Gradual Impact by Alison Bechdel

• In all the panels except one, Alison has a rather bland and mundane expression when she is with Tamar, although continues to spend time with her. We get the idea that although Alison wants to want Tamer, she cannot. This is exemplified when Alison explicitly states that she “was uncomfortable with [Tamar’s] beauty. Her flawless skin,” which suggests that Alison did not feel good enough to be with someone so ‘perfect’ in her eyes. Alison mentions that Tamar’s beauty “left [her] nothing to latch on to,” almost as she was forcing herself not to become attached, and therefore meant that it would be easier to part permanently. However through the older persona of Alison, as readers we can acknowledge the fact that maybe Alison did at some point feel an emotional attachment, and therefore might have regretted “ended things with Tamar.” For example, in the first panel, the persona questions “what the fuck was my problem?” which through the use of vulgar language, we can immediately sense Alison’s frustration and slight disappointment, still thirty years later. In the last few panels of the story, we can see Alison (30 years older) thinking about Tamar by “[finding] her immediately [online]” and admiring her “magnificent hands,” which indicates Alison’s previously compressed affection towards Tamar. However, the last panel shows a sense of sadness and vulnerability as Alison reads an inscription that Tamar wrote, which was “to you, and to me,” instead of “to us,” which might suggest that Alison did not give Tamar the chance for them to become an “us” and therefore left Tamar thinking of them as two individuals that would eventually part.
• I think that Bechdel is challenging the typical alignment of beauty and desire, which is that those that have flawless beauty are those who we as human beings desire more. However, through this story, Bechdel shows that Tamar’s beauty was overwhelming and perhaps distracting in the sense that Bechdel found difficulty in the thought of having an emotional and meaningful relationship with Tamar. Alison even questions “why wasn’t [she] falling for [Tamar]?” even though “she was so beautiful,” which implies the idea that one must fall in love with someone of immense beauty.
• In comparison with Fun Home, Bechdel uses similar styles and themes that allow readers to recognise her different works. For example, Bechdel includes other pieces of literature such as “My dinner with Andre,” to indirectly reflect certain thoughts that Alison might have, which is something that was included consistently in Fun Home. However, in Gradual Impact, Alison refers to God, as “a sign from above,” which I believe she did not do in Fun Home.

19 by Sappho, translated by Julia Dubnoff and 94 translated by Anne Carson

• After reading both translations of the long fragment, I would say that I prefer the Anne Carson translation. This is because of mainly the structure of the poem and its more authentic style in terms of similarity to Sappho’s original work. For example, in Carson’s translation, she leaves spaces and small incomplete fragments, which allow the reader to see where the missing parts of the poem are and thus enabling them to imagine what could have been there in order to come up with their own interpretation. With the spaces included, we can acknowledge that there are in fact missing parts and so we cannot see Sappho’s complete thoughts. With Julia Dubnoff’s translation, she does include small fragments, but each of them round off to somewhat of a complete thought. Additionally, Dubnoff does not leave any spaces to indicate the missing parts, and therefore it would be hard to tell that this is in fact an incomplete poem. However, due to the ‘complete’ stanzas, as readers we are more likely to understand the meaning of the poem, whilst with Carson’s translation we are more likely to be more confused in terms of the meaning and purpose of the poem. Although this is the case with Carson’s translation, I find that it is more authentic and therefore echoes Sappho’s voice more accurately.
• In Carson’s translation, the spaces contribute to the meaning more effectively than Dubnoff’s.
• For example:

“and neither any[       ] nor any

holy place nor

was there from which we were absent

no grove[        ] no dance

] no sound

[”

• The main component in this poem is the idea of being “absent,” and spaces, absent of words, help to convey the idea of something missing. The repetition of “no” before things that make up something lively, such as dance and sound, further magnifies a sense of emptiness and quiet.
• Equivalent in Dubnoff’s translation:

“And there was no dance,

no holy place

from which we were absent.”

• With this version, Dubnoff’s combines the fragments to form a complete thought, yet without the presence of spaces, there is a lot missing from Sappho’s original work. Although this version does convey the same meaning as it is stated rather explicitly, the previous version uses its structure more effectively in order to communicate a much more powerful image.
• I think that Sappho’s work combines both a celebration of life and a cry of pain. For example, in this long fragment, the difficulty and pain in leaving a loved one due to uncontrollable forces is expressed, yet majority of the poem expresses the celebration of a new life and individual happiness that they both hope to achieve. Through the line, “Sappho, I swear, against my will I leave you,” we can understand the bond between these two personas and the inner conflict one feels that forces them to leave, as one was “weeping,” and “left [her] with many tears.”
• Although Sappho’s work was written in 600+ BC,  she was still able to achieve universality in terms of the cultures present to this day. I think that Sappho is able to do this by using dialogue in her poems, instead of just writing about feelings she actually shows how one might react to the pain of parting, or by seeing someone so beautiful, and thus she is able to convey more accurate emotions. In her poems, Sappho included universal feelings such as anger, pain, desire, and passion, which apply to present cultures. Yet, she implemented these emotions in different situations when she lived, and so some of the language is more unusual, but that is what is expected.

Comparison of both texts

• The comparison of both texts is slightly difficult as although they both share similar meanings, the expression of the emotions are quite different. In Dubnoff’s translation, the description of the persona is similar to Bechdel’s description of Tamar.
• Sappho:

“For by my side you put on

many wreaths of roses

and garlands of flowers

around your soft neck.”

• Bechdel:

“I was uncomfortable with her beauty. Her flawless skin.”

• The similarity is a bit of a stretch, however both authors describe the beauty of another person, perhaps someone they are both close to, and therefore express their admiration towards them and a sense of awe. With Sappho’s work, the context is more of her time, with the use of wreathes and garlands, however she is still able to convey the idea of beauty. Both authors illustrate the idea of delicacy, through their descriptions of skin, with Bechdel describing it as “flawless,” and Sappho describing it as “soft.” This suggests the pureness and subtle perfection of these other characters.
• Both authors also indicate that they are perhaps not good enough for the other person. Bechdel more explicitly expresses this idea through her statement that she is simply “uncomfortable with [Tamar’s] beauty. However, Sappho observes the other person to have “precious and royal perfume,” which suggests the almost hierarchy the other has. Through the use of the word “royal,” Sappho vividly demonstrates that she almost worships this other person, and cares deeply for her. In Carson’s translation, instead of “royal perfume,” she uses “sweet oil,” which might be more accurate in terms of the context of Sappho’s time, however the idea that these items are luxurious and indulgent is still conveyed. In Bechdel’s work, the idea of being “flawless” or having “flawless” characteristics is still a reflection of Sappho’s idea of beauty, yet is of course a more modern way of expressing perfection and elegance.