First Panel:
Shows relationship between young Bechdel and her father; scene of the father’s “soft side” is juxtaposed with the reveal of his violent reactions; shows how, despite how cruel and scary the father appears to the child especially when angry, he had his nice moments.
Of course, it’s my opinion that it doesn’t matter that he was nice sometimes. He still terrorized and abused his kids, whether through physical assault or through emotional neglect, especially in early childhood. He wasn’t a good father. But I think that no matter what my thoughts are, I can still see that this memory is somewhat important, albeit maybe not remembered clearly, by Bechdel.
Second Panel:
I think this shows the effect her father left on Bechdel, even after his death; it kind of shows that she mimics some of her father’s habits, such as being emotionless or numb, or at least her interpretation of his habits. I think it also gets the message that Bechdel never really got over the trauma of being nonchalantly being introduced to a corpse, even years after the event and years after her father’s death. So, the audience can see some negative consequences being left in Bechdel’s life.
