Jan 18th – Charlie Brown & Irony

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Peanuts featuring Charlie Brown and the topic of irony.

Comic Breakdown

Charlie Brown walking sadly to Lucy’s stand to get advice.

“…And so I can’t help it…I feel lonely…depressed…” – Charlie Brown explaining his feelings

“This is ridiculous! You should be ashamed of yourself, Charlie Brown! You’ve got the whole world to live in! The beauty all around you!  There are things to do…great things to be accomplished!  No man trods this Earth alone!  We are all together; one generation taking up where the other generation has left off! – Lucy to Charlie Brown

“You’re right, Lucy!  You’re right!  You’ve made me see things differently…I realize now that I am part of this world…I am not alone…I have friends!” – Charlie Brown

“Name one!” – Lucy to Charlie Brown

What is going on?

Charlie Brown feels sad because he feels like there is no one there for him; like he does not have any friends.   Lucy explains to him that he is not alone and that he is a very lucky person. 

After Lucy advises and yells at him, Charlie Brown realizes that he is not alone and that he has friends.  He becomes happy.  Then Lucy asks him to name a friend.  This makes Charlie Brown feel sad again.

Why is this comic funny?

This comic uses irony to be funny.  It is an ironic situation.

What is irony?

Irony can be the use of words or a situation that means the opposite of what is literally happening. 

Irony in this comic

In this comic, it is the situation that is ironic.  Charlie Brown has gone to his “friend” Lucy for advice because he feels like he has no friends and is lonely.  She reminds him of how lucky he is but when she does make him feel better she makes him sad again.  By asking him to name one friend it is suggested that she does not believe he has any real friends.

This comic is ironic for two reasons:

1) Lucy’s advice is meant to make Charlie Brown feel better but instead it makes him feel worse.

2) Charlie Brown has gone to his friend Lucy for advice but she does not even consider herself to be his friend which is why she asks him at the end to name one friend.  In summary, his friend wants him to prove he has friends.

Note: Lucy is one of Charlie Brown’s friends.  She just is not very nice to him or to many people.

To read more Peanuts comics featuring Charlie Brown and Lucy, click here.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.