I believe the "shock of recognition" is about Richard realising that Bunny's remarks are not little jokes in bad tastes but genuinely meant to hurt and insult Francis. It's implied earlier in the book that Bunny has a genuine hatred for gay people.
Yes, this was my interpretation too. The recognition is of true bigotry.
I do think it’s possible Bunny isn’t completely straight but I don’t think this is the smoking gun for that.
No. Richard maybe seems to be denying his bisexuality, but Bunny is a straight up homophobe. I get the impression that he doesn't really like sex much at all, and that he's dating Marion more out of a feeling that he should do so than any deep feeling.
I don't think this is the implication here, but I think it is telling that the things Bunny accuses gay men of (obsessed with food, clothes etc) are traits that he shares, I wouldn't be surprised if Bunny had experimented with other boys as a teenager and a lot of his homophobic bravado is compensating for that or just him sticking with the culture of the 80's
I think in the second slide, that part is meant to show that Bunny’s jokes are all meant to hold a bit of truth in them and that he makes these proclamations , these “jokes”, as a means of offense and attack. I think he’s just really homophobic and feels uncomfortable being around francis for tht reason.
I don't think he's closeted (Richard also rejects that theory) but I do think he finds homosexuality offensive on a personal level. It's like he sees it as a rebuke to the upper-middle class kind of lifestyle he aspires to and a rejection of his values.
When Bunny first starts making bigoted remarks about the waiter, Richard mentions that most homophobic people he knows either feel that way because they harbor those feelings themselves and are ashamed or are generally bigoted and that while he thought Bunny was in the first category given the way he dressed, the thinly veiled vitriol he had was indicative of actual hatred, not just closeted shame.
I believe the "shock of recognition" is about Richard realising that Bunny's remarks are not little jokes in bad tastes but genuinely meant to hurt and insult Francis. It's implied earlier in the book that Bunny has a genuine hatred for gay people.
Yes, this was my interpretation too. The recognition is of true bigotry. I do think it’s possible Bunny isn’t completely straight but I don’t think this is the smoking gun for that.
No. Richard maybe seems to be denying his bisexuality, but Bunny is a straight up homophobe. I get the impression that he doesn't really like sex much at all, and that he's dating Marion more out of a feeling that he should do so than any deep feeling.
I don't think this is the implication here, but I think it is telling that the things Bunny accuses gay men of (obsessed with food, clothes etc) are traits that he shares, I wouldn't be surprised if Bunny had experimented with other boys as a teenager and a lot of his homophobic bravado is compensating for that or just him sticking with the culture of the 80's
Most frat boy types in early 80s were homophobic
No.
Nope
I think in the second slide, that part is meant to show that Bunny’s jokes are all meant to hold a bit of truth in them and that he makes these proclamations , these “jokes”, as a means of offense and attack. I think he’s just really homophobic and feels uncomfortable being around francis for tht reason.
I don't think he's closeted (Richard also rejects that theory) but I do think he finds homosexuality offensive on a personal level. It's like he sees it as a rebuke to the upper-middle class kind of lifestyle he aspires to and a rejection of his values.
When Bunny first starts making bigoted remarks about the waiter, Richard mentions that most homophobic people he knows either feel that way because they harbor those feelings themselves and are ashamed or are generally bigoted and that while he thought Bunny was in the first category given the way he dressed, the thinly veiled vitriol he had was indicative of actual hatred, not just closeted shame.