Literature within the Literature of Fun Home

This tragicomic simply provides too many interesting topics on conversation for me to follow but one that I felt I could really latch on to was the presentation of writing and literature within the comic.  Throughout the entire book, the use of parallels of famous novels and stories are used to mirror Alison's own life.  In a way, that's rather ironic considering her statement that "I didn't understand why we couldn't just read the books without forcing contorted interpretations on them." (200)

I know I've often thought along those same lines.  I don't understand why we feel the need to label everything in literature and provide some abstract explanation for why the main character chose to wear a red shirt instead of blue.  In real life, the archetypal distinctions aren't so clear.  Not everything has a hidden meaning or literary reference.  Although I suppose the myths and fables we tell are based on some true piece of history which has been contorted through the years.  Hence, is it really all that unexpected that Alison's father was killed by (possibly) his reaction to seeing a snake?

The oroboros is an ancient symbol of the continuity of life.
http://supremegod.deviantart.com/art/Ouroboros-Tattoo-136139643

"The serpent is a vexingly ambiguous archetype." (116)  How true indeed, for it as meant many things including cyclical life (oroborus), sin of eve, and according to Freud- a deep seated fear of the phallus.  So which one to we believe is true of Alison's father?  Was he just one part of the cycle that helped create her views on life and homosexuality?  Or was he paying for the sin of deceiving his family?  How about the possible representation of his own fear of his sexual tendencies?  All are interesting claims in my opinion.

But perhaps the most telling bit of literature is Alison's comment on her own writing experiences as a journalist.  "By the end of november, my earnest daily entries had given way to the implicit lie of the blank page, and weeks at a time are left unrecorded." (186)  Because in the end, we must remember that Fun Home is not just an introspective piece of fiction.  It is the (true?) telling of Alison Bechdel's childhood and the formative experiences she had with her family.  It's a story that can't be neatly tied up in a bow.  Pieces are always bound to be missing and the point of view clouds the "truth" of the situation. Though who can really call any part of life true when it's so subjective?  I think I'll have to leave off here because any further will start to get too existential for my taste.

Although an entertaining book, this is still further proof that you can read too much into anything.
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