Nov 30th: After Black Friday

Hello everyone!

Friday was Black Friday.  For some people, the experience of Black Friday can lead to injuries!

 Comic Breakdown

“Whoa! Did you get in a fight?” – Guy

“No, I just went shopping.” – Girl

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of November, the day after American Thanksgiving. Black Friday is a common social experience and event if you live in North America and the United Kingdom. 

Black Friday is a huge shopping event when stores have big sales and discounts.  A lot of people use this day to begin their Christmas shopping and to buy expensive goods such as electronics at sale prices.  Black Friday is similar to Boxing Day. 

The experience can be complete chaos and become very dangerous and violent in some cases because the discounts are so big!  It is rare for most people but every year some people do get injured in the crowds or get into physical fights with others over discounted goods.  Black Friday can literally become “Black Eye Friday” if you are unlucky or not careful.

To read more about Black Friday, click here.

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

Nov 28th: Black Friday

Hello everyone!

Today is Black Friday!  Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of November, the day after American Thanksgiving.   Black Friday is a common social experience and event if you live in North America and the United Kingdom. 

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a shopping event when stores have big sales and huge discounts.  A lot of people use this day to begin their Christmas shopping and to buy expensive goods such as electronics at sale prices.  Black Friday is similar to Boxing Day.

Black Friday began in the United States but has spread across the Americas and other English speaking countries around the world in recent years.   Black Friday is now an unofficial Thanksgiving weekend tradition for many Americans.

Black Friday is also the unofficial start to the Christmas holiday season. 

Today’s comic makes fun of the excitement and confusion that comes with Black Friday sales.  

COMIC BREAKDOWN

Pros: Big Discounts on the mostly subpar electronic goods.

“Hey, that’s a good price for a crapasonic!”

Cons: Sales begin at 5 A.M and you will likely be crushed in the human stampede.

“I regret nothing!”

What is going on?

This comic is making fun of the fact that the shopping deals on Black Friday may not be so good after all.  

The made up word “crapasonic” is a play on the name of the electronic brand name Panasonic.  Crapasonic means crappy electronics.  People always want to buy electronics like televisions on sale and Black Friday is considered a good time to do so.  However a lot of the electronics and other goods being sold are not of the highest quality or the best price on Black Friday. 

Even if you do find a good bargain (a good price) for something you want it is not easy to get.  There are large line ups and crowds at all stores and shopping centers.  Some people even fight one another to get what they want.  Also, to get what you want you have to line up all night or wake up very early to avoid the crowds.   Black Friday shopping can literally be chaos (crazy confusion).

Regardless, many people still go out and shop on Black Friday.  Many leave feeling they had a great shopping experience and others leave feeling they had a bad shopping experience. 

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

Nov 27th: Hi & Lois & Thanksgiving

Happy American Thanksgiving everyone!

American Thanksgiving takes place on the last Thursday of November every year. 

Today’s comic is Hi & Lois.  This comic makes reference to one of the most famous images in American culture and of the Thanksgiving holiday in general. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Life doesn’t always imitate art.” – Lois

“You’re right.  This is nothing like the Norman Rockwell painting.” – Hi

What is going on?

This comic makes reference to the fact that the Thanksgiving meal is often not a picture perfect moment the way the media makes it look.  Making the meal is a lot of work and serving the food is not always easy.  For most people, Thanksgiving is both a wonderful and stressful time.

Who is Norman Rockwell? 

Norman Rockwell was a twentieth century American artist.  His works are an important representation and reflection of American culture.  

Norman Rockwell

Even people that do not know his name are probably very familiar with his art work. 

What painting is referenced in this comic?

A popular image of Thanksgiving that one imagines when they think of the holiday is of a happy family sitting around a dining table with a mother figure laying down the Thanksgiving turkey to signify that the Thanksgiving meal is about to start.  This image comes from Rockwell’s 1943 painting “Freedom from Want”.

"Freedom from Want" Painting

The painting “Freedom from Want” represents the ideal image and modern spirit of Thanksgiving.

This painting is very famous and has been widely referenced, adapted, and parodied (made fun of) since its creation. 

