READ: Yasuke (Graphic Biography)

Yasuke was an East African man who, for a brief period, became a powerful samurai in Japan during an era of intensifying exchange across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: skimming for gist

This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?

Second read: understanding content

For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.

By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:

Where was Yasuke likely from and how did he get to Japan?
What was Yasuke’s relationship with Oda Nobunaga?
What happened to Yasuke after Oda Nobunaga was killed?
What else do we know about Yasuke?
How does the artist’s depiction of Yasuke change across the page?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.

At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:

How does this biography of Yasuke support, extend, or challenge what you have learned about oceanic connections and networks in this period?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading .

Yasuke (Graphic Biography)

Writer: Bennett Sherry

Artist: Liz Clarke

Yasuke was an East African man who, for a brief period, became a powerful samurai in Japan during an era of intensifying exchange across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.

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