7/26/2019 [Lap] Cartoon Physics Part 1

1/2

Figurative Language: Irony and Paradox

Cartoon Physics part 1 by Nick Flynn is a poe that tells us that

children deserve to be ignorant o! adult probles and the harsh realities o! li!e"

Children deserve to be able to use their iaginations and en#oy a sipler vie$

o! the universe" In connection to that% they should stick to siple cartoon

con&icts% and things $here they can be in control like playing $ith toy cars in a

sandbox" 'his poe syboli(es the innocence that $e have at youth"

'he poe begins $ith the author discussing the realities o! the universe

such as galaxies s$allo$ed by galaxies% solar systes collapsing and the

universe is ever)expanding" 'hese things that are ruled over by the rules o!

physics and other natural sciences are things that children should not learnabout" Instead o! these cold hard !acts $hat children should learn about are the

rules o! cartoon aniation" 'his part o! the poe is actually in contracts $ith

the penultiate lines o! the poe $herein the author talks o! a child playing in

a sandbox kno$ing exactly $hen is!ortune or good luck $ould occur" 'he

iage !eels cal and !un $hile the *rst iage+that o! the cold% sterile universe

+!eels apathetic and inevitable" 'his sees to sho$ ho$ being ignorant like a

child sees ore $onder!ul than being an adult" ,verything the children lookat% they look at $onder% a$e and curiosity" -ut then again% curiosity killed the

cat"

'he second iage actually also sees ironic because ho$ can a child or

anybody !or that atter kno$ o! the !uture. -ut this is actually possible !or the

child because she is playing ake)believe/ 0hile a child lets her iagination

play out she is the god o! that $orld she can do anything she $ants to do and

be $ants she $ants to be" 2he can be an invincible superhero that could savepeople trapped on burning houses% car $recks and sinking ships or be the god

that controls over the $orld she created" I% too used to think that I could be a

hero and save the $orld $ith $ater)bending and $ell% not get hurt" In reality%

ho$ever this is not exactly true and this is the sad reality in li!e no atter $ho

you are and $hat you have% nature is erciless" Like ho$ the cat $as killed by

his curiosity% the innocence and naivety o! children are killed by the harsh cold

!acts o! reality"

7/26/2019 [Lap] Cartoon Physics Part 1

2/2

3ne line that really sticks out !ro the poe $as 2he $ill learn that i! a

an runs o4 the edge o! a cli4 he $ill not !all until he notices his istake"

because this reinded e o! so any cartoons% having characters &oat in id)

air until they reali(e their situation and% $ell% !all" 5lthough huorous% thisscene is actually 6uite sad" It indicates the unpredictability o! li!e $hether a

person is a$are or not% good or bad events $ould still happen" 'his line also

strikes e because they only !all $hen they reali(e their istakes% $hich

reinds e a scene in -ugs -unny $herein -ugs continued to $alk in air to

reach another cli4 $ithout reali(ing anything" 'he e4ect o! gravity only $orks

$hen you reali(e it" 7ou only kno$ you have ade a istake $hen you are

taught $hat is right and $hat is $rong" 'hus the 8!all9 one experiences is an

e4ect o! our innocence and iagination tarnished by the harsh truths o! reality"

Flynn9s ultiate essage in the poe is to let children reain as children: they

need not kno$ that galaxies are s$allo$ed by other galaxies"

iara Laine ;ontao

R69