Garfield and You

Today we shall hear a harrowing tale. One that transcends religion, race, and what football team you like, even if that might be just totally impossible to imagine. It's here. It's time to talk about a work that so carefully follows the life trajectory of man that to deny the work is to deny the self. It is a tale of the progression of mindset through the ages. Yes, children, gather around and hear the story. Weep when you must weep, laugh when you must laugh, and mostly groan at the forced humor and generally unfunniness that has endured for over 350 years [citation needed]. Today, we talk of Garfield.

Bill Murray once tried to kill all people associated with
this movie. He was also high the entire time.

Garfield has lived, whether wanted or not, since 1978. At its beginning, it was hailed as an edgy, often politically incorrect comic strip focusing on the relationship between a cat and his schizophrenic owner that harbors illusions over his cat's intelligence. Apparently there are people who look at this work and do not immediately think to themselves, "Wow, I wish I could sue Jim Davis for stealing my time and my soul," and upon further investigation the reason becomes clear. You see, Garfield's descent into being just an absolutely terrible piece of art that merchandises itself at all times mirrors the human experience. Though I once viewed Jim as a money hungry idiot, I now view him as, yes, still a money hungry idiot, but one that has infused his work with a deep theme.

BUT IS HE AS HUNGRY AS GARFIELD IS??? HAHAHAHAHA KILLMENOW

Garfield's start reflects our own beginnings in life, full of rebellion against "the Man" for totally opressing our middle class being. "How dare society tells me to wear pants in public!" we scream, founding the Guys Against You, Society! which admittedly attracted an entirely different crowd than expected. Much more oiled up and sensitive than expected too, admittedly. Really willing to hear about your problems and comfort you.

From there, a progression occurs. Odie's owner, Lyman disappears from the script. And though it is debatable whether he moved away or Jon had a sudden urge for human flesh, the important part is that he left Jon, Garfield, and Odie's lives. This loss forced Jon to change. Now he had not only one, but two mouths to feed. Jon, like everyone else, experienced his first tangible loss in the world, and though he did not show external signs of grief, one can only imagine his inner torment that constantly haunted him.

"Should I have cooked him medium rare instead??"

Just like us, Jon struggles through his loss, inevitably being forced to move on and pretend that he didn't kill that guy. From here his mind begins to lose touch with itself. He appears more and more cartoonish, his eyes wide in absorbing the world around him. He tries to see everything in the moment, lest he lose someone yet again. Garfield becomes more and more human, even walking on his hind legs, which I had trouble with until I was around 5 years old (Shut up, I just really enjoyed crawling) as Jon tries to recreate a human presence.

Jon is us because he has a deepseeded inability to completely comprehend loss of someone dear. This loss strikes at him even deeper than that time you adopted a caterpillar and he died because apparently he doesn't like waffles as much as you do. Jon is only stirred to action by Garfield, a feline attempting vainly to regain his master. Only through a chance love does Jon find himself again.

In a showing of true human drama, Jon's unrequited love is at last returned by Liz Wilson, the veterinarian that seems to be the only one that actually wants Garfield to live. At this point, it is hard to differentiate as to whether it is reality or Jon's imagination at play, but that's the point. Reality is what we perceive it to be, and Jon's reality involves him being saved from the depths of sorrow by Liz. 

The gritty Garfield reboot never gained the necessary backers

Isn't this the same existence we all go through? The same human drama that replicates itself throughout time? We begin with a friend that we inevitably lose, forced into a new mindset and awareness that we are not immune to the tragedy of the world. Our view is altered and reality can never be quite so idealistic again. Only through the deep care of another can we hope to regain some sense of normality, even if only in our own minds. Jim Davis has recreated the essence of what it means to be human in a comic strip. Maybe that's why Garfield isn't funny. Maybe it's actually meant to be a serious comic and has just been disregarded since 1978. At this point the only appropriate action is to given Mr. Davis the Medal of Honor and elect him our president, for no one understands us so deeply as he does. That or we should realize the comic isn't funny in the least and ponder how in the Hell he keeps managing to vomit merchandise that the world in turn devours.

These movies have earned over $400 million.
There's no joke there, just depression.