. They paid well and Gabe was well behaved, so I rarely turned them down.

Meghann Kuhlman
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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
Nikki and I were wondering if youd be willing to nanny for a few months, Mr.

Diekman asked, loosening his tie. He had gotten back from a late football practice. Our daycare
closed and were not sure what else to do at this point.
The job was simple. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I would pick Gabe up
from his elementary school. When we got back home, Gabe would do his homework and I
offered if he struggled. Then, I made his dinner before either Mr. or Mrs. Diekman got home
from work. At nine dollars an hour, I wasnt going to turn it down. We agreed that I would start
the following Monday.
My first day rolled around uneventfully. I stood near the entryway of my old elementary
school and waited until Gabe arrived, his teenage mutant ninja turtles backpack almost as big as
he was.
Do you have a lot of homework? I asked as I buckled him in.
Nope! Gabe chirped, running his fingers through his wheat-colored curls, Ms. Jay was
gone today! He proceeded to tell me about his entire day during the drive home and explained
that, despite popular belief, that his friend Maya was actually his friend, not his girlfriend.
After a half hour of snack and more discussions about what teenage mutant ninja turtle
had the coolest bandana color, I corralled my charge to the dining room table. I grabbed his
backpack and pulled out the contents. Among the flyers and fundraising packets was a red folder.
It read HOMEWORK in blocky, dark marker in the upper left hand corner. It looked like an
order, the harsh angles of the letters ordering you to stop your nonsense and just get to work.
Inside, the teacher had left a list of what worksheets needed to be completed and if there
were any special items that needed to be brought to school the following day. Gabe was required

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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
to do one sheet of addition and subtraction problems and needed to pick a special item to bring to
school for Show-and-Tell. Then, he had to read to me for 20 minutes without any interruptions.
See! Its easy! My neighbor said proudly, grabbing his Spiderman pencil from the
depths of his backpack. He began working at the table, his tongue sticking out while he counted
out loud. He started without complaint, eager to show me that math was a subject he had already
mastered. His numbers were spidery and slightly misshapen, but he had such an air of
concentration that he looked like he was about to break a sweat. He counted on his fingers
slowly, mumbling possible answers to himself as he progressed. I watched in slight jealousy; if
only I could tackle my upcoming research paper with such passionate enthusiasm.
After a half hour of number crunching, Gabe finished and asked me to help him pick out
his Show-and-Tell item. In the end, he decided on his hardhat that his Grandpa had given him a
few weeks ago. We tucked it safely into his backpack before I remembered the last part of his
homework assignment.
Gabe, what are you going to read to me?
Someone had flipped the switch on Gabes personality. Before I knew what to do, my
little neighbors bright blue eyes filled with apprehension. His smile vanished and left me unsure
of how to handle the situation.
I dont know. He made a flimsy excuse. He wanted to deter me, but it was my first day
and I wasnt going to start cutting corners so soon in my new position. I pressed him for more
information, but he became despondent. Finally, I coaxed him to pick out a book from his special
pile of books from the public library. Instead of reading at the table, we decided we could sit on
the couch, where it was more comfortable.

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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
But I dont want to! He snapped, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. This was
not the Gabe I normally saw. Hadnt this been the happy-go-lucky kid I knew ten minutes ago?
I know you dont. But youre still going to do it. Cmon! I patted the cushion next to
me. After a few seconds of silence, he grudgingly joined me. He opened his book more
reluctantly still, sighing at the sight of the first page. I received a dirty look, as though having to
read was completely my idea.
Ready? I asked, pretending not to notice his less-than-sunny disposition. After one last
dirty look, he opened his mouth to read.
T-to-d-aywuh-w-eeguh-got a p-pupp-y
This was a Gabe I did not know. He tripped over the words, mouth awkwardly sounding
out the words in front of him. His whole body tensed as he progressed, getting discouraged he
watched time pass. The story didnt interest him. As far as he was concerned, the family getting
the puppy was the most depressing thing he had heard all day.
It was a painstaking twenty minutes. We hadnt even finished by the time the timer went
off, which caused Gabe to throw the book on the ground as if it were the most repulsive thing he
had ever encountered. He zipped to his room and came out with his action figures, asking if we
could play superheroes until his show came on.
It turned out that this hatred of reading wasnt abnormal for Gabe. When Mrs. Diekman
returned and I gave her a rundown of the day, she sighed in irritation. Reading was the only
subject where Gabe actually struggled. And, because he struggled, he didnt like to work at it or
see the pointed in trying to get any better. She had tried finding different books that suited his
interests, offered him treats for reading without complaining, but nothing seemed to be working.

