Travel Writing - Reflection on Guy Delisle’s Burma Chronicles

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of the full picture.

Delisle is a ‘civilized’, or rather, ‘Westernized’ man from Canada, who believes firmly in universal human rights. His background clashes with the authoritarian Burma, and there are many times where he tried to take lightly of the political situation in Burma by posing himself as ‘ignorant’, the one who feels ‘out of the fray’ when put in a serious discussion about the many issues that are plaguing Burma, say, ‘restraints on freedom’ and ‘working permits that are getting increasingly difficult to get’. The subject matter is grim and bleak, and to explain the issues in words would be like reading one of those report replicates from human rights organizations. Jamming a couple of speech bubbles into one tiny box could be the best way to highlight the issues, and to avoid being repetitive, thus minimizing the power of the scene. The ending scene left Delisle in a standalone panel, wearing a resigned look, not knowing what to say. This scene serves as a powerful closing to the episode. It implies that political issues have become part of people’s lives and discussing it has become a routine, which is somewhat a painful acknowledgement of the cruel reality. He got this message across with a clever layout design and use of light and shadows. Grey occupied much of the space in the last panel, and when whiteness made way for grey, a darker color, the protagonist has once again returned to the spotlight. The caption narrates the scene perfectly and we are left to ponder the social ills prevalent in the country as the inner monologue of the protagonist sinks in.

Pictures are also very effective in addressing one of the most famous cases of political imprisonment in the world. In the section where the book introduces Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese political dissident, readers only see the outline of Aung San’s house, and also the miniature Aung San inside. The house stood out because of the way it is drawn. Delisle put her residence between ordinary houses, and the house contrasted nicely with the ordinary, colored houses. The message is clear here. Aung San is no different than any other Burmese citizen, only a little more patriotic, and a little braver. But she has been reduced to a barely recognizable face in the picture, she looked so small, and powerless, because she was kept prisoner for long. This image goes well with the narration in the panel. It can be said that without the narration, readers can still feel the power of the message.

In conclusion, the illustrator has used different drawing techniques thoughtfully to create a captivating story that served the travelogue justice.