Charlie's Coming of Age

Alison and Bruce are opposites in so many ways yet so similar and connected. Firstly, they are exactly opposite in both their sex, sexuality, and gender expression. Bruce is a closeted, feminine gay man, while Alison is a masculine, out and proud lesbian. Yet they are similar in their obsessive mannerisms, Alison with her "I think" habit with her diary and other OCD compulsions, and Bruce with his perfectionist house redecorating. They share their love of English and as Alison grows older they begin to discuss a variety of books with each other.  Their differences forces a harsh perspective on Alison's life growing up, but it also allows her to reflect and grow on her circumstances. Bruce was unable to come out like Alison has, growing up in a less inclusive time. This had forced him to marry Helen, raise kids, and perform the role as a masculine father. Because of this, Bruce is abusive in many ways to his children which strains the way Alison views him.  Fun Home discus

Esther feels confined, and like she is being observed like some anomaly. In Chapter 10 she has paranoia that Dodo is walking back and forth purposefully outside her mothers house to watch her. She feels the subconscious judgement of everyone in her community. Esther feels alone and judged my everyone for her condition. This creates a vicious cycle for her that makes her condition worsen because she is in a bad condition.  The metaphorical bell jar that Esther finds herself in seems to cause a two-way distortion. Esther begins to see everyone else around her differently and as evil, and people have no way of seeing into her mind and her pain. She immediately assumes the worst in many people. This stems from her perception that everyone is studying her, as if she were underneath a bell jar, amplifying her conclusion that she possesses insanity.  The second way the bell jar distorts her world is in the way that she is entirely trapped beneath it. Under the constrictions of her mental illn