Simpsons Parody of "Freedom from Want"

To read more about the painting “Freedom from Want”, click here.  

In Conclusion

Thanksgiving, whether it is calm or hectic, is a holiday that North Americans think of with warm feelings.  The holiday is both a happy and stressful occasion but what holiday is not?  It can be especially stressful for adults as Hi and Lois have demonstrated but at the end of the day everyone finishes the holiday with (happy) new memories. 

In real life Thanksgiving may not be a Norman Rockwell painting but it is still a memorable family occasion.

To read more about Thanksgiving, click here.

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

Nov 26th: Garfield & Thanksgiving Turkey

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Garfield featuring Grandma Arbuckle (his owner’s mother) and the cutting of the Thanksgiving turkey. 

American Thanksgiving is tomorrow, November 27^th.  American Thanksgiving always falls on the last Thursday of November. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

This comic does not require any words to make sense or to be funny for any North American or anyone that has roasted and eaten turkey.  It is a cultural representation of many people’s feelings towards serving and eating turkey. 

What is going on?

Whenever one thinks of Thanksgiving, the first thing that one usually remembers is the turkey.  Unofficially, Thanksgiving is even known as Turkey Day!

One common problem of roasting a turkey is that it is not easy.  Many people end up having a turkey that is very dry.  Dry turkey meat is very hard to eat and very hard to cut!

Why is this image funny?

Because of the difficulty of cutting turkey meat, many people have thought about using a chainsaw instead of a knife.  Grandma Arbuckle is literally going to use the chainsaw so Garfield is worried!

Luckily it all works out and a nicely cut turkey is the result.  Everyone is happy. 

But in real life, no one should try to cut a turkey with a chainsaw!

If you would like to learn more about turkey, click here.

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

Nov 25th: Family Circus - The Thanksgiving & Christmas Season

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is a Family Circus featuring traditions and differences in the North American holiday season.  What is the holiday season?  It lasts from late November to December 31^st.  American Thanksgiving is the unofficial start date. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Dolly keeps humming ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town’ and we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet! – Billy

What is going on?

It will be American Thanksgiving this Thursday November 27^th.  Canadian Thanksgiving takes place in October.  American Thanksgiving always takes place on the last Thursday of November. 

If you are Canadian, the autumn and winter holiday order goes Thanksgiving, Halloween, and finally Christmas.

If you are American, the autumn and winter holiday order goes Halloween, Thanksgiving and finally Christmas.

Canadians start getting into the Christmas holiday season in November right after Halloween when it is still only mid – autumn.  Americans focus their attention on Thanksgiving (which is a four day weekend running from Thursday to Sunday) during the month of November.  The Christmas season begins right after Thanksgiving on Black Friday, the last Friday of November, the day after Thanksgiving.

In the United States, the holiday season consists of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. 

Difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas

Thanksgiving and Christmas are very different and also very similar holidays.  Traditionally you eat Turkey during both holidays.  Both holidays are about being with your friends and family.

THANKSGIVING DINNER

For Americans that are very serious about Thanksgiving and their holidays; you do not mix up Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 CHRISTMAS DINNER

Thanksgiving is an autumn holiday and Christmas is a winter holiday.  Thanksgiving is a holiday to celebrate the autumn harvest and to be thankful.  Christmas, though both religious and secular today, was originally a Christian holiday and it was meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Why is this comic funny?

This comic is funny because it shows how the two holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, begin to mix together.  This is fine for most people but others are against this.  They believe that you must finish one before starting the other. 

By mid-November, most people start to get excited about the idea of Christmas.  By mid to late November many people and public areas and shops will start thinking about Christmas and begin putting up Christmas decorations.  Children especially will start singing Christmas carols (songs). 

Dolly is mixing the two holidays together but Billy believes the two holidays should be separate. This is why Billy does not like that his sister Dolly is humming a Christmas song.  He thinks she should get in trouble for this so he is telling on her. 

If you are Canadian and you start singing Christmas songs before Thanksgiving (which is in October) that is just too early.  However it is normal for most Americans to get into the spirit of both Thanksgiving and Christmas by late November whether or not Thanksgiving has happened yet.

