What Tom and Jerry Taught Me About Life
Growing up, I was a cartoon enthusiast. I loved any sort of animated series from classics such as Road Runner and The Looney Tunes to more recent ones including Teen Titans and Ben 10. However, my all-time favorite cartoon was the ageless classic: Tom and Jerry.
Tom and Jerry was created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbara. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the show won seven Academy Awards for Animated Short Film before the production company was shut down. In the 60s, the show was revamped and became the highest-grossing animated short film series of the time, overtaking the ever-popular Looney Tunes. The show changed directors and producers constantly in the competitive Hollywood market. To this date, over 300 episodes and 10 movies have been produced about the iconic duo.
I don’t know what about the cartoon appealed to me. Regardless of what it was, I was hooked. I would rush home every night, speed through my homework, just to watch one or two episodes a night before bed. I would dream of different scenarios and how Jerry could escape from the grasps of wicked Tom. I would watch enthralled as the struggle of cat vs mouse played out on my computer screen. It wasn’t until I got older I realized the true beauty of this cartoon series and the important life lessons it taught me.
Size Does Not Always Matter: Jerry, due to his minuscule size when compared to Tom, is always overlooked and underestimated. Regardless of what schemes Tom comes up with to catch Jerry, he rarely ever succeeds in capturing his tiny foe. For example, in Tom and Jerry Episode 142 (“The Cat’s Me-Ouch!”), Tom laughs at a tiny pit bull who goes on to devour all his fur.
Never Underestimate Your Opponents: This important lesson goes hand in hand with lesson number one. Tom, who has significant size advantages over Jerry, never realizes that Jerry can outsmart him and still end up on top. One example of this can be seen in Tom and Jerry Episode 18 (“The Mouse Comes to Dinner”).
Cheaters Never Win: There have been many times where Tom and Jerry compete against each other. Each time, however, Jerry ends up the winner mostly because he always performs to the best of his ability. Every time Tom tries to cheat his way to victory, things never seem to go as planned as seen in The Tom and Jerry Show Episode 3 (“The Wacky World of Sports”).
Persistence Pays Off: Although not common, there have been times when Tom does get the best of Jerry. One example of this is in Tom and Jerry Episode 112 (“The Vanishing Duck”), where at the end of the short, Tom learns about the vanishing cream and uses it to beat up on Jerry and Quacker.
Know Your Limitations: One of the most underlooked lessons learned from the Tom and Jerry franchise is this one. When you think of this cartoon series, you always think about the fight between the two title characters, however, there are cases where other characters come into play. For example, Tom knows that he has a shot at defeating Jerry, however, when it comes to Spike and other dogs, Tom knows to never mess around with them (Tom and Jerry Episode 16 “Putting On the Dog”).
Sometimes Your Greatest Enemy is Your Biggest Friend: In addition to being adversaries, there are instances where Tom and Jerry must work together and unite to overcome a difficult obstacle. In troubling times, it is easy for enemies to become friends when working towards one goal, as seen in The Tom and Jerry Show Episode 4 (“Mammoth Manhunt”).
Thus, the cartoon series Tom and Jerry played a pivotal role in my childhood. Without knowing it, Tom and Jerry provided me with valuable life lessons while also serving as a source of entertainment. Yes, Tom sometimes took matters a little too far (ie. Trying to poison Jerry in Episode 30: “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse”) but it was the outrageous that made the entire series so entertaining. I never saw this cartoon as anything more than a humorous TV show until recently, when I was asked to reflect on this meaningful part of my childhood. As a kid, I always sided with Jerry because Tom was always the instigator and was just a horrible character. I always thought that Jerry was honorable and he served as my inspiration to never give up even through the tough times. But now, my view has been changed. Sure, Jerry is great and all but who would he be without Tom? Tom has served as a respectable adversary. He has endured countless beatings throughout the years. He has watched in pain and sorrow as Jerry always ends up on top, but does that ever stop him? Even when his tail is lit on fire, or he is tied to a rocket ship, nothing ever stops him from pursuing his goals, and for that, he too is deserving of praise.
In conclusion, Tom and Jerry is more than just a show; it is a demonstration of the best and worst of human qualities. In Jerry, we see David, the metaphorical underdog, who somehow always ends up on top. However, he is not perfect since he does find pleasure in the pain of his adversary. Similarly Tom is the stereotypical Goliath, whose ego is what brought about his downfall. Yet, his insatiable drive and willpower are qualities that must also be admired. With its slapstick humor and a wonderful storyline, the Tom and Jerry cartoon series will continue to impact the lives of its viewers, much like it has impacted mine.
