Dad
When I first picked up Fun Home, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was honest, dark, even funny—but what struck me most deeply was the portrayal of Alison's father, Bruce Bechdel. Despite being depicted initially through his many flaws--which I do not wish to minimize despite the scant discussion of them in this post--and emotional distance, Bruce gradually emerged for me as a profoundly empathetic character, someone whose humanity shone through more brightly as I learned about his story.
Bruce isn’t your traditional hero. On the surface, he's distant, demanding, even harsh at times. But beneath that exterior--and all the many skeletons hidden away in his closet--is someone struggling deeply with his identity, caught in a life that society dictated rather than one he truly desired. Growing up gay in a world deeply unaccepting of homosexuality, Bruce's internal conflict was palpable. Bechdel reveals her father's hidden life with such care and subtlety that I couldn't help but empathize with his predicament—trapped in expectations, hiding who he truly was.
What made Bruce even more heroic in my eyes was the silent sacrifice he embodied. His struggle with his sexuality, happening in an era before Alison's own coming-of-age, added profound weight to their father-daughter relationship. Bruce watched his daughter grow up in an evolving society—one that was still difficult but at least held more space for authenticity. I saw in him a quiet suffering, a deep sadness tinged with hope and envy as he observed Alison's generation beginning to break free from some of the chains that had held him back.
Understanding Bruce's story was transformative for me as a reader. I realized how easy it had been initially to judge him harshly, focusing on his shortcomings as a father and human rather than seeing the complexity of his pain. His internal battles made his emotional distance not only understandable but heartbreakingly human.
Bechdel’s honest and nuanced depiction transformed my perspective, shifting Bruce from a figure to criticize into someone deeply understandable. Despite—or perhaps because of—his imperfections, Bruce Bechdel emerges as a different kind of hero: flawed, even deeply twisted, but heroic in his quiet endurance and his struggle for self-acceptance in a hostile world.
I really feel the way you put the dilemma of Bruce at the end here: if Bruce is sympathetic (and I find him very sympathetic, a sad and tragic figure), it is in part *because of* his imperfections, as you say. And Bechdel herself isn't trying to be his defense attorney or anything, but she does acknowledge the context of repression and silence that *compels* Bruce to pursue surreptitious and illegal and immoral means to satisfy his desires. The most thought-provoking moments in her narrative, for me, are these moments when she briefly wonder how SHE might have handled herself in the same situation, in the same repressive social context--and she concludes that she can't judge her father too harshly. It's the easiest thing in the world to confidently declare "Well I would surely never do something like THAT," if you are not in any way tempted or inclined to do the taboo thing--if we're being honest, we might see at least the capacity in ourselves to potentially take a route like Bruce's (deceptive as well as self-deceptive). Or, on the flipside, it's easy to declare that WE would have been on the "right side of history," living openly as a gay person in Beech Creek in the 1960s and 1970s, flaunting that identity and forcing all kinds of progressive social change. But few of us would be this person, and progressive social change is not easily forced. Bruce is not unwise to keep his head down in Beech Creek, from a simple and practical standpoint. And it's maybe too easy for us readers to judge that, comfortable in our more enlightened 2025 armchairs.
ReplyDeleteNice post Kyle.
ReplyDeleteI like how you highlight Bruce's sacrifice, something which should be appreciated and understood, but it's appreciation goes without mention in the book. His empathy was something I also highlighted in my own blog post and exploration into his relationship with his daughter through books. Your final paragraph also brings to light what we should make an effort to understand about Bruce.
Kyle, I love how you compare Bruce to the idea of a "hero." I think one of the most captivating parts of this book is how Alison sort of turns the idea of a hero's journey on its head with Bruce. Bruce does not "change" as a character as the narrative progresses, and this may be due to the fact that there is no real linear progression. On the other hand, the reader learns so much about him in such a short time that by the end, he is essentially a new character in our eyes. He starts out as an inhuman abusive father but ends up a very very human and tragic figure. I don't know if I would classify his silent sacrifice as heroic, but maybe to Alison it was. Maybe his suppression allowed Alison to live her truth, and if so, then it is very much heroic.
ReplyDeleteHey Kyle, I also find my view of Bruce to be evolving as I read the story. I like the idea of sacrifice you bring up in Bruce, as he sacrificed his own ability to live his life the way he wanted in exchange for Alison to be able to do so. In fact, if Bruce had lived how he would have liked, Alison would never have been born in the first place, which is something she reflects on at some point. So while Alison wishes Bruce would be able to be free of the societal expectations that he is bound to, she also realizes that his sacrifice allowed her to be who she is today in the first place. Overall, great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Kyle! I like your analysis of Bruce and his portrayal throughout Fun Home. Also, your inclusion about the readers' point of view. What really stood out to me about your post was your connection to Bruce as a type of "hero". It offers a more complex narrative than I originally thought. Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteBruce is generally a good father that deeply cares for his children, especially Alison. The growing sense of sympathy I had for him as I read the book was really apparent at the end because of all the sacrifices he made to let Alison live a life he couldn't. I think that makes up for the neglect for his children portrayed at the beginning of the story.
ReplyDeleteHi Kyle! I think everyone when they initially read Fun Home judged Bruce or blamed him partially for Alison’s trauma, but the points you bring up about his sacrifice definitely illumninates a different side of him that did the best he could given his own feelings and inner conflicts with his own identity. I wouldn’t say his actions are justified given his own conflicts, but they defintiely reflect how difficult living as being closeted and in this glass family felt for Bruce.
ReplyDeleteHi Kyle, you make an interesting point about Bruce being heroic in a way. I too wasn't a fan of him in the beginning of the story, but I can see that the sacrifices he made were important. I also think your point about Bruce wanting Alison to be able to embrace her true self is also key. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Kyle, I really agree with you about how the reader's view of Bruce definitely becomes more favorable as the book goes along. It's interesting as well because the book is not arranged in chronological order, so it's not like we get much more new information about Bruce, but we begin to understand more challenges he was facing, and how he was able to comfort Alison.
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