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An example of one story type, a newspaper, which changes the meaning of the contents. While other types might have the protagonist narrating and therefore giving access to inner thoughts, this feels more impersonal, as Branford's life is described through the lens of an impartial narrator. This helps us better understand the life of Branford, as he feels isolated from his peers and unheard

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An example of layout being used to great effect, with the protagonist's thoughts extending into the panel border

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Two photos from the large hardcover that act as real-life artifacts

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A creative layout used at the beginning of the hardcover, where the entire page acts almost as a "panel" and thoughts are interconnected. The reader does not know where to look next and has to decide each path, as words are backwards, upside down, sideways, and more

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A more traditional layout, where the reader knows where to go next

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The building is personified throughout these pages, one poignant example being "the building... rather enjoyed the companionship of its upper level inhabitants, embarrassed as it was by the crumbling walls, sagging floors, and cracking windows"

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We learned that life is not a single linear experience, but rather a collection of experiences that we interpret in different ways as individuals. Meaning is constantly being negotiated and renegotiated because of this complexity, and we should not be dwelling on things when they don't make sense because, eventually, time will unravel the mystery.

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People interact with scenarios from different perspectives in almost every instance. Without working in a group, reading this story can feel jumbled and nonsensical. However, sharing perspectives and each member's interpretations creates a more wholistic version of each character and the story as a whole.

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This novel's presence as a series of separate mediums would not be possible if it were not a graphic novel. The use of formal elements outlined in this pallet, as well as Ware's ability to provide some sections with zero dialogue allows for themes to develop that would otherwise not be possible with words alone

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Through our reading process, we were able to learn how the differing mediums and timelines of each section have an impact on the understanding of the story. Connecting the dots from differing perspectives allowed each reader to have a unique understanding of the lives of each character. The "main" character's life is one of hardship and internal turmoil, which is perceived differently based on what point a reader begins learning her story

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There are different story forms for a few different reasons, the first being that if they were all the same format -- a book, for example -- time would flow much more linearly, and there would be a more singular means of understanding. For example, if all were books, each would be considered a different chapter or installment in the same story rather than seeing how everything is both individual and collective simultaneously. Moreover, different genre conventions for each story mean that we interpret each in a much different way. The newspaper, for example, is a very specific artifact that alters the meaning of the story within. In having different story types, we can continuously re-understand how each story fits into the larger narrative and themes.

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We each looked the different comics separately and formed our own opinions and ideas about how the stories connected. After, we would talk and come to an agreement with the meaning and connection to the other stories that were included. This allowed us to hear everyones thoughts and learn more from other peoples' perspectives. This was also helpful because it led us to help people in our team understand or notice things that might have been missed.

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While we mostly talked about performed authenticity for memoirs, I think there is a version of it going on here. With all of the different types of text that are experimented with (newspapers, books, comics, pamphlets, etc.), the lives we are reading about feel much more tangible and real. Even throughout each text, there are examples of performed authenticity, such as in the large hardcover book when there are "photos" in the middle of the page depicting the nanny and family. This is strengthened by the intimate and complex detail, and realism in the deep interconnectedness between the characters. A sense of realism is brought up by the level if intimacy reader witnesses. We tend to question the sexually uncomfortable less, therefore strengthening the authenticity. In this way, the lives feel more real and the experiences become valid.

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We are reading this very interesting graphic novel to help us gain a better understanding of different ways writers and artists can connect different stories into one. This story does not necessarily have one single plot that it follows throughout the duration of the novel. Instead, there are many different side stories that occur to create a very broad story line connected with artwork. As you read the story about Branford the bee, the reader can see small hints to connections such as the empty soda can. This soda can be seen in other storylines that connect each with the apartment building. One aspect that is important when plot is not is connection. Connection between stories allows you to dive more into the different characters seen in the comics and learn about their backgrounds, ultimately seeing why they all live or work in the apartment. Another aspect that is important that was mentioned above is detail. All of the small details in each comic eventually come together to add to the big picture.

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I've said it a few times, but I think the theme of the novel is how every moment of our lives is intrinsically connected and that the flow of time is not linear but rather constructed by us. Ware plays with layout consistently to execute this idea, and one of my favorite examples of this is in the large hardcover book a few pages in when our protagonist first learns that the wife in the family she is nannying for is having an affair. On the bottom right and middle, we see an interaction between the nanny and child playing together followed immediately by the admission that since she learned of the affair, she had become much more protective of the child. In the next panel, she is seen lying on the couch with a thought bubble that extends upward and out of the panel, transforming the normal border into a void that suggests she is thinking back on the events of the page in the current panel. In this way, we can see that events do not simply end immediately, but rather persist in our memories as meaning is continually negotiated. This also shows that she became more protective of the child because her consciousness frequently lingers on him.

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This text experiments with the reader's immediate perception of the characters and events. The reader tends to judge and form opinions on characters based on initial impression, meaning their interpretation of the character's actions and thoughts are tainted by this. It is also very easy for the reader to look less in detail towards the story because they are made uncomfortable by the sexual and dark themes. Therefore, each reader "builds" a different story.

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How: Each Reader "Builds" a Different Story

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How: Each Reader "Builds" a Different Story

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With this story (or series of stories) having no direct, clear starting point, each reader within the group will likely begin their journey through the story at different points. Due to this, each reader's interpretation of the characters' personalities, themes, and key plot points will differ. For example, If one reader started in the section that has the one legged lady living in the apartment alone, that reader will be viewing stories about her and her ex-husband as flashbacks rather than current events. Reading in this manner allows the reader to absorb these past events as hindsight, and to use these past stories to better understand this version of her that the reader was introduced to in their first reading. Conversely, if they were to start with a section where she is in her younger years, the reader would be viewing these events without any sense of the end result. Additionally, The point at which one starts the story will lead to some degree of anchoring bias. Regardless of where the reader starts, they will view the first section they read as the focal point, leaving each reader to "build" each story in their own (almost unique) way.

