Typography


 * Kristy Nigbur and Jeanette Schmalz**

Typography- The design, theory, and art of creating characters for printing. - The arrangement of type involving the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, line spacing, letter spacing (tracking), and kerning. -Typography can be used by an author to draw attention to things like plot and character change, point out importance, and can even be used to direct a reader twords a certain point of view and emotion that the author wants to portray.

~Examples from The Plot Against America:

"KEEP AMERICA OUT OF THE JEWISH WAR"
 * Page 177:

This is a good example of the rule of typography because it draws the reader's attention to the passage because it is in all capital letters and is spaced away from the writing proceeding and following it. This is a good example and time to use typography because the author forces the reader to pay attention to the passage because it breaks the normal pattern of text. This particular passage contributes to the reader's overall understanding of the novel because it represents one of the largest contreverisal events in the novel.

"//Drawn from the Archives of Newark's Newsreel Theater"//
 * Page 301:

This example represents the rule of typogrphy well because like the first example it draws the reader's attention by being spaced away from the fonts around it. Also it's in italics unlike the rest of the content before and after the passage which easily catches the reader's eye. This was important for the author to do because it helps to let the reader to realize that there is a reason to pay attention to what is comming and importance relevant to the chapter or novel as a whole may be found. This helps to contribute to the meaning of the novel because it draws the reader's attention to the theater where Philip Roth's father stays updated on the election and everything to do with politics which then the reader learns and builds twords one of the main themes which is very important because it plays a large role in the novel.

~Examples of Typography outside of novels:

Advertisement in newspapers is a good example of the rule of typography. The [|titles of articles] are usually centered and written in a different font to draw attention to the article so that the reader becomes intrested and continues reading. This is also shown when businesses advertise their products to attract the reader in hope of making sales. This is done through bold or italic font, that makes a statement to the reader in a quick way.

[|Billboards] are another good example of typography. Many times, the main writing will be in a bold, larger or more colorful font than the less important information on the billboard. In the picture shown in the link, typography is used through the outlining of the text in an attention grabbing color. It is noticably larger and more obvious than the phone number. This is done to get the readers attention before they know what product they are dealing with.