Violence in cartoons
Encyclopedia
Many cartoon
s contain situations in them that contain blood, hitting, guns, pushing, name calling, and more serious stuff such as chopping off of heads
which is considered as violence
. Violence has been seen in cartoons more and more as time as increased. These cartoons are marketed towards older people, but there are some which include violence that is directed towards very young children such as Tom and Jerry
.
violence such as in Tom and Jerry
and Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner
. Some may have a harder time seeing this as violence since it is not as obvious as heads being chopped off. However, The ones that are marketed towards older people occur in primetime and are seen by some children. These cartoons marketed for older viewers usually contain more realistic violence that is usually intense such as fighting, use of weapons, cutting off heads which is usually defined as being gory. Often these shows include language which is inappropriate for younger children.
Non-comedy oriented cartoons such as superhero
, action-adventure
, or fantasy
and science fiction
will typically have violence that is not gory but simply involve characters getting injured or killed in the course of adventures. While their inclusion in moderation is generally considered acceptable in live action
shows or movies suitable for all audiences (live action films based on superheroes for example), their inclusion in animated shows and films has generated controversy
.
. In the show there is a show that Bart
and Lisa Simpson
watch called “The Itchy and Scratchy Show
.” In an episode of the Simpsons title “Bart gets an F,” Scratchy is shown chasing after Itchy with a rapier
. Itchy then turns the table and hacks off his head and he does not even end there. Next he gets even more violent and blows his head into pieces with dynamite
. . Other violent shows include “Family Guy
,” which frequently shows one of the main characters Peter fighting a chicken
, then they always forget what they were fighting over after minutes of scrapping. Another example of a violent cartoon is “South Park
.” The famous scene in every episode is that Kenny, a small in size and shy character on the show, dies in every episode. The ways that he dies vary in every episode and some are more brutal than others, and the famous line after he died is usually something along the lines of ‘“Oh my god, they killed Kenny. You bastards!”.
since many have the capabilities of blocking certain channels
or they can only watch TV when they are around. However, there is now something that is harder to be blocked which is internet cartoons. Yes there is ways to block sites online, but this is blocking video online, not images or words. One such show is called “Happy Tree Friends
,” and it contains a lot of violence. Even this show is not marketed for young children, it seems to be easy for them to see it. It starts with scenes of cute cuddly bear
s then they create terror all in which contains no dialogue . Parents today work and not all have the time to monitor what their children are doing on the internet or television.
which requires broadcaster
s to air shows which are education
al and provide information for the children . The second initiative is the V-chip
legislation
that gives parents the opportunity to block out violent shows from their television . The third legislation against violent cartoons is “The National Cable Television Association’s TV Parental Guidelines”, which is a system that rates the Television shows based on their contents .
In action-adventure
oriented cartoons, the most consistent avenue of addressing violence is the use of a form of fantasy violence in which no one is injured or killed onscreen. In science fiction cartoons, for example, enemy forces are typically said to be robot
s so that they may be destroyed in bulk by the heroes without concern over killing living beings. In cases where vehicles are known to be piloted by living beings, tank
s, aircraft
, and other war vehicles that are destroyed in combat always allow time for the pilot to escape or bail out. Realistic firearm
s are often replaced with futuristic beam weapons which still seldom hit anyone. Swords and other bladed weapons may be prohibited from being used as offensive weapons but may be used defensively or be depicted as magical weapons. Direct violence is frequently limited to hand to hand combat
where directly kicking or punching another character may or may not be allowed. The majority of action adventure cartoons over the past decades have used these methods of depicting dynamic action scenes although their use has been heavily criticized as "sanitized violence". Cartoons based on the Voltron
, Transformers
, G.I. Joe
, and Masters of the Universe
franchises (especially the versions produced during the 1980s) are notable examples using variations on fantasy violence.
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s contain situations in them that contain blood, hitting, guns, pushing, name calling, and more serious stuff such as chopping off of heads
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
which is considered as violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
. Violence has been seen in cartoons more and more as time as increased. These cartoons are marketed towards older people, but there are some which include violence that is directed towards very young children such as Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
.
Types of Violence
Many think of violence as just gory, but it can also be comic violence or slapstickSlapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
violence such as in Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
and Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner
Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. The characters were created by animation director Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Bros., while the template for their adventures was the work of writer Michael Maltese...
. Some may have a harder time seeing this as violence since it is not as obvious as heads being chopped off. However, The ones that are marketed towards older people occur in primetime and are seen by some children. These cartoons marketed for older viewers usually contain more realistic violence that is usually intense such as fighting, use of weapons, cutting off heads which is usually defined as being gory. Often these shows include language which is inappropriate for younger children.
Non-comedy oriented cartoons such as superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, action-adventure
Adventure (genre)
The adventure genre, in the context of a narrative, is typically applied to works in which the protagonist or other major characters are consistently placed in dangerous situations...
, or fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
will typically have violence that is not gory but simply involve characters getting injured or killed in the course of adventures. While their inclusion in moderation is generally considered acceptable in live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
shows or movies suitable for all audiences (live action films based on superheroes for example), their inclusion in animated shows and films has generated controversy
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
.
Examples
Many of the cartoons are shown during primetime and usually depict violent acts happening and are usually very gruesome and usually show guts such as in the television show The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. In the show there is a show that Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
watch called “The Itchy and Scratchy Show
The Itchy & Scratchy Show
The Itchy & Scratchy Show is a show within a show in the animated television series The Simpsons. It usually appears as a part of The Krusty the Clown Show, watched regularly by Bart and Lisa Simpson...
.” In an episode of the Simpsons title “Bart gets an F,” Scratchy is shown chasing after Itchy with a rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
. Itchy then turns the table and hacks off his head and he does not even end there. Next he gets even more violent and blows his head into pieces with dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
. . Other violent shows include “Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
,” which frequently shows one of the main characters Peter fighting a chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
, then they always forget what they were fighting over after minutes of scrapping. Another example of a violent cartoon is “South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
.” The famous scene in every episode is that Kenny, a small in size and shy character on the show, dies in every episode. The ways that he dies vary in every episode and some are more brutal than others, and the famous line after he died is usually something along the lines of ‘“Oh my god, they killed Kenny. You bastards!”.
Internet Cartoons
It is quite easy for parents to prevent their children from watching violent cartoons on the TelevisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
since many have the capabilities of blocking certain channels
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
or they can only watch TV when they are around. However, there is now something that is harder to be blocked which is internet cartoons. Yes there is ways to block sites online, but this is blocking video online, not images or words. One such show is called “Happy Tree Friends
Happy Tree Friends
Happy Tree Friends is an American Flash cartoon and made by Mondo Mini Shows, created and developed by Aubrey Ankrum Rhode Montijo Kenn Navarro and Warren Graff. The show has become a popular Internet phenomenon and it's since debut and has also won a cult following.As indicated on the official...
,” and it contains a lot of violence. Even this show is not marketed for young children, it seems to be easy for them to see it. It starts with scenes of cute cuddly bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s then they create terror all in which contains no dialogue . Parents today work and not all have the time to monitor what their children are doing on the internet or television.
Effects
If children are exposed to this violence at an early age they can be diversely affected. Studies conducted over the past thirty years have supported the fact that exposure to violence at an early age effects the behavior of these children who were exposed to it . . The health risk caused our society to make changes, so maybe something will be changed to lessen the effects . However, many consider it to be not as bad as some consider it based on two factors which are the child’s interpretation of the actions, and how the parents help interpret the actions . As long as a child can comprehend the difference of the fact that there is a difference between it occurring on TV and how it transfers to real life, then the children seeing the programs should not make a difference .Solutions
Three initiatives have been put in place to combat violence in cartoons . The first is The Children's Television ActChildren's Television Act
The Children's Television Act was enacted in 1990 in the United States to enhance television's potential to teach the nation's children valuable information and skills. The Act requires each full-service television station that offers children's television programming in the U.S...
which requires broadcaster
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
s to air shows which are education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al and provide information for the children . The second initiative is the V-chip
V-chip
V-chip is a generic term for technology used in television set receivers in the USA, Canada, and Brazil which allows the blocking of programs based on their ratings category. It is intended for use by parents to manage their children's television viewing...
legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
that gives parents the opportunity to block out violent shows from their television . The third legislation against violent cartoons is “The National Cable Television Association’s TV Parental Guidelines”, which is a system that rates the Television shows based on their contents .
In action-adventure
Adventure (genre)
The adventure genre, in the context of a narrative, is typically applied to works in which the protagonist or other major characters are consistently placed in dangerous situations...
oriented cartoons, the most consistent avenue of addressing violence is the use of a form of fantasy violence in which no one is injured or killed onscreen. In science fiction cartoons, for example, enemy forces are typically said to be robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s so that they may be destroyed in bulk by the heroes without concern over killing living beings. In cases where vehicles are known to be piloted by living beings, tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
, and other war vehicles that are destroyed in combat always allow time for the pilot to escape or bail out. Realistic firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s are often replaced with futuristic beam weapons which still seldom hit anyone. Swords and other bladed weapons may be prohibited from being used as offensive weapons but may be used defensively or be depicted as magical weapons. Direct violence is frequently limited to hand to hand combat
Hand to hand combat
Hand-to-hand combat is a lethal or nonlethal physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range that does not involve the use of firearms or other distance weapons...
where directly kicking or punching another character may or may not be allowed. The majority of action adventure cartoons over the past decades have used these methods of depicting dynamic action scenes although their use has been heavily criticized as "sanitized violence". Cartoons based on the Voltron
Voltron
Voltron is the titular super robot of an anime series that features a team of young pilots, known as the Voltron Force. The team’s individual vehicles join together to form the giant super robot, with which they defend the galaxy from evil...
, Transformers
Transformers
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling.Transformer may also refer to:* ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, an Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet computer manufacturer by Asus...
, G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
, and Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
franchises (especially the versions produced during the 1980s) are notable examples using variations on fantasy violence.