What are some situations in which being “silent” develops into a complex ethical dilemma?
For this prep, I expect that you will focus on Chapter Seven and provide one or more DETAILED references to some relevant and specific scene or panel. So please don’t spend much time (if any) on examples of “Silence” or “Anti-heros” from the previous chapters.
If you wish to refer to some other texts, that’s fine! But keep Fun Home as the primary focus.
=OPTION A: “YOUR SILENCE WILL NOT PROTECT YOU”: One of the most pressing issues in contemporary culture is that of being “silent” or “silenced.” What are some situations in which being “silent” develops into a complex ethical dilemma? Please refer to the choices of two or more people from Fun Home. How and why do they remain “silent” at certain key moments? What, if anything, do they reveal about their silence, how do they reveal it, and what conflicts arise from such revelations? Please make sure to specific scenes or statements from the book. HINTS: Google the words “Your silence will not protect you” and/or the phrase “SILENCE=DEATH.”
=OPTION B: “THE ANTI-HERO’S JOURNEY”: In our readings, the main person or character often is not the classic “hero/heroine” that one might expect. What might we expect from a classic “hero”—and how does an “anti-hero” somehow fail to meet those expectations? In what ways can the failure to meet such expectations make a character even more compelling or complex or sympathetic? (Make sure to note the meaning of this phrase in Chapter 7!!) And please make sure not to just assume how Alison is reacting as she learns of her father’s secrets and failings. What does she actually write/draw about these discoveries.
Please write a post of at least 250 words about ONE of these OPTIONS. Please make sure to refer to specific scenes. It is worth 4 points. DUE DATE: By midnight on Wednesday, June 2nd.