This document outlines a research study on whether graphic novels can be considered literature. It will focus on Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus: A Survivor's Tale as a case study. The study will apply literary elements such as plot, symbols, characters, themes, tone, and setting to Maus in order to determine if graphic novels exhibit the qualities of literature. The research aims to contribute to the debate around classifying graphic novels as a legitimate literary form.

1. The Setting of Hawthorne’s works The Scarlet Letter and
“Young Goodman Brown”: an ecocritical study
I. Introduction
Hence, this paper will provide an ecocritical study of the use of
setting, its symbolic representation, and its effect on characters
in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and The Scarlet
Letter.
II. Research questions
1. What does society represent in both stories?
2. What does nature represent in both stories?
3. How does the setting affect the character’s emotions,
personalities?
4. What is the characters’ attitude towards nature and society in

2. both stories?
III. Literature review
Boonyaprasop, M., 2012. "A Forest Walk" - The Concept of
Nature in Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" and "The
Scarlet Letter". s.l.:GRIN Verlag.
This book suggests that in order to understand the symbols that
are found in the two stories, it is critical to first understand
Hawthorne’s relation to nature. By citing the two stories, the
book depicts that the symbolism used in the stories portrays the
setting of nature as evil. Specifically, the book’s focus is on
the use of nature symbolism as well as the underlying moral
intention.
Brown, D. (1973). Literature and Existential Psychoanalysis:
"My Kinsman, Major Molineaux" and "Young Goodman Brown.
Canadian Review of Academic Studies, 65-73.
This journal article goes beyond the physical setting of the text
and addresses it from a psychological viewpoint. While it
acknowledges the literary meaning of the setting, the focus is on
the psychological allusion, citing aspects such as the cries
within the setting. In other words, there is more than meets the
eye, more than the physical setting.
Graham, W. C., 1999. Gothic Elements and Religion in
Nathaniel Hawthorne's Fiction. s.l.:Tectum Verlag.
In this book, the author highlights how Hawthorne manipulates
his setting to add to the ambiguity of the story and bring out the
theme of evil in relation to the setting of nature. The author
provides examples in the story where there is the perversion of

3. settings into the vehicle of evil.
Hurley, P. J. (1966). Young Goodman Brown's "Heart of
Darkness. American Literature, 410-419.
The setting of evil is in this journal article related to the nature
of man. The author describes man as primarily evil. As such,
the author highlights that man’s inherent nature was aligned to
the setting in the text to build the theme of evil.
Levy, L. .. (1975). The Problem of Faith in "Young Goodman
Brown. The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, 375-
387.
This article takes into account the psychological analysis of
consciousness in the text. It defines this as the predisposition to
evil. In other words, the source relates the build-up of the
setting to a psychological aspect.
McNamara, A. M. (1956). The Character of Flame: The
Function of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter. American Literature,
537-553.
As far as this article is concerned, setting and the nature of evil
are concepts primarily based on the characters. In other words,
the source relates the characters to the setting, describing how
most of them find them in enabling-evil settings, and how this
relates to their overall role.
Nudelman, F. (1997). Emblem and Product of Sin": The
Poisoned Child in The Scarlet Letter and Domestic Advice
Literature. The Yale Journal of Criticism, 193-213.
The article essentially describes the setting as being symbolic in
the text. Specifically, it relates the setting to a product of sin.
Darkness begets sin. This article looks at each aspect of the
setting from a wider lens and notes the subtle details in each.
Predmore, R. (1977). Night journey into the forest. The Journal
of Analytical Psychology, 250-257.
The article reviews the physical setting in the forest and how
this does not simply create a frightening experience but creates
a foundation upon which the theme of evil is anchored. This
physical setting evokes a feeling of fear and darkness to the
reader.

4. Renner, K. .. (2012). Hawthorne’s Pearl: The Origins of Good
and Evil in The Scarlet Letter. Critical Insights: Good and Evil,
160-172.
The peer-reviewed article addresses both the nature of good and
evil in the text. Of particular importance nonetheless is how the
themes are related to the setting and here, the author focuses on
the character Pearl. The concern is not on the physical setting
but on the metaphysical and how evil arises from this.
Obländer, D., 2012. A Study of Settings Appearing in "Young
Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. s.l.:GRIN Verlag.
This book is such a critical resource as it analyzes individual
settings in Young Goodman as well as the general setting in
overall. As the setting of evil is conversed in this book, the
source equally highlights what this allegory might imply. In
other words, the setting is connected to symbolism; symbolic of
evil.
IV. Methodology
To answer the given questions, the research aims to conduct
an ecocritical study of “Young Goodman Brown” and The
Scarlet Letter to understand the setting’s symbolic
representation and its effect on the characters’ emotions and
personalities. The ecocriticism theory will help in analyzing the
setting in both stories.
V. Tentative Outline:
I. Introduction
a. Setting in literature
b. Setting in Hawthorne’s works
c. Setting in “Young Goodman Brown”, The Scarlet Letter
d. Ecocriticism theory
e. thesis
II. Chapter one: Society
A. The representation of society in “Young Goodman Brown”
B. The representation of society in The Scarlet Letter
C. Society and characters

5. a. effect of society on characters in “Young Goodman Brown”
i. emotions
ii. personalities
b. characters’ attitude towards society in “Young Goodman
Brown”
c. effect of society on characters in The Scarlet Letter
i. emotions
ii. personalities
d. characters’ attitude towards society in The Scarlet Letter
III. Chapter two: Nature
A. The representation of nature in “Young Goodman Brown”
B. The representation of nature in The Scarlet Letter
C. Nature and characters
a. effect of nature on characters in “Young Goodman Brown”
i. emotions
ii. personalities
b. characters’ attitude towards nature in “Young Goodman
Brown”
c. effect of nature on characters in The Scarlet Letter
i. emotions
ii. personalities
d. characters attitude towards nature in The Scarlet Letter
VI. Conclusion
This paper will prove that Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the
same setting which is nature to represent two opposite ideas
(evil or benevolent) in his works “Young Goodman Brown” and
The Scarlet Letter.

6. Sample
Are Graphic Novels Literature: MAUS: a Survivor’s Tale as a
Model
Literature has an ever-broadening definition. Oxford
advanced learner’s English dictionary defines literature as a
piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. With such a
broad definition who is to say that newspapers, graffiti,
advertisement and even shopping lists are not literature. For
many years graphic novels have been considered immature and
lacking of literary qualities and the debate of whether or not
they are a form of literature has been put on pause. After the
winning of Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s
Tale with Pulitzer’s literary prize, and Alan Moore’s graphic
novel Watchmen being listed as one of all-time best novels by
Time magazine, the subject has been opened for debate again.
This research aims to address the highly controversial
topic of whether graphic novels are literature or not, and intends
to answer the question by conducting a study on Art
Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. The
presented research will try to answer the main question Are
Graphic Novels Literature?. The research will study Maus: a
Survivor’s Tale by applying elements of literature such as plot,
symbols, characters, themes, tone and setting.