Music touches us emotionally where words alone cannot. Music is an opinion, embraced by different generations and enjoyed by everyone. Everyone has a favorite song, and attached to that song are generally good memories that carry a nostalgic feeling. Music isn’t just art, it’s a connection to emotion and expression.

Music as a word alone in the first slide allows the viewer to understand what the story is going to be about, as well as to let them focus in on symbols relating to music throughout the story. The picture is a plain grey background with the word “music” on it. The grey background represents the meaning of music or a song to different people. Different types of music are enjoyed by different types of people, and people relate to music in completely different ways. The grey background symbolizes the interpretation of music by different people and what emotion they experience from listening to it. By centering the word and putting it in an area of contrasting colors, the image draws sole attention to the text displayed in the image. By doing so, the author forces the viewer to focus directly on the subject of music. 

The first picture is of a young boy who appears to be distraught. The author puts only the front of the boy’s face in focus. The close-shot allows the viewer to look at nothing other than the face of the boy. The viewer is forced to focus on the emotion the child is showing. His lowered eyes which appear almost red, along with his hands on his faced are used to show how upset the boy is. If the boy’s eyes were open and looked happy the expression on his face would be entirely different. Along with the overall expression on the boy’s face, his hands placed the way they are, add further emphasis that is in a poor mood. Sadness in the boy used a way to set up the story for achieving happiness. The author wants the reader to focus on the emotion of the boy from the beginning so they can see how his emotion changes throughout the story. By placing the image of the sad boy after the image of music, the theme that music will affect the young boy is obvious. 

In the second picture it is easy to tell to the young man is in college. There are books on the table and a calculator in the desk in front of him. The setting also appears to be a dorm like room. With a small bed and little space. The items and small space in the background give meaning to the story by showing that the young man in the photo is in college. By making it known the young man is in college, it can be inferred that he is educated and knowledgeable. Also, since the illustrator added the subject of music to the story in the first image, it is possible to spot vinyl records hanging up in the background of the image and put further meaning into the picture. The vinyl records are used to show that the college kid has an appreciation and understanding of music. 

The added text added in the second and third image give context to the story. It allows the viewer to understand what the story is about and that the two characters are communicating.  By putting the two people in the different pictures, the reader is forced to apply their focus to the body language and expression in both pictures. If the characters were placed in the same image it would also take away from the settings both characters are in. The boy lacks a setting because the author wants the reader to strictly pay attention to the emotion the boy is showing. If the boy’s face wasn’t in focus or was placed farther back in a setting the image would lose the sole purpose of displaying his emotion. The young man in college also requires a setting of his own. Because of the intentionally placed object in the background, if the reader was focused on two characters it would be harder to find what the author wants the reader to see. 

The fourth image displays how the college kid is going to help the young boy. The outstretched arm with headphones in hand shows that the college kid is offering the headphones to the young boy. The headphones are used as a symbol of music as well as to convey the individual expression of music. The author purposely chooses headphones, and more specifically headphones that can’t be used by more than one person, because it is much more personal than a speaker or other type of audio device. By making it more of a personal connection, the reader is given the idea that music is a way of self expression. The young man giving the boy headphones represents that college student already understands the power of music, and that he is now sharing his knowledge with the younger kid. By looking at the image it is possible to tell that it is still the young man in college. The dorm room setting is still the same. The computer charger, backpack and fire sprinkler, are all objects that wouldn’t be in someone’s room if they weren’t in a dorm. That, combined with the same room appearing to be the same one in the background of the second picture, makes it evident it’s the same character. 

The author purposely chooses the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams in the fifth image to make it obvious to the reader what feeling will be expressed by the young boy. The boy at the computer gives meaning to the story by showing that he is the one listening to the song. Including the amount of views and likes in the photo, shows the volume of people music touches. With 800 million views and over 3 million likes it is obvious that the song “Happy” is one that has affected the lives of many, which contributes to the theme. The boy’s expression has also changed drastically from the first picture to this image. It is possible to tell that he is no longer sad by his changed body language. The boy no longer is covering his face with his hands, his eyes now have a look of focus instead of sadness, and the photo is taken at a farther distance to show more of the setting, rather than just his upset expression.

The final image is the picture that exaggerates the change in emotion music gives a person. The boy is now happy. His hand over his head as if he has just made the game winning shot, along with his facial expression is a clear giveaway of his changed mood. Again, the picture is only focused in on the boy. This is done to have the reader only focus in on what matters in the photo. Headphones on the boy’s head are also crucial to continuing the theme of the story. They are placed there to show that the college kid giving him the headphones, and having him listen to music, actually changed his mood. The most important part of the image however, is the text at the bottom. The words “Music touches us emotionally where words alone cannot” is included in the image to not only to make sure the reader understands the theme of the story that music is a direct connection to emotion.

Music is an incredible form of art. It touches people where words alone cannot. It isn’t something just enjoyed by one person, rather a community of people that come together to listen to the story an artist tells. It can change emotions or create memories with others that will last a life time. The author in this graphic writing, created a story that did just that. He used only two characters, music, and the power behind it to change the temperament of a young, distraught boy.
