67 pages • 2 hours read
Derf BackderfMy Friend Dahmer
Nonfiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Introduction
My Friend Dahmer
- Genre: Nonfiction; graphic novel; biography
- Originally Published: 2012
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 000L; Grades 9-12; college/adult
- Structure/Length: Prologue, 3 parts, epilogue; approximately 224 pages; approximately 3 hours, 20 minutes on audio
- Central Concern: The graphic novel explores the troubled adolescence of notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, known as the “Milwaukee Cannibal.” It provides a perspective of Dahmer’s high school years from the author Derf Backderf, who was actually a classmate of Dahmer’s.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Graphic depiction of violence and animal cruelty; depiction of addiction to alcohol and mental health conditions; references to sexual violence and murder
John “Derf” Backderf, Author
- Bio: Born 1959; former garbage man turned cartoonist; known for his unique perspective and distinct style; primarily works in the realm of graphic novels and comics; has been nominated for Eisner Awards, the highest honor in comics; work represents a blend of personal memoir, historical events, and social commentary
- Other Works: Trashed (2015); Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio (2020)
- Awards: Eisner Award (nominee, 2013); Angoulême Prize for Best Album (winner, 2014)
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- Lack of Social Support for Vulnerable Individuals
- Nature Versus Nurture
- Economic and Social Status of 1970s America
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:
