Drama is a graphic novel written by American cartoonist Raina Telgemeier which centers on the story of Callie, a middle school student and theater-lover who works in her school's drama production crew. While navigating seventh grade, Callie deals with tween hardship, including confusing crushes, budding friendships, and middle school drama. It is a coming-of-age story that explores themes of friendship, teamwork, inclusion, and determination through Callie and her relationship with the people around her.
Although the novel has received much praise for the normalization of the LGBTQ community and consequently winning multiple awards, it has also been the source of much controversy. Drama has appeared in the American Library Association's list of top ten most challenged books for its inclusion of LGBTQ characters and ultimately became the seventh-most banned book between 2010 and 2019.
Background In an interview with School Library Journal, author Raina Telgemeier responds to a question about her inspiration for the graphic novel by saying she wrote from her life experiences, such as what she felt, saw and knew. Although Drama is a work of fiction, she draws from her personal experiences to create content. In high school, Telgemeier was in the choir and sang in the ensemble for many school plays, which ultimately drew her inspiration for writing Drama. Several characters in the graphic novel are based on real people in Telgemeier's own personal life. The twin brothers, Jesse and Justin, resemble two of Telgemeier's actual friends, and their in-book personalities mirror their real-life personalities. Although Telgemeier originally intended the characters to be high schoolers, Scholastic believed the setting was more appropriate for middle school.
The graphic novel itself combines both manga and comic forms, which the author frequently read while growing up. Telgemeier has since continued to write graphic novels with a similar growing up theme for her four other novels of Sisters, Smile, Guts, and Ghosts.Goedhart, Bernie (March 23, 2013). "The drama of middle school". The Gazette. Retrieved May 2, 2019 via newspapers.com.
Summary Callie is a member of the stage crew at Eucalyptus Middle School. While walking home with her friends Greg and Matt, the former reveals he has broken up with his girlfriend Bonnie, prompting Callie to kiss him. The next day, the stage crew have a meeting where teacher Mr. Madera and student stage manager Loren announce the spring musical to be the Civil War-era romance Moon Over Mississippi. While Callie is ecstatic to lead set design for the production, Matt reveals to her later in the day that Bonnie has reached out, demonstrating little interest in a relationship with Callie.
As the stage crew prepares for auditions, Callie pitches ambitious plans for the set including a prop cannon that can fire and a magnolia to shake leaves from during the romantic climax; though skeptical of its feasibility, Mr. Madera and Loren approve her proposal. Callie later posts notices for auditions when she meets twin brothers Justin and Jesse Mendocino. The extroverted Justin looks forward to auditioning, but introverted Jesse is too nervous. Callie meets up with best friend Liz, who is in charge of costuming for the musical, to works on their respective ideas.
The next day, Callie goes to the mall with Justin and Jesse after school, where she shows the latter her favourite book: a detailed catalogue of broadway set designs from the 1910s and 1920s. As they wait for the twins' father to arrive, Justin begins singing the male lead's part he has prepared for the audition; Jesse surprises Callie by joining with the female lead's section. Though Jesse again refuses to audition, Callie convinces him to join the stage crew. The next day, a rude remark from Matt angers Callie; she decides not to eat lunch with the stage crew like she normally does as Matt is a member and instead eats with Justin. Justin reveals he is gay; though surprised, Callie is strongly supportive and hugs him as they are found by Matt and Liz.
Callie and Jesse watch the auditions for Moon Over Mississippi, being impressed by the auditions of Justin, Bonnie and a third student, West. When the cast is announced, West and Bonnie are given the lead roles of Bailey and Maybelle; Justin is cast as Colonel Scrimshaw, the comic relief. Jesse officially joins the stage crew as the production gets underway; this allows Callie to spend more time with Jesse. Callie uses the time to try to test whether Jesse has feelings for her; around the same time, West and Bonnie reveal they are dating. Callie confesses her crush on Jesse to Liz, who suggests that Callie invite him to the upcoming school dance. Too nervous to take that course of action, Callie instead invites Jesse back to the bookstore; instead, Jesse gets his father to drive him, Callie and Justin to a bookstore specialising in theatre. The car trip inadvertently reveals that Mr. Mendocino does not know Justin is gay.
With one week before the shows begin, Loren reveals the production is significantly behind on ticket sales. In response, Callie organises to demonstrate the prop cannon to the student body with great success. The first two nights of the musical are a success, with the only problem being a fall by West, injuring his knee. Bonnie's self-centred reaction to the injury in addition to Justin revealing that Bonnie asked him to help her cheat on a test prompts West to break up with her just prior to the third and final show. During intermission, Bonnie locks herself in a supply closet and refuses to continue; with her understudy unavailable, Jesse plays the role for the second act. Though the crew and audience are shocked, his performance received raucous applause. After the play, Jesse asks Callie to the dance.
