A comic about life, not just superheroes!
This book has resonated with me since the first time I read it in the Fall of 2017, and until I read it again recently, I had no idea why. The plot follows the life of its central character, Brás de Oliva Domingos. Throughout the entirety of the narrative, Brás dreams of becoming a writer like his father. He also dies in every chapter, but hey, its a self described "meditation on life and death". The beauty of life is juxtaposed with the morbid aspects to weave together a thought provoking story that implores the reader to consider the most important years, days, and moments of their own lives as they follow Brás through his.
Daytripper is so abstract that I found it difficult to quickly digest and write about for my comparative world literature class at the time. It conveys more of an intuitive understanding that manifests itself in the mind over time and after repeated reads. I've probably read it six or so times, a rarity in my reading ventures. Don't let the abstractness fool you into thinking that it is overly difficult to grasp, or that it's not a worthwhile read! Daytripper is without a shadow of doubt one of the better novels, graphic or print, in literal existence. Yeah, read that again. Bold take yes, but I said it. This work touches the soul, because the authors, Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá, poured theirs into it.
All this is to circle back around and say that I wanted to be a writer the whole time and never knew it. I believe reading Daytripper over the years helped to plant that seed in my mind and nourish it until I was ready to acknowledge its existence. (Of course a metaphorical seed, not a real one, because that would suck massively)
Anyways, a key take home point from the novel is that it repeatedly emphasizes the need for chasing one's dreams. There is a scene present in both the beginning and near the end in which Brás lucid dreams and finds himself sharing a boat with a deity of the sea hailing from Salvadorian lore, Iemanjá. The turbulent waters around them are full of baskets containing Brás's hopes and dreams. His whole life is laid out to him and made to appear simple - but there's a catch. Sooner or later they will all sink if he only observes and neglects to wholeheartedly chase his hopes and dreams. This is a lesson for all of us! It's easy to sit on the sidelines of life and only admire what we seek from afar without taking any real action towards making a desired reality possible. Sometimes it's even necessary for a short while, if only to allow ourselves a chance at a respite from the rigors of life that test our resolve every day. But the good fight rages on, and we must chase, battle, and seize opportunities that come before us, rather than allowing them to slip away forever. Life awaits!
Look at that! I just wrote about it! But seriously go read Daytripper. What are you waiting for?
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