Fun home graphic novel

The role of gender and literature in alison bechdels fun home. Writerartist alison bechdels book fun home, a memoir in graphic novel format, was published in 2006 to critical acclaim. Alison bechdel asks midway through her critically acclaimed graphic memoir, fun home. Fun home is a graphic memoir in which alison bechdel describes her childhood and early adulthood. Its a fatherdaughter tale perfectly suited to the graphic memoir form.

A family tragicomic is an autobiographical graphic novel by american comic writer and artist alison bechdel. Bechdels memoir offers a graphic narrative of uncommon richness, depth, literary resonance and psychological complexity. If the theoretical value of a picture is still holding steady at a thousand words, then alison bechdels slim yet proustian graphic memoir, fun home, must be the most ingeniously compact, hyper. This breakout book by alison bechdel is a darkly funny family tale, pitchperfectly illustrated with bechdels sweetly gothic drawings. Its the story of her growing up, her coming of age. The question and answer section for fun home is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. As alison grows older and realizes that she is a lesbian, she and bruce are both forced to confront how his repression may have affected her own selfimage and the way that she dealt with her sexuality. A family tragicomic is a graphic novel memoir by american cartoonist alison bechdel. The story jumps back and forth in time with a main focus on bechdels relationship. Theatreworks is presenting the musical fun home in mountain view and has a history of bringing graphic novels to the stage. A family tragicomic is a graphic novel memoir of the authors childhood, particularly focused on her relationship with her closeted gay father bruce. A family tragicomic, documents the authors discovery of her own and her fathers homosexuality. Sep 18, 2016 page 21 of chapter 4 in the shadow of young girls in flower. Though bechdel known for her syndicated dykes to watch out for strip and collections takes her formal cues from comic books, she receives more inspiration from the likes of proust and joyce as she attempts to unravel the knots of her familys twisted emotional.

The importance of literature in fun home otherwomenswords. Apr 20, 2015 adapted from alison bechdels fine graphic novel of a memoir, with an incisive book and lyrics by lisa kron and heartgripping music by jeanine tesori, fun home might be described as a. Fun home breaks box office record for offmirvish series and has been held over to may 20 due to popular demand and critical acclaim. The book addresses themes of sexual orientation, gender roles, suicide, emotional abuse, dysfunctional family. Fun home graphic novel whatcom county library system. Jul 12, 2017 everything youve heard about this graphic novel, first published as a 12issue series in 1986 and 1987, is true. My father, is that it takes the stage musical in new directions and shows it can match the piercing directness of the graphic novel. Sep 16, 2016 described by the times of london as a profound and important book fun home. The book has successfully gained critical acclaims and also some controversy. Like all great graphic novels, fun homes art demands to.

A family tragicomic is a 2006 graphic memoir by the american cartoonist alison bechdel, author of the comic strip dykes to watch out for. Young alison bechdel lives in pennsylvania with helen, bruce, and her little brothers christian and john. When alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescense, the denouement is swift, graphic. Bruce and helen had been living in europe, but the death of. In alison bechdels autobiographical graphic novel fun home. The most pointed comparison occurs at the end of chapter 4, when bechdel finds a photograph of her father at university where hes sunbathing on the tarpaper roof of his frat house just after he turned twentytwo 120. Fun home, graphic novel, has watchung hills parents at odds.

The first edition of the novel was published in june 8th 2006, and was written by alison bechdel. His death, most probably a suicide, haunts the book, an extended meditation on. The graphic novel is a genre not widely associated with serious subjects. While graphic novels such as maus, persepolis, fun home, and barefoot gen may differ greatly in content, the format of conveying a story of novellength complexity through sequential art consolidates all these titles into one subgenre. In bechdels graphic novel, fun home, there is an insistent parallel between bechdels life and her fathers that occasionally comes to light. First, it captures the fact that the story of bruce in the memoir is a tragedy told in the format of a graphic novel a comic. A family tragicomic is a graphic memoir by alison bechdel tracing her journey from young girl to young adult as she comes to grips with her own lesbian sexuality, her father bruce s most likely suicide, and his secret homosexuality or bisexuality that he kept hidden throughout his life while having affairs with underage boys the memoir starts with alison as a young girl. Aug 17, 2015 lesbian cartoonist alison bechdel countered dads secrecy by being out and open the musical and graphic novel fun home describe bechdels coming out, and her dads closeted homosexuality. Hear alison bechdel reflect on the creation of fun home on radio 4s womans hour.

