'Fun Home' Chapter 2: Visual Techniques by Bianca Pellet

On pg 34/35 Bechdel blurs the images where the Addams family cartoon is mentioned, to show that these panels are not a part of this graphic novel, but of another graphic novel.

2024-05-14 07:51:37 UTC

edith

2024-05-14 07:51:44 UTC

Panoramic panels on page 31 provide a wider overview, informing the reader on the context, for example, the map at the top of page 31 showcases all the family members' homes, and the panel on the bottom showcases the whole family and a larger amount of the scenery.
Comparatively, on page 35, the panels are smaller, but the drawings are more detailed. This instigates the reader to focus more closely on the details of each panel. For example, it allows for closer comparison between the girl in the cartoon and alison. Further, it gives focus to alisons moms tense facial expressions, and the Bruces focus while hitting the bat. It also allows for more detail on specific events and how they unfold, as there are two panels showcasing the same event in chronological order.

2024-05-14 07:51:56 UTC

Uses close up on p28: Bechdel zooms into certain areas of the panels to highlight the detailing in the scene. For instance, when setting the scene, she zooms out, as it shows the surroundings of the environment. Zooming in shows the detailing in the evidence at hand.

1486013 — 2024-05-14 07:52:03 UTC

It lays emphasis on what is important and maybe also shows that something is applicable to her in a situation. Page 57 also shows highlights and shows the main and best ideas that can come from the book.

Panel size and shape (pg 31)

1486442 — 2024-05-14 07:52:10 UTC

Panoramic panels: show large pieces of information such as the fact that the whole family lives in close proximity or to show the proxemics of large numbers of people → the 3 children are close together and facing the same way, whereas the mother is distant and facing a different direction.

Panel Size and Shape

1486433 — 2024-05-14 07:52:31 UTC

Bechdel uses many different sizes and shapes of panels. The effect of some of these may be to guide the reader’s attention to create space between the panels, which can create tension. These Panels can also be used to bring attention to significant events. This can be done by making the panel bigger to put more emphasis on it. An example of this can be seen on page 49, where the panel with the body on it is bigger and on the bottom of the page to put emphasis on it.

Bechdel uses different forms of media such as pictures, books and newspapers to create a collage effect. Creates the effect that she is trying to piece together her fathers life and maybe their relationship and how she feels towards him.

1486442 — 2024-05-14 07:52:33 UTC

The blurring effect on page 35

1486066 — 2024-05-14 07:53:21 UTC

It can be seen that the blurring on page 35 can be used to distinguish between the addams family comparison and the book characters 'reality to the readers. The blurring may also reference the act of watching the movie on the tv to show the comparison.

Defne

2024-05-14 07:54:41 UTC

The blurring could indicate her struggling with her family's and personal identity and she finds comfort in relating the the Addams family, in particular Wednesday. The blurring highlights the significance of Wednesday to Alison, and could show how although she resonates with the addams family characters, there is still a seperation between them and her.

On pg 34/35 Bechdel blurs the images where the Addams family cartoon is mentioned, to show that these panels are not a part of this graphic novel's reality, but of another graphic novel.

148634_9 — 2024-05-14 07:54:59 UTC

149711_5 — 2024-05-14 07:55:05 UTC

The symmetrical panels could be a tool to describe how her father's funeral felt no different from a stranger's

Vinne

2024-05-14 07:56:29 UTC

Bechdel uses mirror imaging on page 52 to better represent the situation that she is in. She feels split emotions and thoughts which are created by the death of her father, this is represented by the panel vertically splitting her in half, with her father prominent in the background.

1487474 — 2024-05-14 07:56:36 UTC

long panel creates a visual effect of a bigger, detailed picture, looks like a map that shows who lives where. On the bottom of the page makes readers feel like we are watching them from the side

Jolene

2024-05-14 07:57:26 UTC

Pulling back to show the entire house can provide a sense of the physical environment and how the family's lives intersect in these shared spaces. It shows the constant, close proximity they have with each other, even when though are emotionally distant. The juxtaposition emphasises the disconnect.

