An Unrehearsed Riot

I’m pretty busy this week, so no comic.  However, seeing as I’m a fan of humor-analysis, I will upload this second draft of a paper I wrote last semester on “The Simpsons.”  I address how stupidity defines Homer Simpson and how Homer’s stupidity contrasts with that of other characters. Enjoy:

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Homer Simpson, the Lovable Idiot

The concept of “stupidity” has often been used in humor.  Actions which are “stupid” seemingly have no logic behind them and thus counteract expectations of normal behavior.  Although this contradiction or incongruity need not necessarily be humorous, it can often be used for humorous effect.  The animated sitcom The Simpsons, for example, makes frequent use of stupidity to create humor.  In fact, the show’s setting, the town of Springfield, is essentially a town of fools.  Everyone in the town, from the inept Mayor Quimby to the lazy and moronic police chief Wiggum, is incapable of acting without making fools of themselves at some point.  Stupidity is also an integral characteristic of Homer Simpson, one of the show’s central characters.  Homer’s behavior runs the entire gamut of stupidity, from purely physical clumsiness to incredible displays of mental idiocy.  However, though stupidity is integral to Homer’s character and much, if not most, of the humor he creates, it is not his only defining quality.  On numerous occasions, Homer demonstrates incredible devotion to his family and he often expresses considerable love for his wife and children.  Additionally, despite his numerous mistakes he nearly always works to make amends.  Besides just earning laughs, stupidity ultimately gives Homer a chance to exhibit and develop his most positive traits, transforming him in a deeper and more lovable character.

In order to understand how Homer’s stupidity is different from that of other characters in the show, it is important to understand what generally characterizes stupidity in The Simpsons.  As mentioned earlier, stupidity is a prominent trait in all citizens of Springfield, even in more intelligent characters like Lisa and Marge.  This should hardly come as a surprise considering that people in real life are also prone to making foolish decisions, saying stupid things, or embarrassing themselves.  However, for the purposes of humor, stupidity in The Simpsons takes on an almost epic quality, rendering it absurd.  Characters routinely make decisions which totally defy explanation and are devoid of logic; Chief Wiggum uses a gun to shoot open a walnut and then shouts at the rest of the unopened nuts, the quack Dr. Nick confuses the term “inflammable” with “non-flammable” and burns his office down, and Springfield Elementary’s bus-driver Otto destroys the school bus after falling asleep at the wheel.  These actions and their consequences, though certainly grounded in reality, extend beyond the pale of “normal” mistakes or bad decisions, and thus contradict our expectations for rational behavior.  Additionally, characters do not seem to learn from their past mistakes, and through sheer repetition of foolish behavior they morph into machine-like entities programmed for imbecility: Mr. Burns never remembers Homer’s name, Bart Simpson repeatedly provokes Homer, resulting in Homer strangling Bart,  and bartender Moe constantly falls for prank calls.  Characters become mindless machines and do not think but merely act, exemplified in the episode “Duffless” when Bart repeatedly attempts to steal an electrified cupcake, as though the next time he touches it will somehow be different (Stern).  Such stupid actions, which would be funny on their own, take on a new level of absurd hilarity when subjected to constant repetition throughout numerous episodes.

For these minor characters, such mechanical stupidity rarely does more than provide a brief, hit-and-run-style joke.  Homer Simpson also regularly displays this very simple type of  repetitive stupidity – we laugh when he falls down the stairs, when he hits his head on a car door, or when he robotically shouts “D’OH!”  However, in addition to this type of stupidity, episodes regularly show us a deeper type of stupidity, unique to Homer Simpson, which becomes a tool of character development.  This “profound” foolishness is characterized by the poor, impulsive decisions Homer makes on a daily basis.  Homer effectively summarizes his impulsive behavior in the episode “Homerpalooza:” After attending a music festival, Homer joins a traveling freak-show for his ability to withstand being shot with a canon.  Upon learning of his decision, Marge exclaims, “You don’t have to join a freak show just because the opportunity came along!” to which Homer replies, “You know, Marge, in some ways you and I are very different people” (“Homerpalooza).  This scene reveals that Homer’s actions are not connected with his brain.  He acts on impulse, not on logic.  In fact, Homer regularly holds arguments with his brain, most of which usually display the degree of the disconnect.  For example, in the episode “Mr. Plow,” Homer crashes his car after driving home from Moe’s Tavern.  When an insurance agent asks Homer about where he had been before driving home, Homer’s brain says, “Don’t tell him you were at a bar!  Gasp!  But what else is open at night?”  “Thinking” quickly, Homer responds, “It’s a pornography store.  I was buying pornography.”  Satisfied, Homer’s brain chuckles and says, “I would’ve never thought of that.” (Vitti).  These foolish actions represent a separation of the mind and the heart – a split second during which passion overrides logic.  As a stereotypical blue-collar worker, it makes sense that Homer would want to pursue any and every chance at fame, wealth, and excitement.  His impulsive decisions not only initiate episodes and generate comedic stupidity, but also give him the chance to live out his “lifelong” dreams.  Yet despite the rash and foolish decisions he makes, Homer always lovingly returns to his family after his crazy schemes play themselves out.  In this way, the absurd is united with the endearing.  Unintelligent impulsiveness becomes an engine of discovery, growth, and personal betterment for Homer.

