1. CARTOONS AND SOCIAL THEORY
Presented to you by The TrenchcoatMafia

2. CARTOONS AND SOCIAL THEORY
 We decided to look at children’s TV
shows, primarily popular cartoons from our
childhood
 We decided to look at cartoons and how they
socially impact children today and to look for social
concepts being portrayed in the episodes
 We each picked a cartoon and wrote a short blog
post and published it online on the class website

3. THEMIGHTY MORPHIN’ RANGERS:
A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY
Link to Post

4. POKEMON AND THE CULTURE INDUSTRY-WHY DO
WE HAVE TO CATCH ‘EM ALL?
Link to Post

5. RUGRATSAND A LESSON ON LEADERSHIP
Link to Post

6. RECESS: A REFLECTIVE LOOK ON CAPITALISM
Link to Post

7. “ECONOMICS OF RECESS”
 TJ Detweiler returns to Third Street School and finds that
recess has been commodified; capitalism rules over recess
 You have to pay for activities and goods to play using
“Monstickers”
 Pivotal point of the episode is when TJ sells his trademark
Red Baseball Cap for Monstickers; he sells his identity and
individuality
 At the end, TJ realizes that he isn’t happy with all the
Monstickers in the playground; he forgot that he only wanted
them so he could hang with his friends
 Works well with Marcuse and culture industry and one-
dimensional thought
 Unfortunately, Monstickers loses its value and is replaced by
Lick N’ Stick Alien Stamps which shows that capitalism can
survive through repressive tolerance

8. HEY ARNOLD!: A PRIMER ON RACIAL AND
OTHER POPULAR STEREOTYPES
Link to Post
HEY ARNOLD

9. ARNOLD
• Protagonist
• White heterosexual male
• Popular and well-liked
• Always saves the day

10. GERALD
• Sidekick
• Token black guy
• Cool kid
• 33 on shirt: reference
to basketball or other
sports?

11. PHOEBE
• Asian
• Brainiac
• Always studying
• Plays piano
• Quiet

12. OSKAR KOKOSHKA
• Eastern European
• Lazy
• Selfish
• Con artist
• Unemployed

13. SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
 Why are there so few minorities if they live in such
a big city? Shouldn’t it be more diverse?
 Why is it that minorities are paired together (Gerald
and Pheobe) and the whites are paired together
(Arnold and Helga/Lila)?
 Why do minorities have such thick accents and
specific stereotypical traits? Is this necessary?
 Overall, why does society reinforce these
stereotypes and certain images but not for others?