Jun 08, 2006 having never felt much inclination toward the graphic novel genre, i accepted a copy of fun home by alison bechdel on loan only because a coworker promised that i could finish it in one hour and forty minutesalmost precisely the amount of time it would take to travel from the office to my home in connecticut, where i had plans to spend the weekend. Cast member cherrelle skeete talks to afridiziak about playing joan in fun home. Jun 12, 2018 fun home, graphic novel, has watchung hills parents at odds i still found literary criticism to be a suspect activity ironically are words from the alison bechdel novel fun home. Fun home is what she and her brothers called the familyowned funeral home her dad ran. Reminiscent of art spiegelmans maus, fun home explores the relationship between alison and her closeted father, bruce bechdel, to shed light on themes such as gender, the comingout process, and the complicated dynamics of family life. A family tragicomic is a graphic memoir that led alison bechdel to commercial and critical success. Bechdels coming out as a lesbian is complicated by the revelation that bruce was a closeted homosexual whose extramarital affairs.

As alison grows older and realizes that she is a lesbian, she and bruce are both forced to confront how his repression may have affected her own selfimage and the. Oct 03, 2018 by lisa kron and jeanine tesori, based on the graphic novel by alison bechdel, presented by theatreworks silicon valley when. It has won several award and was nominated for 2007 eisner awards. Its a fitting question to ask in a story that hinges on the idea that things left unsaid can have as much. The story concerns bechdels discovery of her own sexuality, her relationship with her gay father, and her attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding his life. The main characters of this sequential art, graphic novels story are. Fun home creator alison bechdel on turning a tragic. Jun 08, 2006 bechdels memoir offers a graphic narrative of uncommon richness, depth, literary resonance and psychological complexity. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of fun home. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Alison bechdels cult following for her early comic strip dykes to watch out for expanded wildly for her family memoirs, the bestselling graphic memoir fun home, adapted into a tony awardwinning musical, and are you my mother. Read online fun home graphic novel by alison bechdel. First published in 2006, this graphic novel has received highly positive acclaim from critics.

When alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescense, the denouement is swift, graphic and redemptive. Fun home summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Mourning and melancholia in alison bechdels fun home. Mar 18, 2014 in alison bechdels autobiographical graphic novel fun home.

The subtitle of fun home a family tragicomic captures a number of aspects of the book. Joan marcus in some ways, it the new information would have made it a less interesting book. The book touches upon many themes, including, but not limited to, the following. Fun home creator alison bechdel on turning a tragic childhood into. A family tragicomic, an awesome graphic novel by american cartoonist alison bechdel.

This breakout book by alison bechdel takes its place alongside the unnerving, memorable, darkly. This years choice was fun home, an acclaimed 2006 graphic memoir. A family tragicomic, she uses literary allusions as a way to assist her in illustrating the strained relationship between herself and her father, as well as every other relationship in her life. Lesbian cartoonist alison bechdel countered dads secrecy by. My father, is that it takes the stage musical in new directions and shows it can match the piercing directness of the. We asked readers to name their favorite comics and graphic novels, and we got thousands of answers. Fun home is a musical adapted by lisa kron and jeanine tesori from alison bechdels 2006 graphic memoir of the same name. A fresh and brilliantly told memoir from a cult favorite comic artist, marked by gothic twists, a family funeral home, sexual angst, and great books. A family tragicomic is a graphic novel memoir by american. Its a longer comic book for readers who prefer their cartoons with hardback covers and a. Read fun home chapter 4, page 21 read graphic novel online. A family tragicomic is a graphic memoir by alison bechdel tracing her journey from young girl to young adult as she comes to grips with her own lesbian sexuality, her father bruce s most likely suicide, and his secret homosexuality or bisexuality that he kept hidden throughout his life while having affairs with underage boys. Distant and exacting, bruce bechdel was an english teacher and director of the town funeral home, which alison and her family referred to as the fun home.

