Friday, February 12, 2010

Charles Schulz

Today marks the tenth year anniversary of Charles Schulz' passing. I almost let it slip by; it was only when last night's episode of The Office made direct mention of the great man himself (and is there a worse example of character assassination than having Erin be ignorant of Snoopy?) that I remembered.

Of all the celebrity deaths I've lived through, his was the only one that brought me to tears. And no, not just a moment to myself to mourn a man that felt like a wise uncle to me, despite my never having met him. I mean I was a mess that entire Sunday. I obsessively taped TV news tributes. I reread strip collections. I marveled at the poetry of his life and death.

Peanuts was the greatest work of American art in the 20th century. For fifty years--a full one-half of that century--Charles Schulz crafted a universe of children who possessed preternatural perception and mother wit, as well as the classic pettiness and vindictiveness. His female characters--Charlotte Braun aside--were so well-defined, so completely their own persons, that they are still not fully understood.

The world is immeasurably richer for having him in it, for a time.

2 comments:

  1. can't believe it's been 10 years, some great memories

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  2. I also can't believe it's been ten years. It feels like he's still on this earth because he breathed his life into his wonderful characters. His physical presence may not be here but his Legacy exist in Charlie Brown and pals.

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