Though the two are enjoying themselves at the dance, Jesse excuses himself to go to the bathroom. After venting to Liz and looking for over two hours, Callie finds Jesse talking to West outside; it is strongly implied both are gay. Though Callie is understanding, a thoughtless comment from Justin causes her to storm off. She runs into Greg, who apologises for how he treated her and asks her to be his girlfriend. Callie rejects him, walking home by herself.
Jesse and Callie make up, while Matt also admits feelings for Callie and apologises for his rudeness to her. At the final stage crew meeting, the graduating Loren reveals to the crew that he will recommend Callie take over as stage manager the following year.
Genre and style Drama can be classified as a graphic novel because of the integration of text and comic style art.Karen MacPherson, Scripps Howard, News Service. "Raina Telgemeier Goes for 'Drama' After Dental Pain of 'Smile'." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA), 2012, NewsBank. Web.
This particular genre of Drama has received praise from visual literacy and critical reading professor Meryl Jaffe. Jaffe believes that Telgemeier's illustrations a "sense of place, touch, and feel" which allow readers to further connect with the characters and events in the book, as compared to a regular novel. Jaffe suggests that the depiction of a diverse student body helps to normalize the process of coming out. The diversity featured in the illustrations convey that everyone, regardless of appearance or background, experience similar challenges with self-identity. She argues that Telgemeier's creative decisions, such as using facial expressions to reveal emotion and color to express mood, allow readers to better comprehend the complexities of the situations that the characters experience. Through her illustrations, Telgemeier is able to successfully address difficult subjects, specifically the LGBTQ relationships depicted in Drama.
The graphic novel genre of Drama is also praised by college librarian Eti Berland, who contends that the use of the graphic novel style allows readers to imagine themselves in the book. By having a visual representation of the challenges the characters face, readers not only develop a more personal understanding of LGBTQ experiences, but also gain a better sense of empathy for others in similar situations outside of the novel. For readers who identify as LGBTQ, Berland argues that Telgemeier's positive depiction of LGBTQ characters in Drama serves to validate their experiences, and make them feel more included in modern literature.
Professor of literature Michelle Ann Abate emphasizes certain issues with Telgemeier's graphics. She claims that the illustrations and creative choices in the novel carry white supremacist and racist overtones. For example, Abate points out that West Redding, who bears a striking resemblance to Ashley Wilkes from the movie Gone with the Wind, is the only character in the book whose eye color is depicted. With his blue eyes, blond hair, and role as the male lead for the play Moon Over Mississippi, West seems to symbolize "white racial purity." Another aspect Abate finds troubling is the similarity between Justin performing a dance routine in the school play and the caricature of Jim Crow performing a minstrel dance. This is especially emphasized because Justin plays a comedic role in the performance, similar to the role Jim Crow. Abate argues that the uncanny resemblance between Telgemeier's illustrations and racially charged images presents a tension that complicates the issue of race in Drama, and renders the novel much less progressive than most critics believe.
Analysis
Presentation of questioning identity and coming out College librarian Eti Berland credits Raina Telgemeier for using Justin's coming out to show that sharing one's sexual identity is an important aspect of adolescent life. Justin casually reveals his sexual orientation to Callie, conveying the message that coming out has become increasingly normalized in young people's lives.
Berland states that Jesse's case is more complex as he learns to come to terms with his sexual identity. His process of coming out is slow and closely related to his fear of being judged. Performing in the play is a major catalyst to the development of his identity as he comes to terms with his sexuality. Despite the initially worrisome situation Jesse finds himself in after ditching Callie in the school play, his coming out story is "challenging but affirming" where he finds an accepting and supportive community.
West's process of coming out is still burgeoning. He displays signs of perpetually self-questioning tweens who "recognize the fluidity of identity." He represents the idea that the "gay-straight divide" is slowly fading by continuously doubting his sexuality without selecting a label, "still doesn't know if he's really gay, or whatever the character its self is probably pan or bi." Due to this, West is able choose what he wants to self-identify as.
Portrayal of hegemonic masculinity Berland states that Raina Telgemeier portrays hegemonic masculinity or in other words toxic masculinity in Drama through the experiences of Matt and Jesse, who struggle in adhering to institutional and "social structures" such as dating and sports. In Matt's case, the pressure of society to conform to the ideals of "real men" is more pronounced. Matt says, "Their stuff's way too cutesy for me," in an attempt to assert masculine authority over Callie. Another instance of this is when he displays his "craving for dominance" by telling Callie to focus less on the performers with the "intention of becoming the object of her affections." In the end, Matt expresses remorse for his actions and resists hegemonic masculinity.