• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.43
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• pp.231-254
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• 2016

The graphic novel is seemed different from comics in two aspects, visual expression and narrative value. However, they are ambiguous standards, so it needs to research each works of graphic novel deeper. Then this paper studied both of visual expression and narrative in Craig Thompson's "Habibi" that has been recognized a fine graphic novel. As the research about how the modes of expression that an American author choose on purpose to represent an arab female are related with narrative, it will get the point of narrative strategy that graphic novel can have potentially. So It studied new modes of expression as focusing on imagination of arab letters and woman growth-narrative by using Gayle Rubin's 'traffic in women' theory, and how it was related with modes of expression in graphic novel. This paper will be helpful for broadening spectrum of expression in graphic novel as comics media having own narrative form and studying graphic narrative potential.