Cartoon and Its Effects through the Generations

Abstract 

Cartoons are one of the most significant sources of entertainment today. Cartoons are ingrained in the children’s daily activities as they spend several hours a day watching cartoon. Parents rely on cartoons to keep their children busy and entertained as they go on with their day-to-day activities. Viewers realize that cartoons have changed with time; the 1900s cartoons are different from the present cartoon. The message, acting, and the methods of delivery have changed. This research paper explores the changes in cartoons over the years to find out their effects through generations. 

Introduction & Background

Viewers from different generations enjoy watching cartoon films. Cartoons are fun and filled with magic that lacks in other genres of films. For example, in the infamous Tom and Jerry , Jerry is always playing funny tricks on Tom, which excites both adult and young viewers alike. Jerry is a lovable character and is a source of great thrill. Aside from being fun, people love watching cartoon because it is a distraction from the reality. Cartoons are created in such a way that the animated characters are capable of doing things that are not possible in the real world. Cartoons are primarily comedic, but sometimes they are used to express social and political messages. Cartoons are often commentaries on social issues; they make fun of events to show alternative viewpoints. 

Cartoons have been enjoyed for centuries. The history of cartoon is traced to the primitive Egyptian cartoons in the 1300 BC. There were murals found alongside the pyramids, which were interpreted to mean funny stories. In the 11 and 12th century, Japanese cartoon became famous, and they inspired the present day Japanese anime. However, the modern cartoon was developed in the 20th century in America. The early forms of cartoons were classified as illustrative, comic strips, gag strips, animated and political (Mankoff, 2002). Felix the Cat became the most popular cartoon character in the 1920s, and by 1930s, other characters like Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto were introduced (Hassan & Daniyal, 2013). 

More cartoon shows and channels were created in the 20th century thanks to individuals like Walt Disney, Chuck Jones, and Charles Schultz. Walt Disney is a famous figure in the animation industry; he is credited with the creation of the iconic Mickey Mouse. The first cartoons created by Disney were Oswald Rabbit and the Steamboat Willie . In 1937, Disney produced the first full-length animated film, and it was a tremendous success. The success of the film led to the creation of many more animated musicals and films. 

Changes in Cartoon over the Years

Given the history of cartoon, it is hard not to notice the changes in cartoons over the years. According to Hassan & Daniyal (2013) as time changes, so does cartoon. For instance, the early Egyptian cartoon murals were created on crude technology available in the 1300 BC. In 1995, Disney collaborated with Pixar to create Toy Story , the first computer-generated animated movie that was different from the prior cartoons released by Disney. A look at Toy Story and Willie Steamboat shows that the two cartoons were created at a different time and they appeal to different audiences. Toy Story is bright and colorful, the narration and the dialogue are better developed in comparison to Willie Steamboat. Computer animation in cartoon is at its peak, the development of animation technologies enable cartoon creators to experiment with better settings, plot, and effects that make animations attractive to the modern viewers. 

Dobson (2010) gives a chronology of cartoons from the early 20th century to the end of the century. Dobson explains how Felix the Cat created in 1919 became famous and introduced many viewers to cartoons. Felix the Cat was a silent cartoon created in black and white. The film had texts to describe the plot in advance and throughout the film. The creators took a lot of time to produce the film given the crude technology such as the transparent celluloid. Felix the Cat was compared with Chaplin, and the character became so famous such that he was licensed to be used in commercial adverts. 

In the 1920s, cartoonists were more experienced; they created new characters with more abilities. The invention of sound synchronization in the mid-1920s meant that cartoonists would no longer rely on texts to narrate the plot. Disney introduced Mickey Mouse character in a short animation film called Steamboat Willie in 1928. The new film had synchronized sound score, and the audience loved it. Synchronized sound opened new possibilities for cartoonists, especially Walt Disney who took advantage of the Mickey Mouse character to launch a successful career. The 1920s cartoon had exaggerated sound, but it was an improvement from the silent films. Pioneer cartoonists such as Chuck Jones had to master the art of timing to create short and funny clips. With the success of cartoons in the 1920s, Hollywood studios began setting up animation divisions. They created short and funny cartoons, which became crucial moneymakers for the studios (Maslon & Kantor, 2008). 

In the 1930s, cartoons became the main stream. Film studios such as Warner Bros created a cartoon division and created a copy of the famous Looney Tunes among other animated series. In the 1930s, Disney was expanding, and they added Donald Duck to its list of animation. Disney outpaced other studios because of the creativity in its cartoons; they had professional voice talent and Technicolor. In 1937, Disney created the first full animation film, an adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs . The film was costly; Disney hired over 750 artists to create drawings at the cost of 1.5 million dollars. The film was a success; it earned over six times the amount of its initial release (Dobson, 2010). Seeing the success of Disney’s first full film, Warner Bros assembled a team of skill cartoonists to come up with successful cartoons for the network. 

