Being a non-performing student, it is a rare phenomenon for Calvin to get good grades in class tests. Check out his way of celebrating his "A" in the grandest way you an think of. A full length parade on a open limousine with crowd cheering for him plus a huge statue of Calvin - The Genius Boy...
2 comments:
Ultimate!! :)
I think this comic strips highlights issues deeper than just an internal and personal celebration. An A is a hard thing to achieve and maintain in this world. This proves true for any student in any situation. If you do receive an A, the world seems content to just move on and give you a harder task (thus the "next chapter" quote). This comic strip highlights the true perspective that the world has upon success. It is rarely celebrated or rewarded appropriate to the amount of effort invested in it's attainment. An "A" is truly an incredible, especially in Calvin's case. However, the world brushes off this success and moves on, despite his internal success. In fact, if Calvin continues to perform well, others may envy him and despise him, thus bringing about a reaction contrary to his initial intent. However, it is worth nothing the type of celebration Calvin envisions. This is no simple parade. There's confetti, people screaming in excitement and a gigantic statue of himself in the middle of the throbbing heart of the city. His intentions are focused outwardly, and he seeks the emotional approval of the entire populace in order to re-assure him that he is truly great. He doesn't seek self respect or the pride of a job well done, he seeks fame and fortune. This outlook is more than obvious in American society today. We witness celebrities in Hollywood becoming famous and living the glamourous life that we all seem to covet. People have even figured out ways to apply the opposite of diligence and intelligence and instead have used the infamous side of fame to gain wealth. Characters such as Charlie Sheen, who refuses to think before speaking and openly admits to drug use, are regularly televised and followed by the general populace. He's famous, rich and an overall douchebag. He's one of the sorriest examples that society has to offer and while many will agree with you, we'll still watch his latest interview. Thus the impressionable youth of our nation see that if you do something bad (which is far easier than doing something good), you'll still be rewarded with the ultimate goal of fame and fortune. In Calvin's case, he seeks this same attention but he will never be happy because others will continue to ask more from him. I don't know if this is what Bill Waterson intended when he wrote this comic, and I don't mena to distort the orginal message. However, this is my 10 minute analysis of this comic. Happy Trails.
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