WP2: Pre-Writing Assignment 2

At a glance, the most noticeable portion of my primary comic strip is the enlarged frames depicting dinosaurs. However, rather than focus on the dinosaurs, this strip is centered around the fact that these frames are showing Calvin's imagination, or, more specifically, a particular daydream in his geography class. Because of this, I researched dreaming and its purpose from a psychological point of view. Sigmund Freud, a famous neurologist who developed psychoanalysis, theorized that dreams are basically a "fulfillment of wishes" (Chiriac 5). Likewise, Calvin fulfills his wish of being as free as a bird flying high in the sky. He most likely chooses a pterodactyl in prehistoric times to further distance himself from his classroom in the present.

Bill Watterson also gives the word "denial" an important role as he devotes an entire frame to the one-word answer from Calvin. Likewise, denial seems to be an important topic to Sigmund Freud in his study of psychoanalysis. According to Freud, denial is a defense mechanism that entails "ignoring or refusing to believe an unpleasant reality" (Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders 3). I think this description matches exactly with what Calvin is experiencing; he chooses to ignore his unpleasant geography class by daydreaming, imagining himself flying through the sky as a prehistoric bird.

Today, however, defense mechanisms such as denial are regarded as "potentially maladaptive behavioral patterns that may lead to psychological disorders" (Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders 3). This view is reflected through Calvin's teacher as she says "I don't suppose I can argue with that..." after Calvin suggests that he is in a state of denial. Calvin's teacher speaks of denial in a negative manner, with an annoyed expression on her face, hinting that Calvin has one of the aforementioned psychological disorders. This view completely contradicts how Calvin feels as he speaks of denial in a simplistic manner with a huge smile on his face.

I can see more clearly now that this comparison between positive and negative views of denial is meant to be made by the audience. The two panels depicting these two points of view are the only two panels placed by another panel displaying reality; the only other panel that isn't displaying Calvin's dream is positioned in front of one of the dream panels, forcing a comparison of imagination and reality. Also, the different levels of detail between panels displaying reality and those displaying Calvin's dream play a more prominent role. The panels displaying Calvin's dream appear to be more realistic than those of his reality. In a likewise manner, people experiencing denial might lose themselves in a false reality created by their very own subconscious in order to deal with a traumatic event or unsatisfactory conditions.

Calvin and Hobbes comic strips are well known for expressing Bill Watterson's opinions through the seemingly childish actions and words of his main character, Calvin. This allows Watterson to comically address issues that most likely wouldn't be comical in reality. For example, Calvin's state of denial in geography class is much more amusing to see than a case of someone who might initially experience denial after losing someone close.

Works Cited

Chiriac, Jean. "Dream Interpretation and Psychoanalysis." 2009. AROPA <http://freudfile.org/psychoanalysis/dream_interpretation_and.html>.

Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. "Denial." 2009. Advameg, Inc. <http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Denial.html>