Will Eisner’s graphic novel, A Contract with God, explores several topics that are not usually associated with the comic medium. In this half semi-autobiographical work, Eisner illustrates and describes what 1930s New York City tenement life was like. While most of the short stories place the characters in the fictional 55 Dropsie Ave tenement or in the city itself, two stories, “Cookalein” and “A Contract with God,” are either set in natural spaces, or the outdoors play an important role in the construction and understanding of the story. In his work, Eisner pointedly uses natural elements to punctuate the thematic connections between the seemingly unrelated narratives. In A Contract with God, nature serves as God’s method of communication
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Frimme Hersh cannot cope with the helplessness he feels. He originally tried gain some semblance of religious power by carving his terms and conditions onto a stone tablet, a subversion of Moses and 10 commandments given to him on a tablet by God. After being reassured by Reb Lipshitz that God will do him no wrong, Frimme drafts his life changing document in the forest (page 18). Here the power of God isn’t disconcerting to Frimme because he’s confident that God will be an upstanding party. This confidence is reflected in Frimmes position within the panel. He’s standing with arm’s akimbo and erect; this is a far cry from the dejected, hunched Frimme we see at the start of the novel. The Russian forest surrounding a naïve Frimme serve as comforting reminder of God’s power to help him and maintain the conditions of the contract (page 18). While the rain, is a depressing message that God has all the power and of his own helplessness. The polarizing depictions of past Frimme versus older Frimme grow even farther apart during his passionate argument with God. Now sheltered in the ark of 55 Dropsie Ave, Frimme commences a heated discourse about the violated contract. This dramatic panel on page 23, has Frimme yelling towards the ceiling, with more of Eisner’s iconic lines surrounding his words and himself. Although he’s indoors, the lines are reminiscent of the rain …show more content…
After Bennie tries to “cop a feel” UNDERNEATH A TREE and Goldie tries to stop him, he becomes enraged that someone who wasn’t a rich woman would try to control him in that manner and tries rapes Goldie. Power from money, power from physicality. Goldie had the upper hand because she was rich for Benny and now h knows otherwise he’s going to level the playing field by an overt display of power: rape. Eisner illustrates the rape panels in a truly ghastly way. First he changes the source of light to be from underneath, which is creates horribly unflattering shadows on both characters. In addition to changing the light source, he removes the speech bubbles for Goldie’s speech. Her emotion cannot be contained is literally “tattooed” on the tree (page 171). The use of outdoor space highlights both the animalistic lack of restraint on Benny’s part and the power on his part juxtaposed with nature which is both powerful and wild thing in the world. Herb encounters Goldie after her trauma outside while he is on his patio (page 172). Here, the balance has been shifted from Goldie to Herb. Which is completely opposite of the scene where they first meet, again outside, Goldie looking for opportunity also showcases her power of her perceived class advantage over Herb (page 146-147). Herb also confronted Benny with his knowledge of
Frimme Hersh cannot cope with the helplessness he feels. He originally tried gain some semblance of religious power by carving his terms and conditions onto a stone tablet, a subversion of Moses and 10 commandments given to him on a tablet by God. After being reassured by Reb Lipshitz that God will do him no wrong, Frimme drafts his life changing document in the forest (page 18). Here the power of God isn’t disconcerting to Frimme because he’s confident that God will be an upstanding party. This confidence is reflected in Frimmes position within the panel. He’s standing with arm’s akimbo and erect; this is a far cry from the dejected, hunched Frimme we see at the start of the novel. The Russian forest surrounding a naïve Frimme serve as comforting reminder of God’s power to help him and maintain the conditions of the contract (page 18). While the rain, is a depressing message that God has all the power and of his own helplessness. The polarizing depictions of past Frimme versus older Frimme grow even farther apart during his passionate argument with God. Now sheltered in the ark of 55 Dropsie Ave, Frimme commences a heated discourse about the violated contract. This dramatic panel on page 23, has Frimme yelling towards the ceiling, with more of Eisner’s iconic lines surrounding his words and himself. Although he’s indoors, the lines are reminiscent of the rain …show more content…
After Bennie tries to “cop a feel” UNDERNEATH A TREE and Goldie tries to stop him, he becomes enraged that someone who wasn’t a rich woman would try to control him in that manner and tries rapes Goldie. Power from money, power from physicality. Goldie had the upper hand because she was rich for Benny and now h knows otherwise he’s going to level the playing field by an overt display of power: rape. Eisner illustrates the rape panels in a truly ghastly way. First he changes the source of light to be from underneath, which is creates horribly unflattering shadows on both characters. In addition to changing the light source, he removes the speech bubbles for Goldie’s speech. Her emotion cannot be contained is literally “tattooed” on the tree (page 171). The use of outdoor space highlights both the animalistic lack of restraint on Benny’s part and the power on his part juxtaposed with nature which is both powerful and wild thing in the world. Herb encounters Goldie after her trauma outside while he is on his patio (page 172). Here, the balance has been shifted from Goldie to Herb. Which is completely opposite of the scene where they first meet, again outside, Goldie looking for opportunity also showcases her power of her perceived class advantage over Herb (page 146-147). Herb also confronted Benny with his knowledge of