Mimi Smartypants reminisces about Curious George.
You know, I always liked Curious George because he was a fuckup. His fuckups were presented as a result of his being "curious," which rang true to me as a kid. I never went on an ether binge, but I did plenty of odd and dangerous things in the name of experimentation, such as riding my tricycle down the stairs and flushing a sock down the toilet. The original books always featured CG's fuckup, the hilarious consequences, and then the resolution: would that you hadn't been so curious, George, but all's well that ends well.
There's more, though. Go read it. Very funny.
Posted by sheilaI wonder if today's "anxiety parents" have banned Curious George and his ilk out of fear that their offspring will....monkey see, monkey do.
(sorry. sorry.)
Posted by: ricki at September 30, 2005 8:27 AMI always wondered about the man with the yellow hat. who is he?? what's his deal?
Posted by: red at September 30, 2005 9:03 AMActually, there's something kind of Zen about the books. Or maybe Jungian - archetypes, and all that.
The man in the yellow hat just is. I do not think he is intended to represent a particular man, and yet there is a sense of particularity about him that is unsettling...sort of like hearing a few notes of music and thinking you know what song they came from, but being unable to name it.
There's also a duality between George and the man - maybe the id and the superego? The animal and the civilized?
I bet one could make a college course based on the ideas of trying to do "deep" interpretations of picture books. (I'd love to see an exploration of Richard Scarry's love of turning food - carrots, bananas, donuts - into cars).
Posted by: ricki at September 30, 2005 11:32 AM