When it came
to literature the formalists believed that it was the genre of the text that
allowed it a literary status and not it’s content in particular. They further
went on to say that the genius of the writer was in the way in which he
presented the subject matter using language thus implying that the ‘what’ was
not as important as the ‘how’.
Of course
this was merely one school of thought and there came several others that
disagreed and believed the content to be as important if not superior to the
language used. When it comes to Calvin and Hobbes the comic strip I go as far
as agreeing to the formalist opinion that there are certain subjects that allow
themselves to be written about and their mere presence in the world inspires
writers.
However I go
only that far. It is important to understand and appreciate how the writer has
chosen to present the subject to the audience thereby assessing the reach of
the text and its impact on the same.
The reason I
believe that the comic strip written by Bill Watterson is literature is because
of the way in which the writer uses satire and simplicity to highlight some of
the ignored intricacies of the everyday mundane life. In true formalist
opinion, the use of simplistic language and a strong tone of sarcasm not only
make for a good laugh, but it also brings to attention the realities of life. Nevertheless,
in the form of a comic strip, it reaches out to a wide audience and conveys the
point simply and directly. In a fast pace world it engages the audience in the
exact number of seconds that they are willing to spare in their busy schedule.
The character
of Calvin is indeed a remarkable one. The use of a child adds the child-like
innocence to the character and allows one to take in his criticisms with a
pinch of salt. The added benefit of such a character is the fact that it
highlights how innate some of the unwanted things have become and how they are
shaping young minds today. The character allows the writer to comment on
whatever he deems fit without having to fear being politically correct.
In one comic
strip, Calvin talks to his father about how he wants to grow up and be rich.
This reflects the aspirations of the youth. In a world where money means comfort
and the expressway to happiness it is no surprise that everybody wants to
become a millionaire. Furthermore it also addresses the lethargic attitude in
the same. We find the past generations complaining about it, completely
discounting the fact that they themselves have contributed to the formation of
the same. People today want everything handed to them on a platter and hard
work is just another word, something that people do not wish to familiarize
themselves with because who has the time?
In keeping
with the way the text can be analyzed, the ‘what’ hence becomes an integral
part of this text in particular because while the context and content allow me
to believe that it is literature, while the language has no inherent literary
quality. For that matter the content of any text becomes important because the
current trends in politics, human behavior, society, and life in general, get
lost in the complexities of life and are forgotten it is then that a writer
with an eye for such things comes along and introduces us to it.
