Eli coming of age

 In Allison Bechdel's Funhome , the character of Bruce, her father, is portrayed as a morally complex person and foil/anti-hero to Allison. He is portrayed though several different versions of Allison. when she is a child, when she has grown up and left for college, and after his death when she is reflecting on her relationship with him. Bruce and Allison's relationship is a complex and multilayered one, from his strange and conflicting sense of style as for how Allison should look and dress, to his cold exterior that pushes him away from the rest of his family. Both we and Allison know of a potential explanation for his distant attitude, Bruce has been closeted in terms of his sexuality for his whole life. This is contrasted with Allison, who comes out while at college and is able to live as who she is. Allison finds old photos of him dressing in a non-conforming way, and her mother confirms that Bruce was having an affair with young boys. When Allison is a teenager, her fathe...

In Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar , the main character of Esther goes through several experiences that leave her feeling unfulfilled and apathetic to the world around her in relation to the expectations placed upon her by society. Esther realizes pretty quickly that she does not want to be a suburban housewife like Dodo Conway. Nor does she want to continue a life in New York as an intern to a magazine company like Doreen. Returning to Massachusetts, her attempts to write her own works fail, as Esther's lack of life experience causes a mental block for her. Her former identity as a student looking for more and more opportunities has been shattered, leading to her mental state worsening. Even a visit to the Psychiatrist Dr. Gordon proves unhelpful, as Esther quickly dismisses his ability to understand her due to his perceived flaunting of his happy family. After an uncomfortable experience with electroshock therapy, Esther attempts suicide, and afterwards she is taken to a private ...