It was an era unlike today. People read the paper, Newsmen were well respected, and Comic strip writers were the Rock Stars of their day. Little did these strip writers know they would soon take a back seat to little man calling himself ‘Sparky’. Charles Schulz through his “Peanuts gang” changed not only the way we looked at the comics, but the way we looked at the world.
Today we live in an era of the endless parade of reality television, social networking websites, and the twenty-four hour news cycle. There was a time largely forgotten by some and unknown to others. Besides one or two trusted TV. newsmen, to get caught up on events folks generally went to newspapers. ‘Browsing’ meant flipping through black and white print on paper still warm from the presses. Tucked at the back somewhere between news and sports, comic strip writer slugged it out for supremacy.
In a recent book titled “Schulz and Peanuts” author/journalist David Michaelis introduces us to complicated, at times misunderstood figure named Charles Schulz and Schulz’s cartoon strip ‘peanuts.’ David Michaelis is a noted author who has written articles for such publications as The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. He has also written several books one of which was N.C. Wyeth: A Biography.
Mr. Michaelis introduces us to Mr. Charles Schulz as ‘Sparky’ as he was known to everyone. It was late winter 1943 Sparky was drafted a few months before and he found himself on frozen rail car somewhere between St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was returning home on leave to face the greatest tragedy of his life. A tragedy that would linger over him throughout the coming years. “He would never discuss the actual kind of cancer that had struck his mother. Throughout his life, friends, business associates and most of his relatives believed that Dena Schulz had been the victim of colorectal cancer. In fact, the primary site of his mother’s illness was the cervix, and she had been seriously ill since 1938. As early as his sophomore year in high school, Sparky had come home to a bedridden mother.”(p.4) He reveals to us very early on the relationship that ‘Sparky’ had with his mother. We soon discover that Sparky’s mother was the greatest influence of his life. Her death was a tragedy he could never really shake. Mr. Michaelis begins with Sparky coming home to face his mother’s funeral and then ‘flashes’ back to the very early days of his life.Charles Schulz was born November 26th 1922 in St. Paul Minnesota to Dena and Carl Schulz. Sparky’s father immigrated with his parents from Germany at an early age and was in fact the only one of his siblings not born in the United States. Carl worked as a barber and from an early age hard work was instilled into Sparky. Charles saw from a very early age that his father was well liked by everyone. Sparky also noticed that his father’s barber business was expanding constantly. Indeed Carl knew that being well liked meant more business and Sparky always wanted to be as well liked as his father. Charles would spend many afternoons in his father’s shop, dreaming of drawing. We pick up here with Mr. Michaelis again; “After seeing the last customer out the door, Carl would relight his cigar, pull up the shades, and close up the shop. Then he and Sparky would walk to the far corner of Snelling and take the streetcar home, its icy windows steamed by the interior warmth in the winter months. Years later, Carl would still recall how Sparky, at three or four, would draw on the panel of night-blackened glass, ‘a picture of maybe something he had seen that day.’”
Our biographer does a masterful job of relating Sparky’s childhood. Family gatherings from both his parents side brought a little discomfort as a child and Schulz would seclude himself to a quiet corner of the room with a pencil and paper. The only peace he ever found was in drawing his cartoons. Many afternoons at family reunions while his cousins played outside basking in the sun, Sparky would be getting a jump start on Charlie Brown.
As a boy in the seventh grade Sparky excelled in art class. Mr. Michaelis quotes Charles Schulz: “ ‘All the way through school I could draw better [than] or as well as anyone in the class except for perhaps one or two others.’ For seventh graders at Richards Gordon, art class alternated with music (‘I used to just hate the days that we had music’)…” (p.55) As Sparky perfected his skill almost no-one not even his mother believed that drawing could actually be his craft. Only his Aunt Marion knew that his drawing would one day put him in the papers. He entered High-school as very reserved and shy and always suspicious of anyone attempting to get close. As his mother’s health continued to fail, Sparky graduated high-school. At this point Schulz had no desire to go to college, and as our biographer pens it, “College would have been far more disruptive to his fragile little world.” Sparky chose instead to continue living with his parents, working on his strips. At home he had solitude and a workspace; heaven for one Charles Schulz.