The cartoon industry attracted more fans with the creation of Tom and Jerry series by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in the 1950s. In the 1950s and 1960s, studios were spending very little on cartoons; hence, the creators were forced to create few characters. There were many cartoons in the 1960s, almost as many as in the 21st century. Every Saturday morning, TVs showed Bugs Bunny or Popeye cartoons for almost three hours. Cartoons were also used in adverts. The cartoons borrowed from fiction films, literature and even real-life stories (Telotte, 2011). 

Fast forward to the 1990s, the new technology and freedom of cable networks led to the creation of some of the best cartoons in history. Cartoons such as The Lion King and Powerpuff Girls were created in the 1990s. Disney wanted to recapture its magic by creating musical style cartoons such as the Lion King and the Little Mermaid. The Lion King became an instant blockbuster and is still enjoyed in the 21st century. Cartoon Network (CN) was created in 1992 after it acquired Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros cartoon catalog. CN also created new cartoon series. MTV was also gaining popularity, and it became a home to counter-culture cartoons that the big studios were not interested in. MTV used first-rate comic talent such as Woody Allen, Eddie Murphy, Robie Williams, and Ellen Degeneres among others to provide new dimensions to their animated films. The first Simpsons episode was aired in 1989 at Fox, it was not well received, and the producers realized that the show was awful such that they considered canceling the series. The second episode of the Fox was a hit, and it marked the beginning of a 30-year journey for the program (Maslon & Kantor, 2008). 

Cartoons in the 21st century are more popular than ever. Cartoons are now enjoyed by the mainstream audience unlike in the past when they targeted a particular audience. For example, The Boss Baby is a 2017 computer-animated movie produced by Dream Works Animation. The film was a massive success as it grossed at $498 million worldwide against the budget of $125 million. 21st-century cartoons have interesting concepts and the technical brilliance applied is impressive making today’s cartoons suitable for young and older audiences. Modern cartoons are not just funny, but they have a storyline meant to attract all kinds of audiences. 

Modern technology has not only made the quality of cartoons better, but it has made it accessible to all viewers across the globe. Cartoon networks have also evolved with time. Walt Disney formed the Walt Disney Company with his brother in 1923 (Hampton, 2013). Walt Disney’s animated films had performed poorly such that Disney filed for bankruptcy and moved to Hollywood. Walt Disney created the Mickey Mouse , which became an instant hit. At the moment, Walt Disney Company is one of the leading entertainment conglomerates. Alternatively, Cartoon Network (CN) has grown tremendously. CN started transmitting in 1992, and by 2002, it was watched in over 80 million homes across the globe. Other animation studios such as Nickelodeon, Disney Junior, Boomerang, Baby TV broadcast cartoons the whole day. The internet and streaming also make it easy to access cartoon films today. 

Modern day cartoons are treated like any other TV programs. They are given equal platform unlike in the beginning when cartoons were short films to be enjoyed before watching a movie in the theatre or a TV program. Cartoon series today run for 30 blocs as seen in Nickelodeon and CN programs. As cartoons became mainstream, cartoons were made to be more “family friendly.” Parents enjoy watching cartoons with their children together; hence, cartoons have to censor language and their plots to suit all audiences. 

Effects of Cartoons through Generations

The most obvious importance of cartoon is entertainment and relaxation. Cartoons are a source of entertainment, they are funny, and they provide the much-needed comedic relief. Children and adults enjoy watching cartoons equally because they get to laugh. An episode of Tom and Jerry can brighten up someone’s mood instantly after a long day at school or work. Tom and Jerry was created in 1940, and it remains funny today. The 1950s and 1960s audience knew Tom and Jerry characters by heart and today’s children know them too. Therefore, individuals born in the 1940s and those born in the 21st century have enjoyed the same cartoons. Like many other cartoons created in the 20th century, Tom and Jerry has a flexible plot and funny characters rendering the cartoon series a timeless hit (Cornelio-Mari, 2015). Cartoons were created to make people laugh among other reasons, and they continue to make people laugh. Children enjoy watching cartoons because it appeals to their young minds. Young children start watching cartoons even before their first birthdays. Cartoons are captivating, and children find themselves enjoying almost all types of cartoons because they are equally funny. 

