It is an essential part of comics as all lines carry a potential expression. The variations of lines from thick, thin, curvy, straight, and such on, which create a theme in each panel as it is used to convey certain forms of emotions. Lines are similar to language as it sends a message to help better depict a story that simple phrases cannot do alone. Lines act as a signifier for the reader to examine these transitions between panels that words alone cannot do. For instances, thickly drawn lines can convey the sense of a loud or strong emotion, while thin and barely connected lines can convey the sense of weakness. The element of lines highlights and furthers the progression of emotions in comics as it outlines those very features. It becomes a demonstration of a show and doesn 't tell approach from the author to the reader. In regards to McCloud’s “Understanding Comic,” it is stated that lines carry the potential to also be expressive through examples such as the direction, shape, and character of those lines (McCloud, …show more content…
In the comic, both author and illustrator wanted specific pages within the graphic novel to be noticed and centered on by readers. In order to capture emotions of these visual narratives, certain pages required more careful and diligent attention than others as it relied on lines to expressed sensations a character undergo due to Canadian colonial practices. Seen on the 26th page that depicts Joey Caver’s life, there is a sudden change in the variation of lines that differ from the previous pages. The lines before this page are very straightforward and clearcut. The lines are bold and are rarely broken. They’re smooth and never require further attention. However, page 26 changes that by suddenly changing this form as Joey undergoes through the similar systematic cycle of colonial oppression of Aboriginal people as his older brother Peter Caver (LaBoucane-Benson 26). The author and illustrator choose to go out of the normalized and original lining styles of the boxed panels - suddenly changing the style of the panels with thick and sharp lines, that enhanced the visual hardships Joey is going through. The page not only visually stands out from previous pages but also brings the reader’s attention to the changes in the form of expression in each