Homer’s stupidity is also often accompanied by a sense of inferiority, unlike for other characters who are often oblivious to their moronic behavior.  In the episode “Deep Space Homer,” Homer’s incompetence, though not explicitly shown, is implied when he becomes the only employee at the nuclear power plant to not win the “Worker of the Week Award,” even losing to an inanimate carbon rod (Mirkind).  As the episode unfolds, Homer becomes a civilian astronaut, and eventually uses another carbon rod to save the lives of his fellow astronauts when a crisis ensues.  Comically, at the end of the episode, Homer still does not get the fame he had hoped for, but the carbon rod does.  Though filled with silly, unrelated antics, the beginning and end of this episode focus on Homer’s desire for simple respect.  Homer’s awareness of his shortcomings is a key aspect of what makes him a lovable character.  Because he is often humbled by his own ineptitude, he becomes a sort of underdog, and his attempts to prove himself are chances for the audience to stand behind and support him.  Though episodes rarely end with Homer remaining the hero he wants to be, he often manages to gain increased self-esteem from his adventures.  Thus, despite Homer’s humbling and “lowly” blue-collar role in Springfield, he often manages to elevate his character to a higher, profounder, and more respectable level.

Stupidity does more than simply give Homer a sense of inferiority.  Homer’s stupidity regularly puts him in positions that test his loyalty to his family.  In the episode “Homer vs. Patty and Selma,” Homer’s foolish, impulsive investing in pumpkins during Halloween forces him to borrow money from Marge’s sisters, Patty and Selma.  Embarrassed by this and not wanting Marge to know, Homer becomes Patty and Selma’s slave (“Homer vs. Patty and Selma”).  This episode follows a formula which is key in developing Homer as a character: a stupid decision leads to a problem, which then leads to Homer’s earnest attempts to make things right.  Although this episode starts with an absurd case of stupidity (investing in pumpkins), the formula that then follows is very much a realistic pattern of everyday life.  In this episode, Homer does not become trapped in a downward spiral of failure; his attempts at fixing things, though also beset by problems, reveal his inherent desire to improve, which becomes a sort of internal triumph.  This is what sets Homer apart from minor characters who merely serve as joke-generators.  A failure is used to reveal Homer’s true drive for success and well-being, making him behave in a way less stupid and more likable.

None of this is to suggest that Homer is the only character capable of demonstrating growth and becoming a lovable character.  All of the Simpson family members at one point or another experience similar situations, and even many of the minor characters convey tremendous depth during some episodes.  What makes Homer unique is his ability to consistently correct his mistakes.  No matter how hard he tries, even his most ingeniously crafted plans go awry.  Nevertheless, he still displays incredible resilience and loyalty to his family.  He inevitably abandons his foolish schemes, he works his way back up when he makes a mistake, and he proves his worth to his family when he needs to.  In this way, a single trait, stupidity, defines numerous and complex aspects of Homer’s personality, such as loyalty, courage, and perseverance.  Stupidity is really a characteristic that gives Homer the chance to demonstrate his multitude of positive qualities.  Without stupidity, Homer is not Homer, but at the same time stupidity alone does not make Homer.

Citations:

Forrester, Brent.  “Homerpalooza.”  The Simpsons.  Dir. Wes Archer. FOX.

19 May 1996.

Forrester, Brent.  “Homer vs. Patty and Selma.”  The Simpsons.  Dir. Mark Kirkland. FOX. 26 Feb. 1995.

Mirkind, David.  “Deep Space Homer.”  The Simpsons.  Dir. Carlos Baeza. FOX. 24 Feb. 1994.

Stern, David M.  “Duffless.”  The Simpsons.  Dir. Jim Reardon.  FOX.  18 Feb. 1993.

Vitti, Jon.  “Mr. Plow.”  The Simpsons.  Dir. Jim Reardon.  FOX.  19 Nov.  1992.