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

Nov 24th: Hi & Lois – Trolls

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Hi & Lois featuring a cultural lesson on a popular toy in North America.

COMIC BREAKDOWN

Then (the past)

“This Troll collection will be worth a fortune someday!” – Hi to his daughter

Now (the present)

“How much for the Trolls?” – Woman

“A buck.” – Hi

What is a buck?

A “buck” is a slang (casual/informal word) for dollar.  

What is a Troll?

Troll dolls were a popular toy in North America in the early 1960s and again in the 1970s, 1980s, and finally from the early to mid – 1990s.

Troll dolls originated from Denmark in 1959 when the Danish woodcutter, Thomas Dam, first started making them.  Another name for Troll dolls is Dam dolls. 

Troll dolls were a very popular fad.  A “fad” is something that is seen as uncommon yet cool and as a result gets a lot of popular attention for a short time.  Troll dolls gained a lot of popularity because instead of being cute, the way most toys are, it is considered ugly by most people.  Some people would say that the Troll doll is an example of something that is so ugly that it is cute! 

Cultural Importance

Today, the Troll doll represents a popular toy of the past.  It is a toy that many generations of North Americans recognize or owned in their childhood. 

Why is this comic funny?

Troll dolls made in the 1960s are worth a lot of money today.  Collectors will pay a lot of money for them.

Trolls dolls made after the 1960s and especially those from the 1990s are not worth much at all.  Many North American families have lots of Troll dolls from the 1990s so they are common and easy to buy for very little money.

In conclusion, this comic is funny because it shows how people will buy and collect things when they are popular, such as toys, believing that they will make a lot of money selling them one day.  But most of the time, items from popular fads will not be worth anything in the future.

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

Nov 21st: Family Circus – Dawdling

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is a Family Circus. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Hurry up, Jeffy! You’re being a dawdler!” – Thelma to her son Jeffy

“No, I’m being a son.” – Jeffy responding to his mother. 

What is a dawdler?

A dawdler (noun) is someone that is moving or acting slowly.  A dawdler may or may not be acting slow on purpose but people think they can be faster.

The word “dawdler” comes from the word “dawdle” (verb).  The word dawdle means more than just being simply slow.  It means acting or taking more time than needed to complete something. 

Synonyms for Dawdle/Dawdler – words with the same or similar meaning

Dawdle (verb) – linger, lag, loiter, idly, and delay

Dawdler (noun) – snail, lagger, lingerer, idler, procrastinator, straggler

Slangs for dawdler include “slow poke” and “time waster”.

Why is this funny?

Thelma is trying to tell her son, Jeffy, to hurry up because he is being too slow. 

Calling someone a “dawdler” is a polite and annoyed way to speak to someone that is being slow without literally telling them to “hurry up!”  Parent’s commonly call their young children “dawdlers”.

Jeffy misunderstood the noun “dawdler” by taking it literally and wastes even more time by telling his mother he is not a dawdler but he is a son (someone’s child). 

His response could be a way for a smart child to be literal or to be rude in a smart way by answering back to his parent.  The expression would be that Jeffy was “being smart” to his mother. 

Regardless, calling someone a “dawdler” either leads to confusion or more annoyance so the result is usually more time gets wasted. 

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

Nov 16th: Family Circus – Mispronunciation & Malapropism

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is a Family Circus featuring the topics of pronunciation and mix ups. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Mommy says I can’t go to kinnergarten till I go to pretty school.” – Jeffy speaking to Dolly

What is wrong with this sentence?

Jeffy has made two mistakes.  He has mispronounced one word and mixed up another one.

Mispronunciation

Jeffy mispronounced the word “kindergarten”.  Jeffy said “kinnergarten”. 

Correct – kindergarten

Incorrect - kinnergarten

Jeffy switched the “d” sound with a “n” sound.

The word Kindergarten is not English; it is German.  In German, the word kinder means “child” and “garten” means garden.  The word “kindergarten” literally means “children’s garden”. 

