Pioneer Idioms
English Question?
Hey all!
I am writing a final paper (yay!) and I have a quick question about two sentences that seem awkward.
The first is: In creating Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth, Chris Ware seems to have begun with form and moved subsequently on to the idea, idiom, structure, craft and surface of the piece, which makes him a prime example of McCloud’s “pioneer” and “visionary” (McCloud 179:2).
Did I use “Begun” correctly here or should it be “began”?
Thanks so much!!!
The second is: According to McCloud’s definitions in Understanding Comics (McCloud 179: 2, 180: 1), Chris Ware is a pioneer or visionary for his graphic novel, Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth, while Art Spiegelman is considered a storyteller for the way he conveys his message in Maus.
Is this sentence a run-on? Please note that Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth is the title of the book.
The verb in the first sentence is correct. On another note, it seems that this is a thesis paper so I suggest you remove the “seems to have begun” from the beginning of the sentence and replace it with “began”. Having that piece makes it sound as if you are doubting whether you believe the statement to be true or not and weakens the argument.
The second sentence is not a run-on. It clearly explains what you are trying to argue.
Good luck on your paper.
