Day 5 - Popeye

One of my favorite cartoon characters is one of the most well-known and beloved characters in American history. He has grown with our culture and evolved through the years since his creation as a comic strip character. From paper beginnings to television endings, Popeye and his adored spinach have maintained an elevated position in our society and will continue to remain for decades to come.

Popeye was created by Elzie Crisler Segar as a character for his already popular comic strip Thimble Theatre. After quickly taking over the comic strip, Popeye made his way to the screen with a self-named animated series. His image as an American icon developed from there; Popeye starred in feature films, numerous advertisements, and was even portrayed by Robin Williams in a live-action film. His theme song is well-known, as are his fellow characters, most notably Olive Oyl, Bluto, and his four minature-me nephews.

The element of Popeye that has always fascinated me is the continuously available cans of spinach. The leafy vegetable is one most children despise to eat, and yet Popeye gives it supernatural appeal. When he eats it, he can instantly overcome any challenge with superhuman strength, speed, and knowledge. This definitely has an effect on children that have grown up watching Popeye and his crew; to see such a prominent figure achieving great things by eating spinach influences them to eat it in hopes of gaining the powers as well. This influence that Popeye has on viewers will remain strong as long as he continues to remain a famous American character.