Bechdel's Influence On Identity

Are words empowering? Do they stand up for something, could it change the perception one has over their life? In my opinion, Bechdel grew up and was influenced through her father's decisions. She applied her lessons that were taught as she grew under his authority. It could, it will and it has empowered Bechdel through many charades, falsehood through her journey to discovery her identity. Through the graphic novel, Bechdel learned that words such a “Queer, Lesbian, Gay & Faggot” have more meaning throughout her reminiscences. Bechdel grows up to be contrasting the things her father did with her self-discovery. Words the prove to be not only to identify herself but it also raised some awareness of her father's implied decisions. The imagery and other moments depicted in the comic helped mold Bechdel's identity and how the term homosexual inspired her self-discovery. They are
But right now we'll be stating that term queer* has been seen within Bechdel's graphic novel when she expressed her thoughts about her father. It also gives us a hint of how powerful the word it, that in fact, the word queer was what she could describe her father at the moment growing up under his influence. She first uses the term queer in her comic to express how her father's death had effected her: “My father's death was a queer business—queer in very sense of the multivalent word.” (Bechdel Ch. 3, p. 3)**
During this passage within the comic Bechdel depicts a dictionary with words such as queer, the term slang, qualmish; faint, and counterfeit are highlighted among many others. This moment in her comic shows that not only was her father was strange in her observation after death; she also saw him as a queer as a part of his persona. She depicts that as she expressed her coming out when she speaks of it. It simply shows how contrasting she was to her “closeted” father when she states: “I am a lesbian.” (Bechdel Ch. 3, p.