Seeing this guy, I learned that whatever position we may be in, we should always treat the people under us with love and care'

On Childhood Cartoons

Gladson S | II MA English

Introduction

Most of us would've had unforgettable memories with cartoons, at least in our childhood. Cartoons, more importantly, build up several moral and ethical values in children. If used correctly, cartoons can be used to enrich a large number of children with significant deals of knowledge.

These video comics can be quickly and effectively communicated to children due to the visual impact it gives. But this can also go the other way when some misuses these education methods. Cartoons are both sources of entertainment and education for children nowadays, at least until 10 years of age.

For children nowadays, access to cartoons and a wide range of cartoons is readily available. This emphasizes that there must be massive rules and regulations, and has to be taken care of with more importance, just like the big-screen movies released worldwide.

Though the cartoon industry does not have widespread acceptance like the cine industry or the anime industry, it has undoubtedly been a massive industry for the past 2 decades since it has gained tremendous momentum.

The cartoons are very different from anime as they target children under 8. Anime is nothing other than movies with the same videography effect as cartoons but have a widespread fanbase for their releases.

Cartoons have become vital for children's initial stages of education in the form of songs, poems, dramas, and even rhymes.

Jetix, Cartoon Network, Pogo, Disney XD and so on….

Some of the cartoons I watched during my childhood and cherish those memories are Tom & Jerry, Popeye the Sailor man, Looney tunes, pink panther, Richie Rich, Oswald, Kick Buttowski, and Noddy.

I would just give a small example of how the cartoons we watch during childhood influence our life even after decades we have stopped watching them. During my kindergarten days, I watched the cartoon Noddy every day after coming home. I loved how "Noddy," – the cartoon's main character, lived. He was pleased even though he had to live alone. But what kept him happy every day was his automobiles. Noddy loved his car more than anything in his world, and he needed nothing more to keep him living happily.

After about 15 years, I can relate my situation to his. I am a motorhead, and I believe entirely that it was Noddy who was one of the first influencers who helped me become who I am today. I'm grateful to Noddy for letting me perceive what it is so at such an early age that I could figure it out so quickly.

These are not just mere cartoons that parents allow children to watch just for the sake that they could be accessible for a small amount of time and relax until the child is entertained by it. Every individual activity a person does in the world has a cost.

When a child has opened a door in which access to cartoons is granted, it is not just mere entertainment that is given. Still, it is a channel through which precious information flows. And this should never be taken for granted as it influences their life in several ways. This could affect both good and bad habits.

It is the responsibility of the parents to filter out those contents which could be a bad influence on their children. It is a crucial age for children as they receive a lot and remember the things they learn through these channels for a long time.

Absolutely, all cartoons are not the same. Similarly, another cartoon, Kick Buttowski, is an example of how a child should not be.

But the problem is that children try to imitate cartoon characters, which they easily get influenced by as they do not have broad exposure to the open world. This happens at the cost that children cannot even identify bad influences.

For example, this cartoon called Kick Buttowski is a classic example of disrespectful speech that is easy for children to imitate, which I have directly witnessed.

On the other hand, almost all great institutions have started using cartoons to spread their ideas and perspectives.

Religious institutions, schools, peacekeeping forces, and even environmentalists have begun using the means of cartoons to educate the next generation earlier. This could be effective as they can quickly transfer what they need the next generation to receive.

Cartoons that taught me life values

There is this cartoon called Bandolero, the name of the hero who lives in a village ruled by a tyrant governor who taxes the people without considering their livelihood. Bandolero, with his band of friends, helps escape the clutches of the cruel official while enticing his daughter.

When I was a kid, I just watched this cartoon for the thrill, but when I browsed a little, I realized that the story's background is based on Spain. So, the cartoon is not just any cartoon.

But a vivid description of the people who underwent torture under a tyrant ruler. So, this cartoon was just their insight into the incidents. And seeing Bandolero stand up for all the people suffering under the tyrant governor inspired me to stand up for those who cannot.

Another cartoon that I still watch is Gloriavin Veedu. It follows the life of a village girl named Gloria, who moves to the city with her family. She looks a little out of place through her dress and behaviour when she mingles with her new neighbours.

At first, the neighbours didn't like them much. Later, once they know more about each other, the neighbours get along fine with Gloria and her family. Gloria's father is an inventor who never lets go of broken things.

He would always find a way to use them efficiently. From this cartoon, I learned that whatever place we hail from, we should never be ashamed of it. Each area has its own significance.

And secondly, The neighbours may be leading a very posh and decent life, but although out the series, we can see Gloria being happier than all the other characters in the series. This shows that whatever we may not have, our happiness depends only on us and not on material possessions.

The following cartoon that taught me life skills is Richie Rich. This is a 12-year-old boy who has a bank in his family name. His house is a big mansion over a surplus area with swimming pools, a tennis court, a research centre, and much more.

His family has a one billion Dollar note in their collection. His pocket money is a lot, and his dog's coat is decorated with the '$' symbol. The family has a personal maid to do their household chores and a scientist to ease their day-to-day life.

They have private planes, jets, yachts, etc. But this Richie is not proud and haughty about being this rich; he is very kind and caring to everyone. He is polite to elders, and he loves his friends very much. He obeys his parents and treats the maid and butler with compassion.

This sort of behaviour cannot be found in this generation's kids. But, seeing this guy, I learned that whatever position we may be in, we should always treat the people under us with love and care.

One more cartoon deserves its place here: Timon and Pumbaa. Timon and Pumbaa are the side characters of the movie franchise "The Lion King." This cartoon revolves around the story of a meerkat and a warthog named Timon and Pumbaa, respectively.

Timon is shrewd and lively, while Pumbaa is dumb; both are great friends. The series follows their daily life, where they have to find worms and insects for food in a comical way. They face many hardships that would test their friends, but they prevail.

This show taught me to stick with the people we love the most, whatever we might face. And the show is famous for one more dialogue: "Hakunama Tata," which means "No worries." When going through anything, one should remember that we should not fret whenever things do not go our way, but instead, we should stay calm and try to find a solution to the problem. This will always help us in the long run.

Conclusion

I would say that everything has a positive and negative side and includes the topic we are discussing now. Watching cartoons under adult supervision helps kids learn things quickly and retain them for a long time. We might think that watching cartoons may kill time and deplete creativity in children, but it is not like that.

It will take time for him to understand, but it will be beneficial as he can relate it to life once he grows up. Finding a quality cartoon to watch nowadays is the real problem. Most of the cartoons broadcasted today are worth nothing.

A child who watches cartoons has the edge over his peers as he gets exposed to the world through cartoons. If he watches a cartoon in English, he can quickly get hold of the foreign language.