The last time I read a comic book was when I was in middle school in Iraq. The books I read were all about Superman and Batman (translated into Arabic) and some like Juha or Sindbad of the Arabian Nights which were series in children magazines like Majalati and al-Mizmar. Previously, comic books for me were more like an entertainment tool for kids and teenagers only. Yet, today I discovered that it’s more serious than how I expected it to be.
One of my classes is called “Rhetorical Theory of Place.” In this course, we read different kinds of books that deal with the philosophy of the term “place” and how this theory could be applied into writing. One of the books suggested by the professor was called “Palestine.”
“Palestine” is a graphic non-fiction novel written and drawn by Joe Sacco about his experiences in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in December 1991 and January 1992. Sacco gives a portrayal which emphasizes the history and plight of the Palestinian people, as a group and as individuals.
The novel is no easy to read. Though it’s a comic book, it has a lot of details that could not be easily digested by people who’ve never experienced displacement and suffering. Sacco’s main goal in the book is to confront a reality unfamiliar to his American audience. Throughout the book, he declares that his main visit to the Palestinian territories is to focus on how people live there in such harsh conditions under the occupation. He was even asked by an Israeli woman that he should “be seeing [their] side of the story too.” He comments, “And what can I say? I say I’ve heard nothing but the Israeli side most all my life, that it’d take a whole other trip to see Israel, that I’d like to meet Israelis, but that wasn’t why I was here…”
Sacco’s drawings were amazingly alive. They make you picture the whole thing as if you were there. The smallest details were carefully and accurately written and drawn. He included a detailed, quoted historical background, supported by flashbacks narrated by him and his real characters through the conversations which he was part of.
I myself enjoyed the book very much. Although most of the incidents took place in the Palestinian territories, Sacco gives us a good picture of the Israeli part as well. The question of peace is of course presented. The story is full of amazing details and events. If you haven’t read it yet, go read it. It’s worth reading. If you already did, I would love to share my opinion with you on the comments section.
