Scooby Doo is a very complicated and deep cartoon, Skeeter. I'm not sure you are ready for it.
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First of all, remember the cultural context of the first seasons of Scooby Doo; this was the sexual revolution at its height, when sex, drugs, and rock and roll dominated the American psyche. The youth of the country no longer idly accepted the traditional conceptions of "family values," "appropriate" sexual behavior, and "gender" which were so rigid and restrictive in the 50s. Scooby Doo ventured forth into this new, transitional era and is indelibly marked by a sense of gender and family re-definition.
Consider the cartoon from that cultural perspective, then; a group of four teen-agers and their dog roam the country, particularly late at night. But where were their parents during all of this? Where were their families? The few relatives we do see in a couple of episodes are remote, passive authority figures. These kids are on their own, treading new ground, constantly seeking self-sufficiency but essentially lacking that conventional sense of "home." Where are the 1950s family values here?
These values are radically deconstructed by Scooby Doo and his crew, and mainly because gender identity is so radically challenged. There are two men and two women in the van, but consider their sexuality. Fred, the superficially standard WASP golden boy, is passive, almost womanly. Not once does he make an advance toward Daphne, a clearly eligible young woman. Daphne, though, is more of your classic virgin/*****--beautiful and demure, seemingly brimming with sexuality, but forever naive and innocent. Fred and Daphne frequently pair up when the group splits up, but it's all business between these two sexually innocent young teen-agers.
Thelma is a more extreme case. Sexually androgynous, her book smarts are an obvious sexual sublimation of her absent sex life. Shaggy is little better. He's your standard non-assertive, tag-along slacker who's infinitely more interested in a juicy sandwich than a date or a kiss. The idea of them traveling in the Mystery Machine seems strangely accurate, but what ultimately are we to make of these virtually sexless teen-agers?
We are to commend them, for they represent a constructive deconstruction of gender roles that are outdated and limiting. For what Fred and Daphne may lack in a relationship, for example, they gain in an egalitarian friendship free of flirtatious distractions. Yes, Thelma is sexually ambiguous, but she is also the most assertive, clear-headed member of the group, completely unbound by stereotypical feminine characteristics. And Shaggy does not need a woman (or man) to validate his existence; he's one of the happiest human beings in all cartoons. Their interaction is not ultimately about boys and girls, or children and parents--it's about four equal friends doing their best to live happy lives.
Scooby Doo's primacy in the group shows just how liberated they really are. Do they care that he's a dog? Not in the slightest. He's an intelligent creature who deserves and receives every bit as much respect from his human counterparts. They never call or treat him like a "pet," and he always plays an active role in the adventures. Even minor signs that he's just an animal--feeding and bribing him with doggy treat Scooby Snacks, for example--are swiftly dispelled (after all, Shaggy is bribed by them just as often).
By taking man's best friend, the traditional family pet at the bottom of the totem pole in the standard American family, and making him the lead character of a cartoon series reflects the complete reversal of family values that makes Scooby Doo such a thematically rich series. This partnership of young friends excellently represents one possibility for the new postmodern family.
Even their misadventures with crime and the supernatural are better explained in this light. In virtually every episode, some greedy criminal preys upon the superstitiousness of conventional community. The common people are still bound by their outdated customs, so they are helpless to see through the charade. Enter the Mystery Machine and company. This redefined--and redefining--group of youngsters is in a position to see through the outmoded fears and beliefs upon which the criminals rely. They are certainly wary of a potential threat at first--they are still making that transition to an entirely enlightened state, after all--but it's just a question of time before they debunk the crooks and clear the air.
The success of their adventures reflects the optimistic force these youngsters have. They undeniably live in a hostile, strange world--note the cartoon's dark hues, ominous music, and cranky adult figures. But with healthy doses of courageous clue-seeking and fun--even a groovy song from time to time--the gang valiantly overcomes their environment. Even celebrities join in from time to time, and let's face it, anyone who can hold their own alongside the Dark Knight is a force to be reckoned with.
The introduction of the virile, macho Scrappy Doo could have represented a detrimental concession to standard masculinity, but in fact, it's a virtual mockery. For all his bravado, Scrappy was hardly taller than one foot and usually needed saving from his sober-minded uncle Scooby. We can also use A Pup Named Scooby Doo to see how these children evolved as human beings: the young Fred is accusing and confrontational, the young Daphne is subjugated by female fashion and other feminine concerns, the young Thelma is nerdier than ever. Each of these three clearly becomes more adjusted and mature as young adults, an enlightening contrast of character development.
So beneath the comedic, quasi-supernatural misadventures of Scooby Doo, a whole generation born during the sexual revolution were empowered by a positive role model of what a new, liberated, gender-free "family" could be. When the theme sang sounded out, "Scooby, Scooby Doo, Where are you?" a whole generation of children asked the same thing: where was their Scooby Doo, their sign that they too could transcend their family and their gender? The template was there all along in the episodes of Scooby Doo, the tales of that lovable dog who is far more than a cultural icon--he is a cultural pioneer.
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Edited, Wed Feb 25 14:28:00 2004 by Tare
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What's bred in the bone will not out of the flesh.