[Dubois] 1

Jacques Dubois

Lisa Orta

English 123

October 7, 2019

FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF ALICE AND MIKO IN TOMINE'S SHORTCOMINGS

Adrian Tomine's graphic novel Shortcomings is set in the cities Oakland, Berkeley, and

New York City. The novel was first published in 2004. The characters are found in several

different settings throughout the novel, including a film festival, cafes, sidewalks of streets, and

apartments. According to an article by Linda Napikoski named “Feminist Literary Criticism”,

one tool to use when applying feminist criticism to a literary work is: "Deconstructing the way

that women characters are described in novels, stories, plays, biographies, and histories,

especially if the author is male" (Napikoski). When attempting to analyze female characters

written by a male author, one may wonder about the definition of a feminist. In Rosemarie

Tong's book Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction, Tong writes: "...feminism

is not a monolithic ideology and all feminists do not think alike...[there are a] number of

different approaches, perspectives, and frameworks that a variety of feminists have used to shape

both their explanations for women's oppression and their proposed solutions for its elimination"

(Tong). Two main female characters found in Shortcomings are Miko and Alice; they are both

strong, dynamic characters. Deconstructing Alice and Miko reveals female characters that are

surprising, imperfect, and human.

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The character Alice displays many traits that are often perceived to be youthful male

traits, including an interest in dating many women. Alice's character is drawn with short hair,

glasses, no makeup, plain t-shirts, and loose-fitting pants. In chapter 2, page 66, panel 8, Alice

states "She started talking shit again, so I kicked her in the pussy" (Tomine). Alice is having a

conversation with Ben about when she was in an argument with another young woman on her

university campus. In this scene, the reader discovers that Alice got suspended from going to

classes. It is surprising to read Alice's words because it is not common for women to use this

language, particularly in a literary setting. The way that Alice talks with Ben in this scene is

reminiscent of a group of men talking about women because the language that she chooses is

rude and includes slurs against women, including the word "bitch" (Tomine, p. 66, panel 5).

Alice may seem at first to be a static character who is the best friend of the main

character, Ben, but as the novel progresses, Alice becomes a multi-faceted and dynamic

character. Later in the novel, Ben asks Alice's girlfriend Meredith "Did she ever threaten to kick

you in the pussy?" (Tomine, p. 83, panel 5) and Alice is obviously embarrassed and immediately

redirects the conversation. In chapter 3, Alice is talking with Ben about how much she likes

Meredith and says, "Look...I'd like to at least try to not fuck this one up, okay? So maybe you

can hold off on the pussy-kicking anecdotes?" (Tomine, p. 85, panel 4). It is very human of Alice

to say something to her friend at one time, and then later become embarrassed of what she said if

it's repeated in public. At first in the novel, Alice seems to be a person who wants to date many

different women and does not seem to care about having a deeper relationship. Later in the novel

after Alice meets Meredith, she wants to be careful about her language and how she acts in front

of Meredith because she is interested in having a long-term relationship with Meredith. This
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shows that Alice is trying to make changes in the way that she talks and acts, unlike Ben. Alice

appears to be maturing as a person, over the short time period depicted in the novel.

Miko is another female character in Shortcomings who surprises the reader with her

actions and choices. Miko is drawn with long, straight black hair, she is thin, and at times she is

wearing lipstick. She wears skirts, dresses, and at times just her underwear. In the novel, Ben is

shocked when he sees Miko with another man in New York, especially a man who appears to be

white. Not only does Miko cheat on Ben in the novel but she also lies to him about moving to

New York City to be an intern at the Asian-American Independent Film Institute. This is a

surprise to the reader because Miko seems to be an honest, sweet young woman in chapter one

and she is constantly deflecting Ben's bad moods and temper.

