Bechdel Blog 3

            I decided to examine one of the discussion questions presented in class on Friday: What evidence shows the time period of the book? I chose to consider this question, because of how much society has changed in a relatively short amount of time. When you really stop and think about it, the setting of this book starts off really only about forty years ago. In forty years, our society and culture has completely changed the way it runs and functions and what qualifies something as socially acceptable.

            I think that what makes the time period most evident in the book is people’s attitudes, especially the father. The father has a constant struggle with his sexuality and his gender identity throughout the graphic novel, but it is an extremely interpersonal struggle; what some would classify as a dirty little secret. The mother contributes to the sense that this is a dirty little secret that could destroy the family, because she also does what she has to keep it hidden. The father also tries to push the traditional gender identity onto Alison. When she tries to be herself, he forces feminism on her. He wants Alison to be the traditional girl and woman, whether it is because he is trying to protect her from the pain he felt due to his own struggle or because he is a little bit jealous that she will have a greater opportunity to express her sexual identity and preferred gender role.

            I also feel that this idea of the nuclear family speaks to the time period of the book. This is the “traditional” American family: a father, mother, son, daughter, and pet with the house and family business. With that being said, I feel like all families, especially families with money, power, and influence, did everything in their power to cover up that could tarnish their reputation. These actions are definitely taken by the Bechdel family in the book, especially the mother. I think that she did this out of motherly instinct even though she is not the most involved mother in the book. She knew the type of judgment and criticism that would be passed on her and her family in such a small, close knit community if anything seemed out of the ordinary.

            Alison never seemed to really care about fitting the gender identity that was associated with being a woman, which I also think is a sign of the times, because that is when everything started changing. She was more concerned about being herself, but was receiving pressure from her family to do what she needed to fit in. I wonder how much of what was happening with all of the civil rights movements Alison was actually exposed to growing up, because it would seem small towns would not focus as much on this or preach much to this, but there is one in every bunch to go against the grain.