Aug 26, 2015 duke university, like many colleges, recommends that all incoming freshmen read the same book over the summer before they arrive. It focuses specifically on her parents, helen and bruce, and their role in her life. A family tragicomic is a graphic memoir by alison bechdel. Fun home bechdels realtionship with her father changed a great deal, as her coming out led to her mothers revelation that her father was a homosexual. Jun 05, 2007 one of the very best graphic novels ever. Fun home themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. The role of gender and literature in alison bechdels fun.

Meet alisons father, a historic preservation expert and obsessive restorer of the familys victorian house, a thirdgeneration. Page 21 of chapter 4 in the shadow of young girls in flower. Prior to its publication, bechdel was best known for her longrunning cult comic strip, dykes to watch out for, which followed a series of diverse characters between 1983 and 2008. Fun home, graphic novel, has watchung hills parents at odds i still found literary criticism to be a suspect activity ironically are words from the alison bechdel novel fun home. Graphic novel special comics and graphic novels interview. Fun home creator alison bechdel on turning a tragic childhood into a hit musical rachel cooke. Alison bechdel this book takes its place alongside the unnerving, memorable, darkly funny family memoirs of augusten burroughs and mary karr.

It may be that the problems with the opening mythic allusion of the icarusdaedalus relationship coloured the remainder of my reading of bechdels graphic memoir. Fun home playwright lisa kron explains why time has been on fun home s side with the bbc. In this graphic memoir, alison bechdel charts her fraught relationship with her late father. That changed dramatically in 2015 with the hit show fun home, the musical adaptation of alison bechdels graphic novel memoir. It was not until college that alison, who had recently come out as a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. Fun home creator alison bechdel on turning a tragic childhood. While graphic novels such as maus, persepolis, fun home, and barefoot gen may differ greatly in content, the format of conveying a story of novel length complexity through sequential art consolidates all these titles into one subgenre. This book takes its place alongside the unnerving, memorable, darkly funny family memoirs of augusten burroughs and mary karr.

Instead of reading the subjects thoughts and experiences, the graphic novel places readers in the scenes as the beholder, allowing for a look at both the subjectivity of the narrator and the cultural forces that have shaped her. Described by the times of london as a profound and important book fun home. Lesbian cartoonist alison bechdel countered dads secrecy. Bechdel builds the narrative around the tragic event of her fathers death. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. A family tragicomic is a graphic memoir by alison bechdel tracing her journey from young girl to young adult as she comes to grips with her own lesbian sexuality, her father bruces most likely suicide, and his secret homosexuality or bisexuality that he kept hidden throughout his life. Fun home the latest graphicnovel musical at theatreworks. Alison bechdel discusses what to expect from the hit musical based on her graphic novel with the sunday times. The narrative isnt linear, its more like a looped tape she goes back and back over her own story, adding new details, mustering maps and photos and. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 232 pages and is available in paperback format. A commercially and critically successful graphic novel that pictures bechdels earlier live stages especially in relation with his father. Fun home is alison bechdels graphic memoir of her life growing up. Lesbian cartoonist alison bechdel countered dads secrecy by being out and open the musical and graphic novel fun home describe bechdels coming out, and her dads closeted homosexuality. And yet, apart from assigned stints dusting caskets at the familyowned fun home, as alison and her brothers call it, the relationship achieves its most intimate expression through the shared code of books.

Nov 05, 2017 a scene from the musical version of bechdels graphic memoir, fun home. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. Jun 18, 2006 if the theoretical value of a picture is still holding steady at a thousand words, then alison bechdels slim yet proustian graphic memoir, fun home, must be the most ingeniously compact, hyper. This item will ship to united states, but the seller has not specified shipping options. Bechdel has been named a macarthur fellow and cartoonist laureate of vermont, among many other honors. Fun home is a hard book, butfilled with love and hate and glory and discontent and tragedy and hopeits also a powerful one. More specifically, fun home is the story of alisons coming of age while grappling with her lesbian gender identity and the way that identity differs from the expectations imposed on her by. In this graphic memoir, alison bechdel charts her fraught relationship. Read fun home chapter 4, page 21 read graphic novel. It chronicles the authors childhood and youth in rural pennsylvania, united states, focusing on her complex relationship with her father. Adapted from alison bechdels fine graphic novel of a memoir, with an incisive book and lyrics by lisa kron and heartgripping music by jeanine tesori, fun home might be described as a. Jun 18, 2018 alison bechdel discusses what to expect from the hit musical based on her graphic novel with the sunday times.