Cartoon Theory: A Deep-Dive Into the Critical Analysis of Animation

In this class, students will learn about critical applications in the media, particularly in children's cartoons, and the importance of acknowledging the culture of media. By using cartoons as a basis for theoretical analysis, students will gain a brief introduction to some key elements of theory. The class will function predominantly as lecture, with a small discussion portion each class wherein students can discuss what they've learned. Each week will highlight a different cartoon, and students do not need to have any familiarity with particular plots points--they just need to have a desire to learn about the different ways we can view media!

Week 1, Over the Garden Wall and Surrealism: This week's class will cover the limited series Over the Garden Wall, and it's application of post-modern and surrealist techniques. We will discuss the use of absurdity and the unreal in media narratives, how the lines between the real and unreal can get blurred in animation in a way that live-action media cannot.

Week 2, Race and Nation in Avatar: The Last Airbender: In this class, students will explore elements of civilization in Avatar: The Last Airbender and apply a basic critical approach to race and nation when discussing the divisions in the show. We will cover aspects of legacy, culture, and ethnicity as explained in the show, and how we can translate these depictions to real-life experiences.

Week 3, Gravity Falls' Mythological Origins: This class will elaborate on some of the monsters, magical beings, and overall "weird" goings-ons in the show Gravity Falls. We will talk about the importance of lore, myth, and adaptation in media and the ways that Gravity Falls delves into these stories in a kid-friendly way.

Week 4, Queering She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: In this class, we will take on a queer theory lens and cover the importance of varying gender identities and sexual orientations in animated media. We will also dive into the ways that queer people are empowered through She-Ra and the Princesses of Power in ways that animation hasn't done before.

Week 5, Empowerment and Star vs. the Forces of Evil: In our final lesson, we will analyze Star vs. the Forces of Evil from a feminist theory perspective, and explain how the empowerment of young characters, especially young girls, is important in critical studies. We will also talk about agency, autonomy, and how these concepts relate to being critical of media on our own.