What stood out to me most after reading Nick Drnaso’s “Sabrina” was the way in which the work highlighted the successes of the graphic novel as a medium of storytelling. As stated in The Chicago School of Media Theory’s page on “graphic novel,” a novel’s success can be found in its realism of storytelling and ability to accurately portray the human experience. I believe that the interaction between the text and illustrations in “Sabrina” made for an authentic representation of the human experience and the world we live in.

The use of drab, muted colors in the illustrations of Calvin’s home allude to the tragic nature of the situation that brings him and Teddy together before the reader is even made aware of Sabrina’s murder. The dreary colors provide a sense of the loss of hope and meaning that pervade both Teddy and Calvin’s lives; Teddy doesn’t know how to make sense of Sabrina’s death and Calvin doesn’t know how best to support Teddy while he processes the tragedy. The minimalist illustrations and measured line work emphasize a similar feeling of being lost, especially when it comes to the characters’ facial expressions. 

I agree with Lucy’s point that the lack of text across multiple panels made the grief in those scenes more poignant. For example, on page 63, Sandra’s breakdown is followed by several text-less panels. This empty wandering and the sense of hopelessness present is better represented by no words at all than by narrative description. Sandra is pictured on the floor of her home, and it’s left up to the reader to interpret her facial expressions and positioning to determine what she is thinking and feeling in these panels. This effectively begs the reader to attempt to empathize with Sandra. Overall, Drnaso’s “Sabrina” has given me a greater appreciation for the graphic novel’s ability to succinctly portray the human experience in a way that forces the reader to consciously use the tools of the medium to empathize with the characters and interpret the work.