Identity In Alison Bechdel's Autobiographica

The graphic novel first gained mass popularity in the late 20th Century. However, in the United States, it has always had a lowbrow reputation because it is a product of popular culture and is therefore perceived by cultural elites as entertainment for children and illiterate and a threat to culture. It is important to remember, however, that as a medium to express ideas, a graphic novel allows readers to view the characters’ perspectives in a very intimate way. Instead of just reading the subject's thoughts and experiences and imagining what the author describes on the pages, the graphic novel allows reader to be placed in scenes with the characters and allow them to experience the emotions of the characters and various components of the author’s identity. In Alison Bechdel’s …show more content…
This frustration with a repressed identity manifests in different ways for the father and daughter. In Bruce, he hides his frustration and embarrassment in meticulous household arrangement, gardening and house reparations. We can readily see how Bruce directs his self-loathing and frustration to caring his family home rather than his family. Since his homosexual desire is perceived to be unacceptable, he turns to the more acceptable gardening and house restoration as an outlet for those desires. These efforts at regulating his desires do not stop at construction work. To maintain the charade, he also toils ceaselessly to have the ideal family—an ideal family that meets all the vital visual aesthetics—to reside within the house that he has so painstakingly built. And to maintain the appearance of a perfect family, he insisted Allion to look and act “normal”. He consistently ensures that the young girl adhere closely to his ideas about "femininity" in terms of dress and behavior, which we see the images of him forcing the pink, flowery wallpaper on her (page 7), dictating her outfits and accessories (page 98) or reprimanding Allison for showing