1487474 — 2024-05-14 07:57:46 UTC

on p28 zooming in is used to focus on one specific detail that acts as evidence to her words

1487474 — 2024-05-14 08:00:04 UTC

maybe splits the life into before and after he died, and even though she understands that her father is dead, nothing changed in her life

2025-05-20 10:33:45 UTC

It emphasises exactly what the audience should be reading, whether that be a passage or a spot in the work. This is also sometimes represented as a vignette, but with the literal text in the visual novel, it serves as a simple highlight.

Highlights

2025-05-20 10:35:29 UTC

Bechdel used a highlight on pg28 to highlight the phrase in Camus' 'A Happy Death' that says "He discovered the cruel paradox by which we always decieve ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage". This quote symbolises her mother and father's relationship (as she mentions) and highlights it to emphasise how the nature of her parents' marriage can be summed up in just that one line.

Clara

1498738 — 2025-05-20 10:36:10 UTC

Show a split between emotion, the kind of situation and emotional state that she's in when confronted with her father's death. Additionally, it shows how he's split between the version she doesn't know/ recognize and the version that she does.

Blurring Pg 34-35 (Kirsten)

2025-05-20 10:36:14 UTC

The blurred image is a depiction of the Addams family which Bechdel draws parallels with her own family. The blurring is as though a filter has been covered original picture and that fictional world is so similar to hers but only to be separated by that "filter" that is noticeable because of that blurring. It goes to show that were it not a fictional work, her family would be an exact copy of theirs

Arthur

2025-05-20 10:36:25 UTC

Different panel sizes evoke emotions e.g. wide -> emptiness or awe
Corresponds with physical sizes of setting e.g. house vs open field
Close panels focus on detail, wide panels on a whole
Wide panels can have grater detail

1499004_2 — 2025-05-20 10:36:51 UTC

This scene is continuous, splitting it into two builds tension. The tension is representative of Bechdel's own inner turmoil. This is further seen in the symmetry between both panels, giving the reader a visualisation of Bechdel's perspective of the different sides of her father. The use of the continuous scene and symmetry together symbolise Bechdel's mixed feelings.

Graham's incredible analysis

1527354 — 2025-05-20 10:40:56 UTC

The separation between the panels allows the reader to create two distinct view points. The first frame is of his face which evokes a sense of personal connection with Bruce (wayne) and emphasizes the sorrow in his death. The other is of his body, which removes the emotional impact of this event and instead allows the reader to critically analyze his death, which may include the fact that Bruce was not a good or friendly person, especially to Alison. This is likely the sort of division that Alison herself had when dealing with this event as well.

Aylin

1521802 — 2026-05-27 07:16:19 UTC

Bechdel makes use of long panoramic panels on page 31 in order to display a layout of the map where her relatives all live, a visual technique used to clearly show the reader the close proximity of where her family lived later using this to question why a man like her father stayed and why her cultured mother stayed as well, the panorama aids her in visualizing more of her childhood environment. Panels on each page tell a specific part of the story which is why shapes and sizes vary, for example on page 35, she uses the allusion of the Addams family and tells that analogy within that page, she uses this to group specific ideas and have small parts of a bigger story displayed in that way creates a bigger impact and organises parts of her story much more clearly to her readers.

15529710 — 2026-05-27 07:16:31 UTC

Bechdel uses close ups on p28 to visualize small details that help us understand the characters thoughts. It captures key details like dates, quotes in books and a note with relevant details about a phone call. Based on the items we see in the close ups, the characters believe that the death wasn’t an accident. Zooming out on p30-31 is to fully show the maps of the town the novel takes place in. It helps the reader see what the proximities are within the town. It provides a bigger picture of the setting. On p37 there is a zoom in on an object which Allison is holding. This object is mentioned in the caption and shown to the other characters so by zooming in the audience can also see what the crushable capsules look like. Since it is something that many people would not know about or what it looked like so by zooming in there is a better visual representation.

1519445 — 2026-05-27 07:16:32 UTC

Mirror image:

On page 52 Bechdel uses a mirror image of two different panels. In this scene this creates the effect of the multiple thoughts that could be racing through her mind at the same time when she approached her dads coffin. She also mentions two different things about her dads body in the coffin and could be using two panels to represent both thoughts.