Kindergarten is an example of a common word in English that is not English at all.   

Kindergarten, known as reception in the United Kingdom, is an early childhood education level for those usually aged 3 to 6 depending on the country.

Malapropism – Mixing up two similarly sounding words

Jeffy mixed up with the word “pretty school” with the word “preschool” because they sound similar.  Pretty school does not actually exist.  Pretty school is both an example of mispronunciation, he did not say it properly, and also a malapropism because he mixed up two similar sounding words. 

To learn more about malapropisms, click here.

Preschool is one age group or level below kindergarten in early childhood education.  Another word for preschool in some areas is nursery and in some places nursery comes before preschool.  The word preschool can also be used to describe all of early childhood education which generally covers aged 2 to 6.

What did Jeffy mean to say to Dolly if he did not mix up his pronunciation and words?

“Mommy says I can’t go to kindergarten till I go to preschool.” – Jeffy speaking to Dolly

And without contractions (shortening words for informal use) Jeffy would have said to Dolly,

“Mommy says I cannot go to kindergarten until I go to preschool.”

This means that Jeffy must finish one level of education, preschool, before he can go to the next level, kindergarten. 

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

Nov 11th: Remembrance Day & Veterans Day

Hello everyone!

Today is Remembrance Day in Britain and parts of the Commonwealth (former British Empire) and Veterans Day in the United States.  Remembrance Day takes place on November the 11^th to honour the sacrifices, service, and death of those in the armed forces.  November 11^th was originally meant to mark the end of World War One and then later World War Two.  Over time this day of memorial has come to include other Wars and now marks the sacrifices of soldiers and others that have served in the line of duty.

Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day because in Britain and some Commonwealth countries, such as Canada, people wear Red Poppies as a sign of respect.

Why November 11^th? 

World War One ended on November 11^th, 1918 at 11 AM. 

Marking the Day

Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day because in Britain and some Commonwealth countries people wear Red Poppies as a sign of respect.

Poppies are heavily associated with memorializing November 11^th because of the poem, In Flanders Fields, which took place in Flanders, Belgium during the First World War.  To read more about this poem, click here. 

In some areas, Remembrance Day/Veterans Day is a public holiday and people do not go to work.

Regardless, any area that observes November 11^th will have wreath laying ceremonies, an important community event, to honour the fallen.  In Britain, the Queen and members of the Royal Family attend Remembrance Sunday, the Sunday before November 11^th, a public ceremony to mark the event.

Everywhere else, on November 11^th everyone will stop what they are doing no matter where they are at 11 AM to mark the day with a moment of silence.

Many other countries also have their own memorial days and customs to mark World War One (1914 – 1918) and World War Two (1939 – 1945).

This Canadian comic, For Better or For Worse, shows Remembrance Day from the perspective of a veteran of World War Two (1939 – 1945). 

Comic Breakdown

Great-grandpa, a World War Two veteran, may have slept through the ceremonies to mark November 11^th but he remembers what happened because he lived through it all as a soldier.   He does not need to see it on television.  As he sleeps on November 11^th at 11 AM he relives his experiences. 

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

Nov 7th: Family Circus & Malapropism

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Family Circus featuring Dolly and Jeffy.

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Remember, Jeffy.  If the dodge ball hits you, you’ll be illuminated.”

– Dolly explaining the game of Dodge Ball to Jeffy.

What is wrong with this sentence?

Dotty said, “you’ll be illuminated”.  She used the wrong word; she meant “eliminate”.  The two words “illuminate” and “eliminate” sound similar which is why she confused them but they are not homonyms. 

Homonyms are words that sound the same or are spelled the same but have a different meaning.

The words illuminate and eliminate are not spelled the same, they do not sound the same, and they do not have the same meaning.

Illuminate vs Eliminate

Pronouncing Illuminate and Eliminate

Illuminate = Ill – lu – min – ate

Eliminate = E – li – min – ate

What do they mean?

The word “illuminate” means to shine light on something physically or metaphorically as a way to explain something. 

Physical: Please illuminate this room by turning on the lights.

Metaphorically: Please illuminate me by explaining what is happening. 