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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
Its incredibly frustrating because Mike and I love to read. Its hard to understand why
someone would hate reading when you love it so much. She said, writing me my check. I
couldnt wait to get my hands on a book as a kid, and mine wont touch them unless he
absolutely has to.
For the next few weeks, the pattern remained the same. Gabe would see me pull out his
book from his backpack and the fight would begin. He brought home stories about monkeys and
superheroes and dinosaurs, but his eyes were always more interested in watching the clock than
the book in front of him. I was beginning to dread this time, sometimes entertaining the thought
of skipping it altogether.
One day after we were finished working, I pulled out my homework that I needed to
complete. Gabe saw my books and pawed through them in interest, looking at the pictures and
notes that I had scribbled in the margins.
Whats this? He asked, and I noticed that he was looking at my Calvin & Hobbes
comic strip collection book. My friend had borrowed it from me and had returned it right after
school.
Its my comic book. I explained, opening it up and showing him the black and white
strips from the 80s. He looked at it in interested, his fingers tracing the speech bubbles
protruding from Calvins triangular mouth, Its about a kid and his tiger and they go one
adventures together. I showed him how long the book went, with scenes of the boy and tiger
staging water balloon fights to sledding down white hills fluffy with snow. My neighbor stared at
the pictures, captivated by the pictures that lined the pages.
You can borrow it if you want. I prompted, You can have it until Mom or Dad get
home. Before I finished my sentence, he fled with my book.

Meghann Kuhlman
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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
It is easy to see progress when you look back on it. Gabe was more prone to reading

when he got to read comic books. Something about the pictures and punch lines made him more
inclined to read longer and try harder. When he got tired on Calvin & Hobbes he tried Foxtrot
and Baby Blues, demanding to have the joke explained if he didnt understand it. Mr. Diekman
began leaving Gabe the comics section to read, even putting favorite strips on the fridge if his
son found it continually funny. While it was still a struggle to get Gabe to read story books, the
comic strips jumpstarted his imagination and exposed him to the outside world.
As a sixth grader, I see the impact that comic strips have made on my once tiny neighbor.
Now in middle school, hes almost as tall as I am and will probably pass me up the next time I
see him. He still likes the teenage mutant ninja turtles, but his backpack is black now and is
much too small for the amount of work he needs to complete. An avid artist, he sketches cartoons
for his school newspaper, every issues added to the front of the familys fridge. His bedroom is
littered with balls of paper that contain scribbles and sketches of almost-funny and almostmeaningful ideas. His bookshelves contain the works of Bill Waterson and Dave Pilkey and a
smattering Rick Riordan and JK Rowling; these pictures on paper mean more to Gabe than any
traditional novel. He is a visual learner; comic books and graphic novels are more accessible,
more inviting to explore.
Do you still have the Doonesbury collection? The 25th anniversary edition? He asked
me last Christmas. He had just gotten off the bus and had seen me shoveling the driveway, small
white puffs of oxygen escaping into the thin winter air. I told him that if he helped me finish the
driveway, it was all his.
Why do you want it anyway? I asked him a half an hour later, peeling off the many
layers of clothing that come with Midwestern winters, Its all political stuff.

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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
I want to learn more about performance art and how Americans felt about it, Gabe

replied nonchalantly, eying my bookshelves, Were talking about it my art class and my teacher
said some character in Doonesbury is obsessed with it. He wouldnt concentrate on my
questions until the collection was in his arms, the binding cracked straight down the middle.
With his prize safely in hand, he finally gave me the usual answers for the usual questions I
asked him whenever I was able to come home. School is fine, Im fine, Mom and Dad are good,
etc. Its the usual set of queries most people ask him, but I cant stop myself. He loves school. He
wont admit it. And I wonder if this is all due to a comic strip collection of Calvin & Hobbes.
When I think of my experiences with learning how to read, I remember being ushered to
shelves filled with picture books. As I progressed, reading novels became an expectation.
Because I never struggled with learning to read or being engaged through written word, the idea
of exploring alternative options never came to me. But now I think of Gabe and his personal
struggles; where would he be had he not come across Calvin & Hobbes? Would he have
eventually given up on reading entirely and slowly disengage from school altogether? Would he
love learning about history, current events, and politics? Would he have fostered his interest in
drawing or storytelling? I do not know the answer, but the hypothetical situation that these
questions pose is somewhat alarming.
Graphic novels and comic strips can feel like aliens in classrooms. My teachers would
tell students who chose alternative forms of literature that they needed to find something
substantial for their book reports. There is a stigma that surrounds them; graphic novels dont
have the same connotations as traditional novels do which, ultimately, limits students. Exploring
new mediums or organic forms of literature allows for new experiences or creating relevant
connections to other aspects of our lives. Students, like Gabe, who enjoy panels rather than

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ENGL 458: Literacy Narrative
Dr. K. Brooks
September 24th, 2015
paragraphs, are able to find various mediums that can foster a love of reading. Why are these

alternative mediums considered second rate?

Some educators may view comic books and collections to be juvenile. Some may believe
that they have a place, but that place is not the classroom. I believe that if educators want to
engage students and foster a love of reading, we must recognize that a variety of mediums will
be likely to engage more students. For Gabe, this medium has become an integral part of his
identity. While he has novels that he has grown to enjoy and understand, this may not have been
possible if he had not found an alternative way to learn how to read. Reading about current
events and seeing them portrayed in the comics section of paper give him context; he is able to
analyze the arguments they pose and understand that real life is not always funny. His teachers
allow him to create final projects about presenting classic literature in comic book form; he is
able to analyze his assigned from a unique perspective. This is due to supportive educators and
something as simple as a four-panel storyline.
Gabe was lucky to have found a way to succeed in a system that does not always
encourage alternative mediums. Comic strips and graphic novels have offered him opportunities
to grow and explore his interests that traditional mediums have not. I can only hope that other
students are lucky enough to have teachers who understand the importance of a boy and tiger and
their fantastical adventures.