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There is noticeably a routing of conventional formal elements in "Building Stories." For example, the layout of panels in traditional graphic novels is usually arranged so that the reader knows exactly where to go next and can easily follow the progression of events. However, Ware frequently makes panels overlap and connect to each other and oftentimes puts unrelated stories in the middle of others, making it difficult to know where to go next. However, this perfectly aligns with the novel's message: in life, we aren't always sure where "next" is. Sometimes "next" doesn't become apparent until we explore our options and can see how everything connects. Life gets blurry at times, which is completely normal in a world where we often expect everything to come in a tight, neatly packaged format.

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Theme: Passage of time/ seasonal changes

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Theme: Passage of time/ seasonal changes

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Time is a recurring theme in the book, as the stories span many years and highlight the changes that occur in the characters' lives. In "Days," the woman on the third floor reflects on the repetition of her daily routine and the passage of time, while in "Autumn," the elderly couple reflects on their lives and the time they have spent together.  In the panels below we are able to see the passage of time/the seasons pass on the apartment (physically, and psychologically within its residents). We are also able to see the Woman's daughter growing up being used as almost a "gauge" of the passage of time.

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Why is this Text so Difficult?: Complexity

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Why is this Text so Difficult?: Complexity

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The reason this text is so difficult and complex, at least in our eyes, is because too often we are concerned with interpreting things in a direct or literal way. For example, I'm sure just about everyone tried to figure out the chronological order of each piece when they first started this project, but that misses the point entirely. Life is a complex series of events and experiences, and we shouldn't try to understand everything all the time as if there is some linear, easy answer to be had. Sometimes things just happen, no matter how grand or mundane. A great quote that I love that I think connects back to this really well is "all the days that came and went, little did I know that was life." Each moment is significant in its own way and too often we take for granted the small things. We expect some grand story out of a book, but this models life and shows that it's okay to just exist sometimes. It's impossible to boil down a lifetime into something so small and simple, and the several characters just show this. They are all experiencing life and sometimes even the same events in their own different way, so there isn't one singular way of interpreting life or experiences; thereby the story. It's about your perceptions and what they mean to you, and that shapes your idea of the "bigger story".

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How does the act of reading this as a group impact how you understand the story? How would it be different if you had to read the whole thing by yourself?

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How does the act of reading this as a group impact how you understand the story? How would it be different if you had to read the whole thing by yourself?

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For us as college students (and me specifically as a senior), "Building Stories" feels very timely because it forces us to examine the nature of our lives. One example of this is the temporary nature of some places around us. In the "themes" section, I talked about how certain places like the building in the story feel alive because of the memories we associate with them, though the reality is that all of our experiences overlap. Especially in college, where we are assigned a new dorm each year, we feel as though certain rooms or dorms are ours and will always associate them as such. However, we forget that each year a new group of people moves in to create memories of their own and gives a whole to quality to the area. Buildings are a physical representation of the passage of time and the nostalgia we associate with them, and as college students we are especially aware of this fact. This level of interconnectedness is reflected in our reality, as well as in the story's. There is the social web that we interact with every day, as well as familiar faces we pass in the hallways or in Building Story's case, apartment

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There are many different story forms within the text. Why? Are there similarities? Differences?

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There are many different story forms within the text. Why? Are there similarities? Differences?

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The book explores the complex nature of relationships, including those between spouses, parents and children, and friends. In "Christmas Morning," the strained relationship between the couple on the fourth floor is highlighted, while in "Autumn," the elderly couple on the fifth floor reflects on the ups and downs of their long relationship. The theme of relationships is also explored in "Paper Dolls," which focuses on the couple on the second floor who are struggling to conceive a child.

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Why are we reading? What becomes important when plot is not?

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Why are we reading? What becomes important when plot is not?

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How does the structure of the story relate to its meaning?

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How does the structure of the story relate to its meaning?

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Throughout the novel, there are multiple objects that act as totems of nostalgia, and one of the best examples of this is the building itself. In the larger of the two hardcover books, we get an extended look into the building and its tenants on pages 5 and 6, where the building is extensively personified and described as having emotions and thoughts. When we examine this in the larger context of the book, we can see that this is relevant because us as humans tend to sentimentalize certain objects and areas, seemingly giving them a life of their own. We connect places with specific, vivid memories in the same way the building "remembers" the feeling of certain tenants. This connects to further themes because it shows our innate want to be remembered and cared for by others, which can especially be seen by the main character, who has trouble connecting with the people around her.

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Many of the characters in the book are lonely and isolated, despite living in close proximity to each other. In "Disconnect," the woman on the third floor is isolated due to her disability, while in "Half Full," the woman on the second floor feels alone and disconnected from her husband. The theme of loneliness is also explored in "The Seeing Eye Furniture," where the blind woman feels disconnected from the world around her.

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Many of the characters in the book have experienced loss and regret, and these themes are explored throughout the stories. In "Disconnect," the woman on the third floor has lost her leg, while in "Half Full," the woman on the second floor is dealing with the failure of her marriage. The theme of regret is also explored in "Autumn" as the elderly couple reflects on the mistakes they have made over the years.