Hailed as one of the greatest pieces of Canadian literature by well, Canadians and by comics fans as emotionally resonant, Essex County had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, it delivers on the most part and delivers a trio of interconnected stories in a style that recollects Thompson's Blankets. Here are the discussion questions:
1. What do
you think Jeff Lemire set out to do in writing Essex County?
2. Jeff
Lemire writes both traditional superhero comics and these independent
autobiographical comics. Most authors
only do one or the other. Why?
3. What is
the significance of the bird?
4. How do the
characters in Essex County deal with
grief and loss?
5. What is a
superhero to Lester?
6. How does Essex County differ from other similar
graphic novels such as Blankets?
7. Critics
applaud Lemire's subtlety and his ability to set a mood. How does he accomplish this?
8. Like Concrete, Lemire revels in the mundane. What differences are there in his prose that
makes for more or less riveting storytelling?
9. The
stick-tapping scene is often cited as an example of Lemire's talents. What does this scene accomplish?
10. Lemire
creates conflict between characters by having them communicate poorly or in
some cases, not communicate at all. Is
this a contrived way of creating conflict or does it ring true to the way
people behave?
11. What is
the importance of the setting? Could the
same story take place elsewhere?
12. How did
you feel about the loose line art style?
What mood or visual feel does it give in comparison to Habibi's intricate page designs and
mosaics?
