Brain Text in Graphic Form: Ethical Identity and Ethical Choices in David Small's Stitches

• Main Author: Lan, Yun
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2024
• Subjects: brain text; David Small; ethical environment; graphic memoir; moral dimensions of literature
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/kk/vol1/iss39/13; https://archium.ateneo.edu/context/kk/article/1992/viewcontent/KK_2039_2C_202022_2012_20Forum_20Kritika_20on_20Ethical_20Literary_20Criticism_2C_20Brain_20Text_2C_20and_20New_20Readings_20of_20World_20Literature_20_28Part_20II_29_20__20Lan.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

In the conceptual system of ethical literary criticism, “brain text” mainly accounts for literary production, reception, and circulation in connection with the moral dimension of literature. This paper1 attempts to broaden the application of brain text as well as ethical literary criticism through a detailed analysis of David Small’s graphic memoir Stitches. Comparing the life stories of David and his mother, we may find striking similarities: both fall victim to mental and physical violence inflicted by their family at a young age; however, their lives meet different ends. David eventually sets out on a promising journey towards becoming a writer and illustrator, far from his mother’s silent and painful death. Focusing on the opposing ethical choices made by Small and his mother despite their similar ethical environments, the paper1 contends that the detrimental familial and social environment not only has an adverse impact on the formation of one’s brain text (thus preventing one from making the right ethical choices), but also can impede the expression of one’s brain text. However, this does not mean that humans are completely powerless: the influence of the dominating social contexts can be effectively countered by constructing new brain text through the help of others and finding a new means of self-expression.