Observations on It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

underthecity · Oct 29, 2009

So, for the 39th year in my life, we watched Great Pumpkin last night. We noticed a couple of things, besides Pig Pen wearing glasses at Violet's Halloween party.

Lucy informs Charlie Brown that he wasn't invited to Violet's party, yet there he is at the party. Nobody calls him out on that.

Secondly, and more important, was an observation made by my wife. I've watched this show so many times and have never caught this.

Linus stays in the pumpkin patch to wait for the Great Pumpkin. And when Lucy goes trick or treating, she asks for an extra piece for her brother who was spending the evening in a pumpkin patch.

Sally, meanwhile, has volunteered to stay with Linus. She misses trick or treating.

When Charlie Brown goes trick or treating, all he gets is a bag full of rocks. And he never asks for an extra piece for his sister who's spending the night in a pumpkin patch. Lucy did. Charlie Brown did not. (Maybe he would have gotten an extra rock, I don't know.)

My wife noticed this and commented that the only person who really made out that night was Linus, who got candy even though he elected not to go out.

Sally got nothing.

And I never noticed that.

Zoombie · Oct 29, 2009

I still don't understand Charlie Brown...was it supposed to be funny or just depressing or what?

jennontheisland · Oct 29, 2009

Back in the days before emo... we had Charlie Brown.

So yeah, a little funny and a little depressing... emo. :tongue

Leukman · Oct 29, 2009

underthecity said:
Lucy informs Charlie Brown that he wasn't invited to Violet's party, yet there he is at the party. Nobody calls him out on that.

Charlie is actually a stud. There wouldn't be a party if he didn't show up. We just never realize this fact because, as the viewer, we're watching Charlie's POV and his complete lack of confidence, despite the gagle of animated virgins throwing themsleves at his doorstep.

Remember, he's not yet of age, and does not know what to do with these virgins, so he assumes they're nothing but litter, and it does his self-worth no good.

underthecity said:
Linus stays in the pumpkin patch to wait for the Great Pumpkin. And when Lucy goes trick or treating, she asks for an extra piece for her brother who was spending the evening in a pumpkin patch.

She asks for that reason, but she has no true intention of giving her lunatic brother the extra candy she collects. Are you serious? We're talking about a maninizing little psycho chick who pulls the ball away from Mr. Stud Charlie Brown when he's trying to punt. :Wha:

Can nobody else see through this crazy pre-adolescnet bitch?

underthecity said:
When Charlie Brown goes trick or treating, all he gets is a bag full of rocks.

*makes note to have bowl of rocks for Saturday night*

Cyia · Oct 29, 2009

What always strikes me with The Great Pumpkin, is that his parents have this kid who's gotten punkin' head mixed up with Santa and not once do they cut the kid a break and give him some goodies in the pumpkin patch. They let him sit out there year after year and get his little heart broken.

Leukman · Oct 29, 2009

Cyia said:
What always strikes me with The Great Pumpkin, is that his parents have this kid who's gotten punkin' head mixed up with Santa and not once do they cut the kid a break and give him some goodies in the pumpkin patch. They let him sit out there year after year and get his little heart broken.

First, I think he has a BIG heart.

Second, they have to.

If they reinforced his bizarre behavior by rewarding it with treats, it would only propagate and likely mutate into other abnormal and twisted beliefs.

Next thing you know he'd be hiding cow patties under the church pews for Easter, camping out with his blanket in the chior section, awaiting the Great Easter Armadillo to deliver fabulous prizes for all the little boys and girls.

And that would be wrong.

Just wrong.

:Wha:

sulong · Oct 29, 2009

Leukman said:
She asks for that reason, but she has no true intention of giving her lunatic brother the extra candy she collects. Are you serious? We're talking about a maninizing little psycho chick who pulls the ball away from Mr. Stud Charlie Brown when he's trying to punt. Can nobody else see through this crazy pre-adolescnet bitch?

Actually, Chuck is attempting a field goal, or a kick off. Not a punt.