Tomine portrays Miko to be a caring and attentive girlfriend in chapter 1. Miko brings

food to Ben while he is working at the movie theater. She is affectionate and gives him a kiss

when she drops off the food. Miko is also shown to be cooking for Ben when they are in their

apartment together in chapter 1, p. 18, panel 1. In this scene, from a feminist perspective, Miko

could be seen as submissive and subservient. She serves Ben dinner and she is attentive toward

him, asking him about his friend Alice. Later in the scene, she is standing in her underwear,

hoping that Ben will go to bed with her. Ben is oblivious and wants to stay awake watching

movies and possibly porn. On page 19, panel 7, Miko appears disappointed that Ben is

completely ignoring her and that he is not interested in spending time with her. She is in a

relationship with a man who does not appreciate her work on the film festival and does not give

her his attention. A strong feminist would not stay in a relationship where she is not valued.

Later in chapter 1, Ben tries to make a decision for Miko about accepting the film

internship in New York, "Well, forget it" (Tomine, ch.1, p. 33, panel 2). Miko, however, does
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not allow Ben to make this decision for her. Miko stands up to power and shows that she is an

independent person who can control her own actions. She maintains that she is in control of her

future and Ben is not in control. Tomine is portraying a female character that is not allowing the

male character to dominate her.

In chapter 3, Miko explains to Ben why she left him and how she felt trapped in the

relationship for two years. This shows that Miko is a strong character for leaving a relationship

where she was unfulfilled and unhappy. In the relationship between Miko and Ben, it is obvious

that Miko is caring and considerate towards Ben but he is not present for her. Miko may have

stayed in the relationship for two years hoping that Ben would change into a more positive and

caring person. In chapter 3, p. 103, panel 2, Miko states: "I think you also have a problem with

depression and anger management...weird self-hatred issues...and just the relentless negativity..."

(Tomine). Miko is telling Ben about his shortcomings; she is listing the reasons why she cannot

be in a relationship with him any longer. This is a scene where Miko is firm and she tells Ben

why she has chosen to break up with him. Finally, toward the end of the scene, Miko has to

almost push Ben out the door because he does not want to leave her. Miko appears very sad, and

Ben seems to be trying to hug her and she says strongly, "You need to go now" (Tomine, ch. 3,

p. 104, panel 1). Miko has solidly made up her mind, and she strongly sticks to her decision. This

is an example of a powerful woman who sticks up for herself. She is not submissive and she does

not let Ben talk over her in this scene.

Tomine is a male author who has included many different female characters in his

graphic novel. The characters Miko and Alice are flawed but in the end they stand up for

themselves and fight for a reality that is healthier for them. Alice is portrayed as a somewhat

gender neutral character who is not afraid of changing when the opportunity arises for her to
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move to New York and be in a monogamous relationship with Meredith. Miko is a female

character who at first appears submissive toward Ben but then makes a strong decision to move

to New York and be in a new relationship with a man who values her culture. Miko is shown in

the novel to lie and to cheat on her partner. Miko is also shown to make a difficult decision to

move across the country and does not allow Ben to control her actions. The novel's protagonist,

Ben, is stuck and finds that he is not willing to make changes in his life. The female characters

are willing to change and take control of their lives to find fulfillment. Perhaps we can learn from

Shortcomings that it is better not to resist change in our lives. As evidenced in Shortcomings,

embracing change can lead to new opportunities and deeper, more fulfilling relationships.

"No human being should be forbidden the sense of wholeness that comes from

combining his or her masculine and feminine sides" (Tong). Although Tomine is male, he

portrays female characters who are well-rounded and independent. I believe Tomine is a

feminist. Rather than describing women who display only stereotypical heterosexual female

characteristics, Tomine's characters include women who have traits commonly associated with

both femininity and masculinity. Miko and Alice are not stereotypical women; they are

characters that are essentially human.

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Works Cited

Napikoski, Linda. “Feminist Literary Criticism”. ThoughtCo, 11 Aug 2019

https://www.thoughtco.com/feminist-literary-criticism-3528960 Accessed 3 October

2019

Tomine, Adrian. Shortcomings. Drawn & Quarterly, November 2015.

Tong, Rosemarie. Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction. Fourth edition.

Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 2014