Am I Jaded? Are Unexpected Literary References Everywhere?
I love cartoons. I love books. I love when these two vices come together. Since June 2010, when I noticed a Shirley Jackson nod in an episode of South Park, I’ve become sensitive to other literary references in pop-culture, specifically cartoons. These past few months have been strong for my Unexpected Literary References series. South Park, American Dad, Looney Tunes, Conan O’Brien, and The Simpsons all delivered.
But what makes this blog post worthy is a comment on a recent-ish blog post (about Neil Gaiman’s appearance on The Simpsons):
“why are they ‘unexpected’? Especially in the programs you tend to feature (especially in the Looney Toons!–not to mention Hannah and Barbara stuff, not that you’ve mention that, yet) it is actually quite expected and part of the draw of the programs.”
What do you think? Am I jaded? Are references to literature in pop culture more common than I give credit for? I’m seriously considering writing a book about the intersection of popular culture with “hi-culture” specifically in regards to cartoons and literature. Help me. Guide me.
yes.
Write the book I mean. Hard to say if you are jaded. I may be too but then I may also be an elitist. I remember freaking out when I saw a Google+ ad that briefly featured a circle labeled “the mad ones” a Kerouac reference. I think for me the shocking thing is not that they occur but maybe how quickly. A favorite show of mine is Futurama which is always packed with references but often they are extremely fleeting.
[…] Spy Who Learned Me” is the twentieth episode of season 23, and contains yet another reference to the closing of all Borders Bookstores. It originally aired on May 6, 2012. Here, we have a quick zoom-out from a bird to a wide shot of a […]