Oh.
This upsets me.
Everyone knows. Mother says it’s her fault, a brother jests, and the other just smiles like there’s nothing wrong. That kid reminds me of Nate King Cole’s song Smile. Singing this to himself so that he tries and comfort himself.
Chances are that kid would kill himself irl.
I know it’s fucked up but her face when saying good morning daddy kinda made me laugh because that’s how I talk to my parents when I am forced to wake up early on my days off from school. I’m going to hell ain’t I?
Im reading this for the first time, started from the beginning and man I love the way you use metaphor through illustration. Your writing is really poignant,,,
the only reason why im commenting is because, I understand the artist’s intention is that Clarissa is the one being abused and everyone else represents the reaction to her abuse… but I cant help but see it as everyone is being abused by the family patriarch and are coping with it their own ways. The mother and eldest brother bullying Clarissa to make themselves feel less like crap and the middle child becoming a mess of a person yet still barely trying to maintain the façade of being ‘completely fine’
My personal theory: all the siblings were abused when they were younger, each one reacts differently. Sean’s taunt in the 2nd panel sounds like something his father could have said to him “during”. The cycle of abuse continues! Also, Randy’s face while the dog humped his leg in the previous chapter.
It feels weird, but this page has always been stuck in the back of my brain since I first read this about a decade ago or so. Just lurking somewhere in the recesses. A primal definition of disgust.
The perpetuating cycle of abuse, french toast is forced on her, and of course that isnt enough so syrup is as well. Followed up immediately with her mother jokingly shaming her for the syrup. Poor Clarissa has no agency, and is blamed for things out of her control.
If she was ‘sweet’ and happy, would she be blamed more by her mother?
The black haired brother is shaking when he says his dad is here, but wears a massive smile. It seems that all the kids suffer from having to pretend and portray a perfect American family.
I remember growing up and being in a similar position to clarissa, my brother resented me for a bunch of reasons, but one of them was that if he acted out and it lead to raised tensions then drinking- then things got worse for me.
I wonder if her brothers feel similar, they try to portray everything as okay but it never is- maybe they feel inadequate?
Thank you for your comics, i come back to reread them often.
JY: You’re welcome, Robin. Some of these awkward moments are drawn from my own childhood too.
AAW Syrup? I love syrup! Especially when it doesnt remind me of anything else! YUM
Oh.
This upsets me.
Everyone knows. Mother says it’s her fault, a brother jests, and the other just smiles like there’s nothing wrong. That kid reminds me of Nate King Cole’s song Smile. Singing this to himself so that he tries and comfort himself.
Chances are that kid would kill himself irl.
I know it’s fucked up but her face when saying good morning daddy kinda made me laugh because that’s how I talk to my parents when I am forced to wake up early on my days off from school. I’m going to hell ain’t I?
JY: You’ll love it. I own a timeshare there.
Im reading this for the first time, started from the beginning and man I love the way you use metaphor through illustration. Your writing is really poignant,,,
the only reason why im commenting is because, I understand the artist’s intention is that Clarissa is the one being abused and everyone else represents the reaction to her abuse… but I cant help but see it as everyone is being abused by the family patriarch and are coping with it their own ways. The mother and eldest brother bullying Clarissa to make themselves feel less like crap and the middle child becoming a mess of a person yet still barely trying to maintain the façade of being ‘completely fine’
JY: Good takes!
My personal theory: all the siblings were abused when they were younger, each one reacts differently. Sean’s taunt in the 2nd panel sounds like something his father could have said to him “during”. The cycle of abuse continues! Also, Randy’s face while the dog humped his leg in the previous chapter.
It feels weird, but this page has always been stuck in the back of my brain since I first read this about a decade ago or so. Just lurking somewhere in the recesses. A primal definition of disgust.
All that syrup…
The perpetuating cycle of abuse, french toast is forced on her, and of course that isnt enough so syrup is as well. Followed up immediately with her mother jokingly shaming her for the syrup. Poor Clarissa has no agency, and is blamed for things out of her control.
If she was ‘sweet’ and happy, would she be blamed more by her mother?
The black haired brother is shaking when he says his dad is here, but wears a massive smile. It seems that all the kids suffer from having to pretend and portray a perfect American family.
I remember growing up and being in a similar position to clarissa, my brother resented me for a bunch of reasons, but one of them was that if he acted out and it lead to raised tensions then drinking- then things got worse for me.
I wonder if her brothers feel similar, they try to portray everything as okay but it never is- maybe they feel inadequate?
Thank you for your comics, i come back to reread them often.
JY: You’re welcome, Robin. Some of these awkward moments are drawn from my own childhood too.