In November of 1942 as Hitler was making some noise across Europe, Charles Schulz was drafted. He did well and soon found himself at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. On February 11, 1944 Sparky was promoted to Buck Sergeant. He was an excellent shot. Here we pick up with Mr. Michaelis; “His exceptional marksmanship, yet further evidence of his hand-eye coordination, made it natural for him to be designated assistant leader of the First Platoon’s machine-gun squad.” (p.136) In February of 1945, Charles Schulz and his 20th armored division, made the cold Atlantic crossing into France. Mr. Michaelis recounts several example of his distinguished service. On July 27th Charles sailed for home and then on August 11th 1945 Sparky and his comrades sailed into New York Harbor. Charles Schulz was home again.
Sparky took full advantage of the G.I. Bill and enlisted in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. This was the turning point for Charles Schulz. It was also at this time that he began attending church with his father; “He had never been baptized, never formally accepted the doctrines of Christianity. Yet stepping into the earnest, warmly personal embrace of the church of God, he felt spiritually at home for the first time in his life”. Many biographers at this point either ignore altogether or tend to ‘gloss over’ any mention of Christianity regarding their subjects, due to the biographers personal bias. Mr. Michaelis does no such thing. He gives great detail on Sparky’s faith even recognizing the changes in Schulz. Sparky had taken the first step in church attendance and shortly thereafter he gave his life to Christ.
While attending school, Sparky submitted a new idea to The Minneapolis Star Tribune. It was a comic strip involving young children with heads far too large for their bodies, having real day to day struggles while considering the real meaning of life. The original title was ‘Li’l Folks’ which would soon change to Peanuts. Schulz constantly sent sample strips to the bigger papers for a chance to break into the industry. Comic Strips like Li’l Abner, Blondie, and Gasoline Alley dominated the pages but all those comic strips were influenced by a world at war. As our author tells us: “Comics created by G.I. artists for the black-and-white starkness of wartime found peace too complex. The war had created a vacuum for comic strip writers. A vacuum which Schulz successfully exploited. On October 2nd 1950 Peanuts was finally accepted by the United Feature Syndicate. His strip would now run in papers coast to coast for the next 60 years.
Sparky indeed considered his strip as a way to influence the world one reader at a time. His comic strip became a way that he could inspire personal reflection. He always had clever ways to get people to consider themselves in context with the whole universe. One comic has Charlie Brown staring at the night sky with Lucy. Lucy says “Aren’t the stars beautiful Charlie Brown”? “Uh huh” says Charlie. After a few moments of silence Charlie then says “Let’s go inside and watch television, I’m beginning to feel insignificant”. At times Charles Schulz was more bold in relating the gospel message through Peanuts. In his Christmas special, the blanket-hording , Linus Van Pelt tells the whole gospel story when the whole gang has forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. In truth he himself always felt insignificant. Even while millions everywhere read ‘Peanuts’ he still failed to understand that people actually liked him. Self-doubt, and insecurity plagued Sparky his whole life.
Throughout his life, Schulz would observe events both personally and in the lives of others and incorporate into his comic strip. Fans and reporters alike, asked him constantly if the lovable Charlie Brown was the mirror image of himself. Our biographer Mr. David Michaelus goes much deeper than just what character represented who in Sparky’s real life. Whether it be his kind hearted “tom boyish” cousin Patty Swanson who inspired Peppermint Patty, or his first love the “Little Red Haired Girl” if folks he knew made it into the strip they made a big impression on him. Young Linus Van Pelt was the philosopher king of the ‘peanuts gang’. In a great number of strips Linus was always attempting to find the real meaning of life while Charlie’s trusty dog Snoopy had ‘dog-house’ dog-fights with the Red Baron. The ‘Peanuts gang’ addressed complex issues with humor. These youngsters with their large heads and small bodies, made the world more ‘approachable’. Other strips over the years such as Calvin and Hobbs was inspired by the “Peanuts gang”.
“Schulz and Peanuts” by David Michaelis is a fine read and comes highly recommended. Mr. Michaelis skillfully avoids certain pitfalls biographers encounter such as idolizing their subjects. Charles Schulz despite all his faults put his signature on the pages of the American Conscience.
Sources:
“Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography” by David Michaelis
Harper Collins Publishing 2007
