The graphic novel's construction of girlhood mirrors our society’s image of girlhood. The Witch Boy does not waste any time in depicting girlhood. The Witch Boy is a graphic novel that interacts heavily with gender roles and how girlhood has been constructed in a magical society. Currently, I am taking a class with Professor Lashon Daley in which we look at representations of girlhood in Middle-Grade and YA novels. While reading this graphic novel, I could not help but pay attention to the representation of girlhood and how the novel constructs it. Besides the challenges Aster faces due to his gender-nonconforming identity, his cousins are mysteriously going missing. There is only one man in the community who attempted to learn witchcraft before and it did not go well. Men and boys are forbidden from learning witchcraft since the community adheres to strict gender roles. Aster has no interest in shapeshifting or physical fighting, instead, he wants to learn spells and the ways of the witches. The men in the community become shapeshifters whereas the women learn about witchcraft and perform spells. Each member of the community contributes to sustaining the way of life. He lives in a magical community with his family, which is separated from human society and the only contact they have is with other magical families around the area. The graphic novel was written and illustrated by Ostertag, and it follows Aster, a boy who wishes to practice witchcraft despite it being forbidden for boys. Molly Ostertag’s debut middle-grade graphic novel The Witch Boy was first published in 2017.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2022
Categories |