Leukman · Oct 29, 2009

Technicalities, technicalities. Sheesh.

poetinahat · Oct 29, 2009

Zoombie said:
I still don't understand Charlie Brown...was it supposed to be funny or just depressing or what?

Cerebral. Peanuts was originally (fifties/sixties?) a very philosophical, insightful strip; I'd even say that it was, in a gentler way, on a par with Pogo for social commentary. It just outran its ideas by decades.

Haggis · Oct 29, 2009

sulong said:
Actually, Chuck is attempting a field goal, or a kick off. Not a punt.

You called him "Chuck." Are you sure you're not really Peppermint Patty?

rhymegirl · Oct 29, 2009

Well, I think that was the point of Sally being torn between going trick or treating or staying with Linus. She knows if she doesn't go she will not get any candy. She didn't ask her brother to get any candy for her. Since she loves Linus so much she is willing to spend her Halloween with him and the payoff will be seeing the Great Pumpkin.

Of course she ends up with no candy and no Great Pumpkin either.

And I agree that Lucy probably had no intention of giving the extra candy to Linus. That's an old trick I remember back when I was trick or treating. A kid would ask for candy for his "sick" brother or sister at home. Uh huh.

Some kids actually go around twice, back to the same house again figuring the adults will never notice.

poetinahat · Oct 29, 2009

I saw Lucy as bossy, both in a good and a bad way. She told Linus what to do, but she did look after him; I think she did intend to give him the candy - possibly to reinforce her authority: he needed taking care of, and she had do to it. She was bossy, but she wasn't corrupt.

childeroland · Oct 29, 2009

Charlie may have assumed Lucy was lying or having some sort of fit, or that Violet wouldn't mind him showing up anyway. Which as it turns out she really doesn't.

He probably would have given Sally a piece of whatever he got if he'd received any candy. Or with his defeatist attitude he may have assumed from the beginning he would not get any candy anyway. Neither he nor anyone else is surprised at him getting rocks instead of treats.

Except when Lucy or their well-intentioned grandmother are bullying him, Linus usually comes out ahead in the strip.

Delhomeboy · Oct 29, 2009

The Great Pumpkin and Thanksgiving are good...

but Christmas, that's some heavy stuff.

TerzaRima · Oct 29, 2009

still don't understand Charlie Brown...was it supposed to be funny or just depressing or what?

Both, I think. At least per his recent biography, Charles Schultz was a pretty tortured soul.

childeroland · Oct 29, 2009

The depression is funny; it's an alternately rueful and mordant joke.

Cassiopeia · Oct 29, 2009

You gotta admit the satire is spot on.

maxmordon · Oct 30, 2009

I also liked Bring me the head of Charlie Brown (Warning, NSFW-ish with violence)

Sarpedon · Oct 30, 2009

I've always wondered why Linus, who is otherwise the most insightful person on the Peanuts cast, falls for that 'Great Pumpkin' crap.

CaroGirl · Oct 30, 2009

Sarpedon said:
I've always wondered why Linus, who is otherwise the most insightful person on the Peanuts cast, falls for that 'Great Pumpkin' crap.

Linus is a spiritual being, with his faith in The Great Pumpkin and his keen understanding of scripture. Even his attachment to the blanket is spiritual in nature. It's not important to him that The Great Pumpkin doesn't show up (despite his outward disappointment). What's important his belief in its existence. It's akin to a belief in a Higher Power, whatever that might be. Even if you don't see it or hear it, it's there.

Observations on It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

underthecity

Finestkind

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

Leukman

Pernicious...n'stuff.

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Leukman

Pernicious...n'stuff.

sulong

It's a matter of what is.

Leukman

Pernicious...n'stuff.

poetinahat

Numbers are beautiful

Haggis

Evil, undead Chihuahua

rhymegirl

It's a New Year!

poetinahat

Numbers are beautiful

childeroland

What happened to my LIFE?!

Delhomeboy

Stalking Jennifer Aniston!

TerzaRima

Absinthe O'Malice

childeroland

What happened to my LIFE?!

Cassiopeia

Otherwise Occupied

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Sarpedon

CaroGirl

Living the dream