The second effect of cartoon across generations is the education and brain development (Stamau et al., 2015). Children primarily enjoy cartoons as young as six months. Young children who can barely form a syllable enjoy cartoons, and they are usually very engaged as they watch cartoon. Researchers have attempted to study the effects of cartoon on a child’s development. Cartoons promote childhood literacy; most children learn the alphabet and numbers through cartoons even before they start school. Children love watching cartoons out of curiosity because cartoons deliver information in a fun and simple way that can be efficiently processed by children. Cartoons and TV games improve the children’s knowledge and IQ. However, exposing children to a lot of cartoons can be detrimental; children may find it hard to differentiate fantasy and reality. 

Cartoons are used by parents to improve their relationships with their children. Watching cartoons with their children is a normal evening/weekend plan for most parents. Watching cartoons is a fun and simple activity for the family that builds the parent-child relationship. Parents who take time to watch their children’s favorite cartoons with them create good memories. Children are more likely to relate well to parents who watch cartoons than parents who just switch on the TV and go on with their activities. As children grow, they fondly remember the days they used to watch cartoons with their parents. 

Unfortunately, cartoons also have negative effects. Violence in cartoon is an essential part of the plot. Some studies show that the frequency of violence is even higher in cartoons in comparison to other genres of film (Telotte, 2011). Cartoonists often censor the language, but even cartoons for young children under 10 have violent scenes and plots. Cartoons such Powerpuff Girls and Ben 10 are violent, yet young children spend hours watching them. Adult cartoons are more violent and graphic. Adult cartoons hide the violence in comedy to make it funny while making fun of social or political events in the society. The society today is violent, violent crimes and wars happen on a regular basis, and sometimes the TV content can be blamed for the violence in the society (Blumberg et al., 2008). 

Aside from violence, cartoons also influence behavior among children and young people. Cartoons have direct and indirect messages that affect behavior. For example, a young girl would want to dress like her favorite cartoon character. Critics often argue that cartoons support the consumerism culture or particular social and political agendas. Cartoons are symbolic, and they can have more effects on young people. 

Modern cartoons are more harmful than the 20th-century cartoons. Cartoons are mainstream unlike in the past, and children can easily be obsessed with the cartoons and cartoon characters. Walt Disney’s Frozen was released towards the end of 2013, and it became the highest grossing animated film bringing over $1.3 billion. Young girls are obsessed with Frozen for many reasons. First, Princess Elsa and Princess Anna are beautiful sisters who rule the world. Disney adds a bit of traditional romance to spice up the storyline. Young girls are still obsessed with the film four years later after it was released. Elsa-mania became a real issue, as young girls were obsessed with the character of Elsa. The princess culture has encouraged unhealthy consumerism such that young girls now want Frozen themed parties, decoration, dresses, makeup among other things. Frozen also gave girls a wrong message about their gender. Elsa and Anna are beautiful princesses with the best dresses, and they live in castles. Like many other princess movies, Frozen gave the impression that girls should be concerned about their appearance (Burguera, 2011).

It is undeniable that cartoons have changed over the years as the society evolved. In the early 20th century, cartoons played a small role in entertainment. Cartoons were created as short films to be enjoyed, but now they are full-length films bringing in millions in revenue. The styles used in cartoons have also changed. Modern cartoons are more realistic, unlike the early 20th-century cartoons, which were abstract. A famous example of a cartoon series that has stood the test of time is Tom and Jerry . Tom and Jerry was first created in 1940; Tom was presented as a feisty wildcat with shaggy fur, facial wrinkles, and multiple eyebrow markings. Tom looked more like a real cat. In the 1960s, Chuck Jones was the producer of Tom and Jerry , and Tom had gray fur, sharper ears, longer tail, knitted eyebrows, and fuller cheeks to make Tom look good. Tom’s features have slightly changed over the years, for example, in the 1980s, Tom wore a bow tie, but the modern Tom has clean looks. Tom and Jerry is still funny, but the characters and plot lines have been modified to rhyme with technological and societal changes. 

In conclusion, cartoons are more popular and influential today. Contemporary cartoons are not only computer-generated, but studios set aside a lot of money to be used in the production process. Cartoons now occupy an important part of the entertainment industry, and all audiences enjoy them. Cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo, Sponge Bob, and Peter Griffin are modern day icons that we often reference. Cartoons do not only entertain, but they are also educative, and they comment on contemporary issues. Cartoons targeting teenagers and adult often have hidden messages to make the viewers analyze contemporary issues in modern society; this explains why The Simpsons and Family Guy are popular today. The society should watch out for the negative effects of cartoon, especially on young people. Studies condemn violence and the hidden messages in cartoon that can encourage adverse behavior change. Modern cartoons also enhance the consumerism culture, parents and young people should be careful not to get sucked in though cartoons. 

References

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