Photos
(35), letters (49, 62), and dictionary entries (57) can be found throughout the
novel's panels, adding more realism and a sense that "This really
happened" to her work. These additions of real-world evidence bring the
story very much to life in a way that drawings alone might otherwise not. It's
easy to forget when looking at a comic that the content goes a lot deeper than
the images; with the addition of all these indicators to the real world, it
becomes harder to mistake the characters as fictional.
The
repetition of varying scenes, most prominently the confession of Bechdel's
mother that the artist's father had been having affairs with young men, the
call that her father was dead, and the actual moment of his death, are repeated
a few times within the novel. This circling back to previous events reflects the
disjointedness of memory, giving the story another layer of reality. The very
timeline of the novel reflects how memory works. In real life, when we think of
something in the past, we don't just think of that one thing. We think of
several connected events or relationships, often thinking of important events
more than once as they act as a sort of focal point to the overall theme,
bringing us back again and again. In this case, those pivot points would be
Bechdel learning about her father's sexuality after admitting her own, the
moment when she found out he'd died, and his actual moment of death, the three
most repeated scenes. Since Fun Home
primarily deals with Bechdel and her father's sexuality as well as their
relationship and the latter's death, it makes sense that these moments would
keep reappearing.
Even
the tone works in bringing Bechdel's very specific, personal story to another
level of realism. Her cold, distant, sophisticated way of speaking shows the
type of family she grew up in as much as the scenes she chooses to portray. She
often chooses sophisticated references or word choice over simplicity, such as
when comparing herself to her father: "I was Spartan to my father's
Athenian. Modern to his Victorian. Butch to his Nelly. Utilitarian to his
aesthete" (15). The fact that the part in which she narrates this takes
places when she was a child, too, comes off as strange at first. But being
brought up by two artists and teachers, her father having a strong interest in
everything literary and everything being perfect, it's little wonder she speaks
with such finesse. The fact that she makes two historical references (her
father being a fanatic of historical restoration, and how he eventually dies as
he restores an old farm) and a reference to nicknames for people who dress opposite
to their biological gender (both Bechdel and her father being gay) gives heavy
foreshadowing of what is to come as well as revealing her father's further
influence on her. This detached, yet almost trademark style of speaking is reflective
of her upbringing, serving to show yet another layer of thought given to the
way Bechdel decided to tell her story.
I too agree that the presence of such heavy personal information given by Alison Bechdel gives the graphic novel a lot of depth and that equates it to a good novel. I also like the examples that you point out that show the instances where the story becomes reality. The way in which she writes does give a life-like feel to memoir she recounts. I really enjoyed your blog post about this, your perspective is very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how you have chosen to break down Bechdel’s personal writing style in your piece. Specifically I enjoyed how you incorporated memories into the piece. I had not thought about the fact that she seems to portray disjointed memories scattered through the tragicomic. I feel that the connection you have made with the way she chooses to tell her story and the formation of memories is brilliant. As I think back on the story, the key scenes she continues to reflect on are the scenes that she is imbedding into her audience’s mind. While these events may have happened, these are the memories she has made for her audience and this is how we, as the audience, will remember her father.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis on Bechdel’s use of tone is also very accurate. I feel that while the images she uses in the story add realism to the story, her tone is a more significant source of realism. I am more convinced the story is personal through her tone rather than the images. Her indifference towards her father’s death is more significant to me through her choice of wording.
I really enjoyed your post and the focus on realism in Fun Home. I found it to Alison's story to be very riveting I could not put it down. Her writing style is both dark and humorous at the same time and I found myself wondering what my memories would look like as a graphic novel. I think you were spot on with the repetition of three distinct moments in Alison's life she is hammering these three moments to emphasize their importance in the story as a whole, their importance in her as an individual and display facets of her personality.
ReplyDeleteThough I understand your point, I would question whether or not one's personal story of the past could be seen as an artistic expression of realism. If an account of a person's past is a retelling of what has already occurred to them, how is that an expression of realism? Doesn't a person seek to retell their past as accurately as possible in order to keep it true? If not, usually liberties are taken to make it either surreal or otherwise so fantastical that the intent is to make the story anything other than what it actually was. With all due respect intended, to state that a person is realistically telling a past story which exemplifies realism is redundant.
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand your point, I was more referring to how the artist used certain methods to make her piece feel like more than just a comic to readers. Obviously the story is realistic in the fact that it is real. But there can be varying states of believability for the reader. Does the story come off as fictionalized at any point? How "real" does it feel in its authenticity? How well are you able to sympathize with the characters and imagine them as (once-)living people, as opposed to just lines on a page? It's the same thing with any written story. Some parts can come off as doubtful or make you shake your head while others are written so well you could believe it as fact.
DeleteI think it’s interesting that you highlight Bechdel’s effective method of combining two different mediums – memoir writing and comics. She uses relatable forms (i.e. diary entries, photos) that we incorporate in our daily lives, which allows us to relate to her presentation style. Also, I think a degree of the realism stems from her recognition that she’s not a reliable narrator, as she questions her authority through her obsessive repetition of “I think.” In this manner, Alison’s recognition of the ambiguity of her own interpretation of the truth contributes to the realism of her writing. Do you think the literary allusions add to the realism of the story? Perhaps, considering her parents’ interests and professions, the literature provides a more personal insight into the thoughts and feelings of her father and herself that helps the reader gain a more complex understanding of her experiences.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with this. I noticed that when i was reading Fun Home I kept feeling like it was Alison talking directly to me. The circling around to memory is especially good. I read a review on Fun Home that said something similar. That the main events in the story are more and more unpacked as the reader is drawn closer and closer in and the context becomes more clear. This fact makes it tricky when most consider Alison to be a unreliable narrator!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your review of Allison's personal touch to her story. Your thesis was clear and you provided detailed evidence.
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, the photos, diary entries do add a sense of realness to her account. I also caught the memory like feel to her story as it unfolded. However, as I think about your thesis, I begin to wonder why Allison never really spoke on her personal feelings about her father? All her accounts in the story appear to be objective. I'm curious to know how her father's struggle with his sexuality made her feel. On the premise that this story mimics the way mind thinks and attempts to analyze, why is that Allison never makes a stride to wonder what she thought her father would be like if he had came out. I think what if thoughts are typical.and lacking in Allison's personal account. In all, these questions beg the question to whether is Allison's "personal touch" meant to support the validity or the sincerity of her story. I believe it supports the validity since she never really allows us to know her personal feelings on her father's death and closeted sexuality.
I like your analysis. Even though many do consider Alison to be a somewhat unreliable narrator, and do question the truth of her account of events, I do agree that her style does add more validity to her account. It makes it seem very real and personal. Almost as if you personally were being told about these events by the author herself, and you were able to relate to them. I also like how you mention the different mediums used to strengthen this sense of realism. They create a deeper connection between the reader and the characters and a greater depth of the story. Great observations!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your analysis of Bechdel's personal style. What caught my eye the most was your statement about Bechdel's narration. It did not click with me that it was strange that a child was narrating that scene in such a manner because I chalked it up to Bechdel looking back and adding in the appropriate wording. While I still believe that is what is happening, I can also see your point about it being an indication of how she has grown up in her family. It is foreshadowing as you mentioned. Thank you for pointing these observations out I would have never noticed them otherwise. Great post!
ReplyDelete