Order Description
With reference to the Moodle selections from Schulz and Peanuts, by David Michaelis, and the 3 samples of Peanuts cartoons from 1950-2000 or other materials on Moodle, discuss the mixture of philosophies that seem to be used by the various characters in the comic strip. These philosophies include the following: existentialism, stoicism, feminism, liberalism, Christian asceticism, emotivism, pragmatism, and skepticism (belief in human fallibility)–there may of course be more. Do these various philosophies add up to a larger system of philosophy, or are they contradictory, or complementary, or otherwise?? Develop a thesis about the philosophies behind Peanuts and whether or not this intellectual depth explains the popularity of the cartoon. Is it the ideas and arguments of Peanuts that made it so popular or is it the United Features Syndicate and its sales force, or some other factors? What best explains the success of Charles Schulz and the continuing popularity of his cartoon characters?
