Under The Sea with Spongebob: Analysis of Characters & Visual Elements

The response of cartoon-based television series currently is still becoming a popular demand for children around the globe. The cartoon that has continuously gained adults' and children’s attention in the public from past to present is Nickelodeon’s television series, SpongeBob SquarePants. The television series' target audience is children aging from two to eleven years old. By conducting a personal observation on three episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, it is filled with humor, prominent visual elements, and add cleverness for children. Through analysis, each character in the television series values human-like behaviors and attitudes, it represents the importance of staying authentic, which is significant in our society today, and on a global scale, the text can be transparent enough that attracts other cultural audiences. So to discuss the television series SpongeBob, this essay analyzes characters and visual elements in the episodes.

Observation

At the opening of all the episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, the theme song of the television series plays. The first lyrics to “SpongeBob SquarePants Theme Song”, include the line “Are ya' ready, kids?”. It is clear from the song’s lyrics that the first line states that the television series is targeting a child audience by it referencing the word “kids.” Even though explicitly states that it is aiming to children in the theme song; there are many references made in the episodes that can be geared to adults as well.

From observation on three recent episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, it was evident from the content the genre is a comedy. In episode 9 of season 12, “SpongeBob in RandomLand,” features the lead character SpongeBob and his co-worker Squidward delivering takeout to the town called RandomLand where there is no logic, and when they arrive all their thoughts get scrambled. SpongeBob states, “can’t we take a minute to smell and stop the roses (laughs)”. In this statement, the words are flipped from how they typically are portrayed, which is why it adds humor to it.

Each of the three recent episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants had the consistency of prominent visual elements. All the scenes are bright and colorfully illustrated; for example, the lead character SpongeBob lives in a pineapple house at the bottom of the ocean. The depiction of where SpongeBob lives makes it fun and distinctive, it is a staple of the television series since its inception. The characters showcased use visually amusing facial expressions, which is why it makes it unique. The visual components draw in the attention of the viewer since there traditional and captivating.

The three episodes observed have clever situations, meaning it may have the child put more thought into what type of situation is happening. The lead character SpongeBob in every episode faces different types of pressures or conflicts that he must overcome. When the problem arises, he uses humor and is optimistic about finding a solution. The episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants educate children to be smart in understanding how to encounter specific conflicts with people or situations in our society.

Analysis

By analyzing the television series SpongeBob SquarePants, it is evident that the main characters each value types of human-like behaviors and attitudes. The lead character, SpongeBob, has a personality that is represented by his behavior to approach all problems he faces with a happy attitude and optimism. SpongeBob teaches children in a society that when specific problems arise in their life, it is better to act with hopefulness and to be confident when dealing with them.

The character named Patrick Star is known for enacting a valued behavior and attitude in our society. Patrick portrays a lack of intelligence, but he does have an excellent quality that stands out to children, which is him always being a loyal friend. SpongeBob consistently is relying on his support and encouragement. All societies around the globe value the idea of good friendships; we look for people that are going to support us in our dreams and aspirations. The lesson that is learned by the children's audiences is the value of friendship.

The television series represents the significance of authenticity or staying true to yourself, which is prevalent with the younger generations of social media in our society today. SpongeBob has tried before to be someone that he is not, and it always causes problems for him. He comes to realize every time that he tries to be something that he is not how much easier it is to just be himself. All the characters portray authenticity by representing what makes them different from everyone else and by embracing their identities.

When analyzing a children's audience on a global scale, the text of SpongeBob SquarePants can be transparent enough that can attract other cultural audiences. The show may be fast-paced but, its text has themes that are familiar to a child who watches it that may not be able to understand the language. SpongeBob’s emotions can be easily understood from the visual animations and he has an iconic laugh. Laughter is a physical reaction in all humans which is why it makes it easy for all children to understand it. The emotions and physical reaction that the characters portray makes it simple for a child from any culture to be able to comprehend the storyline.

Conclusion

In conducting an observation on three of SpongeBob SquarePants in this essay, we understand that the genre is a comedy from all the humor involved. There are many visual elements that attract a child's audience. The episodes are educating an audience on how to overcome certain obstacles or issues that they encounter in life. By making an analysis each character portrays a personality that values human behaviors and attitudes. With the rise of social media in our society, the public reacts to authenticity which can be identified in the show. The text is transparent and is simple for many children from different cultures to understand it. The television show has a significant amount of positivity and humor which is why many children around the globe will continue to watch and enjoy it.

Works Cited

1. Hillenburg, S., & Tibbitt, P. (Directors). (1999-). SpongeBob SquarePants [Motion Picture].
2. Kaz (Writer), Osmond, F., & Paloian, A. (Directors). (2019). SpongeBob SquarePants: 'SpongeBob in RandomLand' [Motion Picture].
3. Maughan, S. (2003, March 31). SpongeBob SalesPants. Publishers Weekly, p. 25.
4. Smith, B., Harrison, M., Drymon, D., & Hillenburg, S. (2005). SpongeBob SquarePants Theme Song [Recorded by S. Mumy, H. Fahn, A. Stout, C. Walling, S. Paxton, D. Johnson, & P. Pinney].