It’s Self Exposition, Charlie Brown
Anyone who is familiar with the Peanuts gang knows of Linus van Pelt. Linus is famous for his faith and superstition, which are displayed in his quoting of the bible and his “security blanket” which is so famous that it actually coined the term. Though a loser without elder guidance like Charlie Brown and Lucy van Pelt, Linus is clearly happier and more at peace with himself than his best friend or sister. Linus is the religious zealot who finds happiness in his faith. He saves himself from the existential wallowing of Charlie Brown, the masochistic rage of Lucy, the hedonistic lust of Sally, the fantastical escapism of Snoopy or the lonely artistic indulgence of Schroeder. Though most of us identify with Charlie Brown, it is Linus who we feel good feelings towards despite his delusion (or perhaps because of it).
Linus’ most memorable appearance is in Schultz’s remake of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting For Godot” entitled “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. Linus practices temperance and forgoes the worldly pleasures of Halloween candy and fun and instead waits for the Great Pumpkin who will supposedly give presents to those who have faith in him (or is it Him?). Linus, being a man, falters slightly and says “if” rather than “when”, but his faith was not swayed and he vows to wait again next year. Like Becket’s Godot and Jesus, the Great Pumpkin never arrives, but the devoted continue to wait. So, in the end, this play, this life and this TV special are exercises of inaction. Nothing happens really, but that is not really the point. From a wasted night in a pumpkin patch, we learn quite a bit about who Linus, Charlie Brown and Sally are as human beings.
Shifting gears, in “The Great Muppet Caper”, Miss Piggy walks into the office of Lady Holiday and impossibly lands a job as a receptionist. Lady Holiday begins telling Miss Piggy all about her life. Miss Piggy asks “why are you telling me this?” and Lady Holiday responds “it’s plot exposition”.
Yes, the seemingly pointless does, in fact, have a point. God’s existence, non-existence or partial existence help us understand ourselves and influence how we interact with society. Are we hopeful, yet deluded and cold to our friends like Linus? Are we pessimistic, yet real and warm to our friends like Charlie Brown? It is all exposition of one’s personality and incredibly relevant in our lives.
Could one marry a zealot? Could one marry an atheist? It is amazing how important these questions are in world without demonstrative higher beings. Good grief.
Linus’ most memorable appearance is in Schultz’s remake of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting For Godot” entitled “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. Linus practices temperance and forgoes the worldly pleasures of Halloween candy and fun and instead waits for the Great Pumpkin who will supposedly give presents to those who have faith in him (or is it Him?). Linus, being a man, falters slightly and says “if” rather than “when”, but his faith was not swayed and he vows to wait again next year. Like Becket’s Godot and Jesus, the Great Pumpkin never arrives, but the devoted continue to wait. So, in the end, this play, this life and this TV special are exercises of inaction. Nothing happens really, but that is not really the point. From a wasted night in a pumpkin patch, we learn quite a bit about who Linus, Charlie Brown and Sally are as human beings.
Shifting gears, in “The Great Muppet Caper”, Miss Piggy walks into the office of Lady Holiday and impossibly lands a job as a receptionist. Lady Holiday begins telling Miss Piggy all about her life. Miss Piggy asks “why are you telling me this?” and Lady Holiday responds “it’s plot exposition”.
Yes, the seemingly pointless does, in fact, have a point. God’s existence, non-existence or partial existence help us understand ourselves and influence how we interact with society. Are we hopeful, yet deluded and cold to our friends like Linus? Are we pessimistic, yet real and warm to our friends like Charlie Brown? It is all exposition of one’s personality and incredibly relevant in our lives.
Could one marry a zealot? Could one marry an atheist? It is amazing how important these questions are in world without demonstrative higher beings. Good grief.
posted by American Dilettante at
10:22 AM
1 Comments:
I went to church school for 12 years and in my eleventh year, in our religion class, we used a book called "The Parables of Peanuts". I don't remember anything specific from it. But as the title suggests, it was supposed to be a connection between Christianity and the Peanuts characters.
But as much as I loved the Peanuts books as a kid, and was also immersed in the religious world, I never made the connection between the two.
Linus as the religious one. Hmmm. Waiting for the Great Pumpkin, as waiting for Godot and waiting for Jesus. But is Linus really shabby to his friends? It seems as if the girls are the hardest of the bunch. Lucy of course. But Peppermint Patty was no charmer either.
The waiting for Godot/Jesus allegory has two dimensions I think. One is waiting for his appearance at the end of the world. The other is waiting for his intervention today.
Bishop Shelby Spong points out in several of his books how our society's understanding of god has changed. The ancients wrote of the god that sent lightning down from heaven, fought their wars for them, smote the enemies, parted seas, etc. Yet this god today seems to be out of a job. But still christians continue to look into the small, particulars of life looking for signs of god's intervention. We're told in church that god has been leading this or that individual in this or that endeavor, none of which can be verified in any meaningful way, of course. Maybe it's intended to provide the security that Linus sought.
The paradox is that if god did intervent today to win battles, heal people, and make the trains run on time, I'm not sure I'd be too crazy about that god.
I think I'm happier, if pessimistic, with keeping the human freedom we have, warts and all.
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Bulworth, at 4:38 PM
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