40 pages • 1 hour read

Here

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Adult | Published in 2014

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 1-113

Pages 114-209

Pages 210-303

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Background

Genre Context: The Graphic Novel

Here, by Richard McGuire, is considered to be a transformative text in the graphic novel genre. Definitions of the graphic novel genre vary widely. It has its origins in the comics genre, but graphic novels are distinct from comics in their long-form storytelling and, often, in their deeper characterization and interest in complex, literary themes. The term “graphic novel” was first used in 1964 by the comics historian Richard Kyle, writing in the fanzine Capa-Alpha, but the graphic novel did not achieve widespread public awareness until the late 1980s, with the publication of Art Spiegelman’s Maus (1986) and David Gibbons and Alan Moore’s Watchmen (1987), both of which have been widely taught in high school and university literature courses. The primary differences between a comic and a graphic novel are the length, formatting, publication, and perceived subject matter. For many, graphic novels must include more serious adult themes that carry a message over a longer narrative. In fact, length and public perception are major factors in distinguishing graphic novels from comics. Even though graphic novels are considered more literary, they do share many aspects with comics. Both use the visual medium to tell a story and often use panels to frame moments of the stories. Dialogue is limited to the use of word-bubbles, visually connecting words to their speakers, though many graphic novels may also include written texts. This argument over what constitutes a graphic novel, however, is largely an English-language issue. Many non-Anglophone nations, like Japan and France, see no distinction between graphic novels and comics and do not limit or define different works by such categories. Comics are largely accepted as pieces of literature, not necessitating a different genre.

Authorial Context: Richard McGuire

Richard McGuire, the author of Here, is a renowned artist whose works often push the boundaries of the graphic novel genre—arranging panels in novel ways to create non-linear narratives that rely much more heavily on imagery than on words. Before turning to comics, McGuire began his career as a musician and street artist—his bass line on the 1982 song “Cavern,” by Liquid Liquid, is sampled by Grandmaster Flash in 1983’s “White Lines.” The first version of Here appeared in 1989 as a six-page short story in the experimental comics magazine RAW. Though it was a brief story published for a niche audience, it had an enormous and lasting impact on the genre. Describing the experience of reading this story immediately after its publication, the influential graphic novelist Chris Ware says, “It was the first time I had had my mind blown […] ‘Here’ blew apart the confines of graphic narrative and expanded its universe in one incendiary flash” (Ware, Chris. “Chris Ware on Here by Richard McGuire.” The Guardian, 2014). Twenty-five years later, McGuire expanded this black-and-white short story into a full-length graphic novel in vibrant color, published by Pantheon Books.

McGuire’s work in Here depends greatly on the intersection of minimalist design and complex themes. Here explores the complexity of the human experience and the fluidity of time, all while weaving together different styles of art to create a narrative. By focusing on the same corner of a room over time, McGuire weaves together different narratives separated by centuries and decades to create similar moments that connect the characters. Though Here rarely offers more than a momentary glimpse into any one life, these glimpses add up to a cohesive, non-linear narrative spanning centuries. By layering many panels on top of the same scene, McGuire produces one view of the same space with pieces from different years. This creates a new narrative of the space, existing outside of linear and connected time. This allows him to make statements about human nature over long stretches of time as well as demonstrate how time can change people.

Historical Context: Benjamin and William Franklin

Benjamin and William Franklin are two of the few characters actually named in Here. William was the only son of Benjamin Franklin, and for much of his life, he followed in his father’s footsteps, traveling with him and learning from his experiences. This education culminated in William entering politics in the decade before the American Revolution: “When George III became King, William was appointed Royal Governor of New Jersey” (Braun, Kathryn. “Divided Loyalties: Benjamin and William Franklin.” Monticello, 21 Mar. 2021). As Royal Governor, William lived in a home built by the Proprietors of East Jersey, the same home depicted throughout Here (“Proprietary House.” New Jersey Historic Trust). When tensions with the King began to arise in the colonies, and the Revolution began, a divide opened between William and his father. While William became a Loyalist, committed to British sovereignty over the colonies, Benjamin Franklin supported the Revolution: “Benjamin Franklin, sometimes referred to as a reluctant revolutionary, hoped at first that differences with the British could be resolved. When he did join the revolutionary cause, though, he was ‘all in’” (Braun). Benjamin Franklin became a staunch revolutionary and tried to bring his son to his side, though William did not budge. This even culminated in a visit to William’s New Jersey home, possibly the visit depicted in Here: “In August 1775 Franklin traveled to New Jersey to convince William to join the rebellion...William refused, remarking that if his father was determined to set the colonies on fire, he trusted that ‘he would take care to run away by the light of it’” (Braun). William’s insistence that his father was on the wrong side of the conflict drove a wedge between them that was never repaired. William was eventually arrested and imprisoned during the Revolutionary War, after which he left for London, where he lived until his death.