The word “eliminate” means to take something out or to get rid of.

Mixing up “illuminate” with “eliminate” is an example of malapropism.

What is Malapropism?

Malapropism is when one word is used in the place of a similar sounding word by accident because the user has confused the two words. 

A malapropism can cause confusion and humour when used depending on the context. 

Example – Literally vs Literary

Malapropism – I was literary ready to quit my job. 

Correct Word – I was literally ready to quit my job. 

Children use a lot of malapropism because they are still learning how to speak.  Even many adults, native and fluent English speakers included, will use malapropisms without realizing it. 

What is Dodge Ball?

Dodge Ball is a game that can be played in groups or teams.  The simple goal of the game is to take out the other team or the targeted people in the game by throwing a bouncy ball at them.  The other team or the targeted players literally have to dodge (miss) the ball to stay in the game. 

You win by either eliminating the other team completely or by taking out the targeted players of the game.

What did Dolly mean?

Dolly said, “Remember, Jeffy.  If the dodge ball hits you, you’ll be illuminated.”

What Dolly meant to say was, “Remember, Jeffy.  If the dodge ball hits you, you’ll be eliminated.”

Dolly’s explanation of the game Dodge Ball was an example of malapropism.

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

Nov 5th: Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic highlights the origins of Bonfire Night!

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Upstairs to the Houses of Parliament”

 – Sign in the tunnel

“Planning a night to remember? Looks like it’s going to go with a bang!”

– Man dressed in red (a Guard) speaking to Guy Fawkes

What is Bonfire Night?

Bonfire Night is an annual celebration dedicated to bonfires and fireworks.  It is celebrated in the United Kingdom, many Commonwealth countries (the former British Empire) and parts of the United States.  The event takes place on the night of November the 5^th.

Similar bonfire and firework traditions also exist in other European cultures and countries.

Who is Guy Fawkes?

The origins of Bonfire Night are closely tied in remembrance to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. 

The population of England and Britain as a whole is majority Christian.  From the 1500s – 1600s Europe experienced a lot of wars and upheaval that were related to religion.  Western Europe had been Catholic but starting in the early 1500s there was a split in Christian worship and the Protestant faiths of Christianity began.  Populations and whole countries were very divided over their religious beliefs. 

In the 1500s, England (today part of the United Kingdom) became a Protestant country and Catholics were not treated well.  However there were still many English Catholics.  Originally the ruler had promised religious tolerance but this was never a reality.

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was an attempt by a group of English Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King of England and Scotland, King James I (known as King James VI in Scotland).   The plan was to blow up Parliament, Westminster, with gunpowder during the state opening of Parliament which was to take place on November 5^th.  By killing the Protestant King, Catholics hoped to put a Catholic monarch on the English throne.

The Plot was discovered in late October and stopped.  Guards found a man named Guy Fawkes, a member of the Plot, guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder in the basement of Parliament at midnight on November 4^th.

By 1607 celebrations started occurring across Britain to mark November 5^th.  Communities would light giant bonfires and burn effigies, giant doll models of whoever they wanted to represent, of Guy Fawkes. 

Because Guy Fawkes is the most famous member of the Gunpowder Plot, Bonfire Night is also known as Guy Fawkes Night.

Note: The name Guy Fawkes is pronounced like “Guy Fox”.

For more information on Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, read here. 

Today, the symbol of Guy Fawkes is used as a political and social representation by groups that feel that they are being treated unfairly.  You are probably aware of the mask that represents Guy Fawkes even if you do not know who he is.

Why is this comic funny?

This comic references that if the Gunpowder Plot had happened as planned, November 5^th would be a night to really remember!  The guard has caught Guy Fawkes!

Moreover, to say that November 5^th would have been a night with a big bang has a double meaning.  The use of the word “bang” in this comic is a homograph.  Homographs are words that are spelled the same, sometimes also pronounced the same, but have a different meaning. 

Bang means a loud noise, something an explosion would create, and it is also used as a word to reference something memorable.  November the 5^th could have literally been a night of a memorable big bang! 

Happy Bonfire Night!

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