I think it’s fair to say thatGarfieldis easily one of the most iconic characters of all time, but sometimes I find myself wondering exactly how the lazy orange cat became such a universally beloved icon. Sure, the jokes are funny, and the running gags are familiar, but there are plenty of other comics and franchises that can say that - and there is only one Garfield. So, how’d Jim Davis pull it off? Well, the answer is actually quite simple, and I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner: “Garfield is everyone’s alter ego”.
In a 2018 interview withThe Guardian, Jim Davis talks about his incredibly successful career as a cartoonist, including and especially as it relates toGarfield. Before Davis struck gold withGarfield, he was an assistant cartoonist trying to make it on his own, workshopping comic strip ideas and sending them out to newspaper syndicates all over the country. Some ofDavis’ early strips includedGnorm GnatandJon, but it wasn’t untilGarfieldthat Davis saw global success.
SinceGarfield’s very first comic strip, the iconic cat has certainly changed. Not only is his appearance totally different, but the humor changed as well. Davis admits that most ofGarfield’s earliest gags were cat-based in nature, embellishing normal cat behavior that pet owners would find hilariously familiar. But, over the years,Garfieldestablished running gags unique to the character that had nothing to do with the fact that he’s a cat, which was a point that established him as an absolute icon. However, the implementation of original gags isn’t the main reasonGarfieldis so popular.
Jim Davis: We live in a time when we’re made to feel guilty about overeating, oversleeping, not exercising. Garfield not only does all that stuff but he’s cool with that. I think in a way he relieves our guilt. Garfield is everyone’s alter ego.
After reading that quote in The Guardian piece, everything about Garfield’s immense popularity immediately made sense to me. Personally, I love overeating, oversleeping, and skipping a workout, but Davis is right, I always feel guilty about doing those things (well, maybe not always). For me, it’s nice to see a character proudly flaunting all the things that practically everyone does, but are made to feel guilty about. Indeed, Garfield really is the alter ego of all of us.
Garfield Gives People Permission to Give Into Their Lazy Side
Garfield Doesn’t Feel Guilty About the Things People are Made to Feel Guilty About
Two of Garfield’s favorite things to do in the world are eat and sleep, and there’s no shortage of gags that highlight that fact. SometimesGarfield eats all of Jon’s lasagnabefore his owner has the chance to take a single bite, other times he stays in bed so long that Jon isn’t sure he’ll ever get up. And the one thing these gags all have in common is that Garfield doesn’t feel bad about any of it, which gives readers permission to follow his lead.
This isn’t to say that those who read Garfield should adopt his lifestyle completely, as being a lazy, overeating, oversleeping, unemployed grump is a pretty crappy way to live. What Garfield is saying by shamelessly giving into his vices is that it’s okay to do these things in moderation and not feel bad about them. If you’re having a rough day, you should absolutely overeat your favorite food! If you’ve been working hard all week, sleep the day away over the weekend! These things aren’t inherently bad, and when Garfield does them, he reminds all of us of just that.
Garfield Isn’t Just Our Alter Ego, He’s Also a Familiar Friend
Garfield’s Iconic Running Gags Create a Sense of Familiarity with the Character
During his interview with The Guardian, Jim Davis also touches on how Garfield grew from being a character that basically just did ‘cat gags’ to the global icon he is today. How? Well, Garfield didn’t just establish himself as our collective alter ego by shamelessly giving into his vices, he also became our best friend.
Davis relates Garfield to the likes ofPeanuts’ Snoopy and Charlie Brown in terms of how Davis shaped Garfield into a character that people found just as familiar. Just like how Snoopy lies on his doghouse or Charlie Brown misses the football, Garfield hates Mondays and loves lasagna. These are running gags that are intrinsic to the character, which establish a sense of familiarity and comfort.
There’s a Simple Reason Garfield Is a Cat. Sorry, Dog Lovers!
Garfield being a cat was once totally up in the air at the start of Jim Davis' career, and the reason why he made him a cat is surprisingly simple.
Basically, Garfield is like your best friend who’s always encouraging you to hit the snooze button, skip your workout, and indulge in your favorite foods. But more than that, Garfield represents the part of all of us that gives ourselves permission to do those things - and to do them without feeling guilty about it. In other words, “Garfieldis everyone’s alter ego”, and I just realized that that’s why he’s so popular.
Source:The Guardian
Garfield
Garfield is the central character in Jim Davis’s comic strip, which officially began in 1978 under the same name. Garfield is an orange tabby cat with a love of lasagna and a disdain for Mondays. He tends to torment his owner and dog while trying to secure more food - and quiet.
