Thomas Sutton

Contributing writer for The Artifice.

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Latest Articles

Film 32	Snowpiercer and Social Revolution The film Snowpiercer (2013) is, on the surface, a very weird scenario. The earth is plunged into a new ice... Thomas Sutton Jun 2, 2016
Literature 66	7 Classic Books For Those New to Dystopia The dystopia is a setting we find ourselves faced with more and more in 21st century media. Book sagas like The... Thomas Sutton Apr 20, 2016

Latest Topics

comics

fun home

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Why is Alison Bechdel's Fun Home So Controversial?

Recently Fun home by Alison Bechdel has been listed as one of the most controversial novels of the year. Why do you think this is? Possible ideas include the portrayal of sexuality within the text, and is this more controversial due to the – literally graphic – nature of the text.

"Blechdel" should be "Bechdel." :) I had to learn about this graphic novel in both a comics class and my university book club. I think the primary points are sexuality and Bechdel's complicated relationship with her father. These two issues are intertwined because Bechdel is a lesbian and her father, who potentially committed suicide, was closeted and could not come to terms with his identity. Bechdel talks some about sex, as well as how her and her father inverted gender roles. There's also a bit about death. – Emily Deibler 9 years ago
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What is the controversy? – Christen Mandracchia 9 years ago
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I've met Bechdel and spoken with her about this very book! I think the controversy lies in the fact that it is so heavily personal, because so much of it involves her own memories, diary entries, and suspicions in her own head. Her exploration of her family is one that I'm not sure many people would even attempt to make, and that is what makes the story so poignant. Not to mention, the story was written in graphic novel form, meaning not only do we get to read of this struggle for identity, but we are given the chance to look at it for ourselves, even if they are recreated fragments of Bechdel's memories. – amandagoodwin 9 years ago
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I'm uncertain about this topic, especially since the graphic novel came out in 2006, and I haven't really heard this novel regarded as controversial, especially this year? On the topic of Bechdel, one of the more fascinating topics in regard to the author is the "test," named and created by the author in her comic "Dykes to Watch Out For," (1985): Bechdel Test is a simple assessment that names the following three criteria: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. Interestingly enough, not many movies, nor books pass this test. This would be an interesting topic to explore through television, movies, or/and, literature. – danielle577 8 years ago
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It is a graphic memoir, not a novel per se. And this so call 'controversy' is relative, depending on who sees it what and where. Not sure what this topic will try to accomplish. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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literature

India in Literature

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How to see India through literature

There are a lot of books that focus on India that are written by english speaking writers, why is this and what are some of the best examples of novels that truly portray this country?

For possible examples, Tagore is a great place to start. His novel The Home and the World goes into not only the effects of British imperialism, but the thoughts on trying to keep the peace and the rise of Indian nationalism. (Tagore was extremely critical of both British colonialism and Indian nationalism.) While he wrote in Bengali, he also translated his own works into English. Rudyard Kipling is also intriguing (though at times unsettling) as someone born in Bombay but educated in England. – Emily Deibler 9 years ago
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Many of the famous stories are also rooted in religions: Buddhism and Hinduism. Sikhs also have amazing stories. Some stories have been appropriated by the West though. Slumdog Millionaire is one example. The book represents India better since the writer is Indian but the screen play is written by a someone from England. Poetry is very important in Indian culture. Urdu is like the Italian of Sanskrit languages. Also there are links to Persian culture in terms of some of the more famous stories. Tagore was Bengali and they are known to be gifted in the arts as well. India is a very complex country with over 10 official languages and many regional differences. One of my favorite sayings in Indian culture is "Always remember you are the heroine of your own story.". A suitable quote for any drama queen. A good way to write this article may be to focus on one region or a few of the most famous authors, especially ones who have won Nobel prizes for literature. – Munjeera 9 years ago
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Another couple of examples are Salman Rushdie's Midnights Children, and Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. Both of which have massive critical acclaim and popularity, and are written with a history of indian colonialism in mind. – Thomas Sutton 9 years ago
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Rohinton Misty is another writer who depicts India with beautiful perfection. Such A Long Journey is an old novel made into a movie (1990s). Old but good. To expand Michael Ondaatje, Sri Lankan, with English Patient novel to movie. Also old but good. – Munjeera 9 years ago
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Another interesting example is Gregory David Robert's Shantaram based on his own life story. He's an Australian who escapes from prison, ends up in India and becomes immersed in the culture there. He doesn't dismiss its imperfections or see it as simply exotic. India becomes his home, his family. – SarahPhilip 7 years ago
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Huge topic. Not specific. Unware of E. Said's contributions to the discussion. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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Latest Comments

May 16, 2016 Thomas Sutton 1984, and the genre in general and very culturally significant, they novels reflects the anxieties of the time they were written in, as well as predicting elements of the future	7 Classic Books For Those New to Dystopia
Apr 16, 2016 Thomas Sutton Baz Lurman’s Romeo and Juliet is also a very interesting adaptation, old language, but with a modern setting	The Obscure Shakespeare
Apr 15, 2016 thomassutton94 There is always so much to say about Heart of Darkness, but yet I still can’t stand Conrad’s writing style	Heart of Darkness: The Two-Sided Mask of Kurtz
Apr 15, 2016 thomassutton94 I really want to read Saga!!! But this is very useful because I think people find it hard to be a comic book fan when there is such a massive back catalogue they don’t know where to begin	A Guide to Reading Comics: Where to Start?
Apr 15, 2016 thomassutton94 Carter’s The Passion of New Eve gets forgotten about a lot, I think everyone gets caught up in The Bloody Chamber to much	Five Slightly Less Conspicuous Classics of British Literature
Apr 15, 2016 thomassutton94 Cool list, nice to see a mix of older and newer novels	Five Slightly Less Conspicuous Classics of British Literature