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It's 6:00am on a Saturday morning; do you know where your children are? Well, if they are anything like we used to be, they are probably sitting down to watch the weekend cartoons. Yeah, you remember, the one time during the whole week when you got up before the sun came out and ate a big bowl of sugar coated garbage just so you could watch Wyle E. Coyote practically kill himself trying to catch the ever illusive Road Runner.
We've all seen him try and inevitably fail at this task, but we get a good laugh at his expense. And isn't that the point; to laugh at something so ridiculous that it almost hurts? Well, according to Kirsten Dockendorff's essay, "The Road to Acme Looniversity (pg.232-234)" the laughter should end and Wyle E. Proficient in: Cartoons
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Coyote should succeed in killing the Road Runner. Not only would this kill a cartoon legend, but the entire chemistry in which we see between the Road Runner and Wyle E. would no longer exist. And this would be a crime because one of the best cartoons ever made would no longer be funny.
Bella Hamilton
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In this essay by Dockendorf, it is suggested that Wyle E. succeed in capturing the Road Runner by first hiring an assassin so he "can rest easily knowing a professional was at work." Now, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that this idea would more then likely work. But, that defeats the entire purpose of the humor in the first place. As kids, we sat down to watch the show because we knew he would fail; that's what makes it funny! Also, an assassination of the bird would mean no more cartoon.
Sure, I think that once in all of our lives we wanted to see Wyle E. catch the bird, but not indefinitely. The killing of the bird means the killing of the show. When was the last time you ever saw a classic cartoon character die anyway? It just doesn't happen! No, an assassin would be no good for the show. If the Road Runner is to get caught, it will have to be done by Wyle E. and one of his many great ideas. There just is no other way!
The next way in Dockendorff's essay for Wyle E. Coyote to succeed is almost as bad as the first idea. It is suggested that he enlist the help of his friends (Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Taz, and Yosemite Sam) to come up with a plan that will succeed in the Road Runner's Capture. Now, as an avid viewer of the show, I will admit that such a collaboration would be rather funny to see. But, only because NONE of these guys have ever succeeded in capturing there enemies!
The whole plan mentioned in the essay suggests not only the capture of the Road Runner, but breaking it's legs and then shooting it. Where's the humor in that? Cartoons are funny because it's mindless violence and stupidity that keeps the characters going. They always recover from any accident, so where would the humor be in the actual demise of one of these characters. Again, this idea will not work.
Finally, it is suggested that Wyle E. use reliable equipment in order to catch the Road Runner. Now I'm sorry, but this simply cannot happen!!! More then half the shows humor is to see what new and innovated way Wyle E. is going to attempt the Road Runner's capture. It's very amusing to sit down and watch everything that he tries either blow up, run out of fuel, inflict serious pain on himself, or fall apart. No matter what he uses, it either doesn't work or it over works. And I think that you will agree that this helps make the show funny. Yes, a reliable product would probably mean the capture of the Road Runner. But, that means that we would no longer see Wyle E. do a swan dive off of a 1,000 ft. cliff. His classic move would be no more! Again, where's the humor in that?
Dockendorff's essay closes up by saying, "Regardless of the method Wyle E. chooses, one thing is clear: the bird must die! " Although she gave some rather sure fire ways for Wyle E to succeed, she never once looked at the humor factor of the cartoon. Watching Wyle E. get some ridiculous plan of action in his head and then seeing it through makes the show. Jet powered pogo sticks, rocket enhanced roller skates, and the ever illusive "swinging" log with the inevitable "Jack Knife" off of a cliff make this show funny.
The reason we all watched this show as kids was to see what new and interesting inventions Wyle E. was going to use to attempt to catch the Road Runner with. We knew before he did that something was going to go wrong, but that's what made it funny! And every Saturday, no matter what happened to Wyle E. the week before, he would still be there trying to hurt himself in his new attempts to assassinate the bird.
And this, mixed in with the pain you can almost feel when he hurts himself, keep you coming back to watch the show. We watch because it's funny, and it's funny because Wyle E. Coyote can never quite figure out how to catch the Road Runner.
An Analysis of the Humor in Road Runner, a Popular Cartoon. (2023, Mar 25). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/an-analysis-of-the-humor-in-road-runner-a-popular-cartoon-essay
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