Fun Home– Panel Close Reading

In this particular panel, Alison is riding her bike back to her apartment after learning of her father’s death. The lines behind her bike indicate fast movement forwards. But, what is particularly interesting is the manner in which she is riding her bike. As she rides her bike, her gaze is fixed on handlebars rather than ahead of her. She looks down with such uncertainty as if she is worried about her grip. This appears to be a symbol for her current mindset at this point in her life. She does not know where she is going in life, the trajectory of her life is uncharted. This moment of her dad’s death is all she can pay attention to. But she is still traveling forward on her bike much like her life continues to progress. This subtle but intentional construction of Alison’s body language allows the reader to really start to comprehend the profound impact that her father’s death on her life. That said, this poses new questions: why does the bitter end of an apparently emotionless relationship rock her life? Will this be revealed as she fills the large gaps in her life that are unstated up to this point?

But coupled with the text, there is an added complexity to the scene. She is marveling at this “carefree activity” in “newly tragic circumstance.” This added dimension is strangely haunting. Her mind is racing rather than being completely blank unsure of what to think, unlike some of her scenes earlier in her life.   

In this moment of movement, she is completely still.