152690_4 — 2026-05-27 07:17:08 UTC

The sentence that Bruce Bechdel had highlighted in a novel is what the protagonist calls “a fitting epitaph for my parents wedding”. The reason why Alison Bechdel has used the technique of highlighting is to lay focus on a certain sentence or object that holds importance. In this case, the author wants the readers to be able to scan across the single sentence opposed to grasp and understand the text surrounding it: without the highlight Bechdel won't get her message across as powerfully. Furthermore, Alison claims it was her father who highlighted the extract which characterizes him to perhaps be interested in those types of novels. Its specifically about “a consumptive hero who does not die a particularly happy death” which raises the question as to why Bruce chose to highlight the sentence leading up to his suicide attempt. Throughout the novel there are multiple signs of highlighted or underlined texts such as on page 48 and 49. Additionally objects or people occasionally get put in the spotlight for the same reasons.

15224910 — 2026-05-27 07:17:25 UTC

The highlight narrows the audience’s attention onto a line in Camus’ first novel without Bechdel explicitly saying it. It helps weave the meaning of it into the caption she follows up with.

Highlights:

1519445 — 2026-05-27 07:17:36 UTC

Bechdel uses the highlight on page 28 as a technique to show what the readers are meant to focus on and also give a representation of what the father highlighted. A similar technique is used on page 38 where the illustration zooms in or magnifies a packet of smelling salts.

aylin

1521802 — 2026-05-27 07:17:36 UTC

The blurred images are used to differentiate the panels, which show the actual characters in the story and their illustrations and additional objects that are relevant to the story. In this case, it’s the Addams Family book; this creates a clear distinction between ‘’real characters’’ and the Addams Family characters, avoiding confusion and ensuring the allusion is understood.

The Blurring on 34-35

1514462 — 2026-05-27 07:18:35 UTC

I believe The Author decided to blur certain drawings in part to inform the reader that this is a comparison and not an exact portrayal of her actual life, and in part to show that the version of the text (the adams family) that the author showed herself knowing as a child, is both the older version that some younger people would not know and to further support that the character is disecting her own childhood and trauma, so that she can understand it (which is further supported by the way the author writes about detailed moments and not broad parts of her life)

152357_11 — 2026-05-27 07:18:55 UTC

The montage of Albert Camus and pieces from books, show that Alison is trying to discover more about her father by piecing together and layering ideas and memories Alison connects to him. She is connecting Bruce to Camus and making her father appear complicated by creating a busy and confusing collage.

blur images

15189117 — 2026-05-27 07:19:00 UTC

Bechdel uses blurred images in pages 34-45 to show that Bechdel’s memories of her childhood and her father are not completely clear. In the memoir, she is trying to look back and understand what really happened, but some memories feel confusing or difficult to fully remember. The blurred drawings help show this uncertainty and make the scenes feel more emotional and distant.

15529710 — 2026-05-27 07:19:16 UTC

On p48 Bechdel creates a montage effect with snapshots of letters and photographs to create a flashback effect (a moment of memory). By displaying different media like a newspaper, a novel, and photographs it shows that Alison is trying to discover more about her father.

panel size and shape

1518269 — 2026-05-27 07:20:02 UTC

the panoramic panels on p31 provide a somewhat "zoom out" on the scene providing more detail on the scene (eventhough the art is less detailed) for the viewer allowing the scene to feel more important.

on the other hand p35 uses small panels which give a more quick and short feel to the panels as if they are just skimming over the different scenes . (even though the art is more detailed), the smaller panels also have a "zoom in" effect allowing for comparisons between for example wednesday adams and alison.

Blurring

1528387 — 2026-05-27 07:20:21 UTC

Bechdel used this to separate the novel from her memory about the Addams family. The blurs might also represent the haziness of very early childhood memory. Images reflect this uncertainty because it could be a time which was difficult to remember.

Iliya

1528387 — 2026-05-27 07:22:55 UTC

The wide panels suggest a vast and overwhelming look of the family, while the smaller panels create a quick, list-like look.