And Get Along With Each Other

Arthur the aardvark lives in beautiful Elwood City with his father, mother, and two younger sisters. He likes riding bikes, Bionic Bunny comics, and being with his friends. He’s portrayed as a very optimistic and open kid and he’s friends with a diverse group of people.

Arthur comes into conflict with his younger sister DW in a plethora of episodes. Like most preschoolers, DW believes she’s invincible and wants to do things just like her older brother. She frequently tries to hang out with Arthur and his friends. Naturally, this annoys Arthur, and in order to dissuade he uses the excuse that, “she’s too little.”  When she wanted to ride a two-wheeler he advised against it and, like most other times, she paid that warning no mind. She ended up riding into a fence, someone else’s garage, and into a garbage can, but eventually she got the hang of it. While it may seem minor, her actions display the importance of perseverance and believing in oneself.

In many ways Arthur reinforces stereotypes in its display of what’s normal. The “smart” kid is literally named Brain, the bully is the biggest kid and has missing teeth, and with the exception of Francine, the girls wear dresses or some article of clothing that is pink or purple.  Oftentimes when the Brain talks, the other characters get tired of what he’s saying and either stop listening or ask him to stop talking. Muffy, who is rich, is obsessed with talking about things she has, and acts like a snob more than a couple of times. 

However, Arthur is certainly a show that promotes diversity and acceptance.  The characters are from all around the world and there have been full episodes in which Arthur and his friends learn about other countries and cultures. In the “Christmas” episode, Hanukah and Kwanzaa are represented as the episode not only follows the traditions of Arthur, but Francine and the Brain who are Jewish and Senegalese respectively. What stands out the most about the show is its inclusion and representation of those with disabilities and disorders. I watched an episode surrounding a character that has Asperger’s. Arthur had evidently gone on hiatus because he wasn't in the episode, so the main character was a moose named George. George goes to the library and meets a boy named Carl who doesn't look him in the eye or seem to show much emotion. George brings out his puppet which startles Carl and he starts crying. George is taken aback and Carl’s mother reassures him that he didn't do anything wrong, Carl has Asperger’s and is extremely sensitive to new things. The rest of the episode includes George finding out more about the syndrome and at the end the two boys have become close friends. George’s complete acceptance of Carl, and that he never considered the syndrome as a reason to not be kind to him makes him a really strong role model. If young children see total acceptance at an early age they’ll be more inclined to exhibit that behavior.

Arthur is fairly good showing its viewers a glimpse of what life is really look. With its diverse cast of characters it teaches kids acceptance and the importance of being considerate to one another.