Comparison Of The Book Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic By Alison Bechdel

The memoir “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” by Alison Bechdel reminds me more of a fictional rather than “real” graphic memoir. Bruce, Alison’s dad seems like he is escaping from the world rather than in the reality due to his hidden identity, being homosexual. During Bruce’s time period, homosexuality was not acceptable. By secluding himself to the outside world, including his family was his only escape. Moreover, Alison chooses to combine the world around her with the world that she thinks that she is in. The relationship between Alison and Bruce is somewhat distant. Yet, they seem to be closer when they are discussing about literature books. Hence, this memoir is connected with literatures in every significant event that took place in this

Some of Bruce’s reading novels were “Anna Karenina,” “A Happy Death,” “Remembrance of Things Past,” and “The Great Gatsby,” while Alison’s books were “Our Right To Love,” “Homosexualities,” “Delta of Venus,” and “the Well of Loneliness.” One major difference in Bruce’s reading novels is that they are mainly fictional, classics and the connection to the theme death. However, in Alison’s reading book, it was more about the reality and the world she is in. I think this is one of the main reasons why Alison sees her parents “most real in fictional terms” (Bechdel 67). Additionally, Alison thinks the house looks like it’s from the Addams Family, and she has a hard time relating to her parents. She even pairs Bruce to Jimmy Gatsby, with his “self-willed metamorphosis.” Alas, Alison’s parents is fictional to her, and it appears that Bruce goes into these fictional worlds to escape from his unhappy reality and hide his true identity and sexuality, whereas Alison’s books assist her to understand the world she is in. Finally, I feel that Alison’s childhood didn’t appear to be a reality to her, and the novels she read helped her come to terms with what is possibly most real to her, her