ESSAY 14

Chapter Analysis/Background

Jim Henson:

· In 1954, he graduated high school and started a career as a puppeteer.

· In 1959, Kermit the Frog was introduced to the world. He was made out of his mom’s old green coat and a halved ping-pong ball.

· Jim was involved in numerous television shows and movies, earning him several Emmy awards.

· He put a lot of emphasis on his appreciation for nature in many of his projects.

· His production company, Jim Henson Company, supported several environmental projects to promote ecological awareness after his death in 1990.

“I find that it’s very important for me to stop every now and then and get recharged and reinspired. The beauty of nature has always been one of the greatest inspirations in my life. I love to lie in an open field.” ---Jim Henson

Sesame Street:

· Joan G. Cooney, president of Children’s Television Workshop, proposed the idea for Sesame Street, a show geared for entertainment and education for children of various races, socioeconomic and environmental backgrounds. She stated that the show must “teach children how to think, not what to think” (12).

· The show had four goals: 1) symbolic representation; 2) cognitive processes; 3) the child and physical world around him; and 4) the social environment.

· The show airs in more than 140 countries.

· Jim Henson used anthropomorphization to make his ecological points on the show. He combines interactions with humans, animals, and monsters.

· Big, important lessons that were focused on in Sesame Street were differences, similarities, and acceptance.

Fraggle Rock:

· The first children’s television show designed for cable television.

· Consisted on 96 episodes between 1983-1987.

· It is a about a world of which humans are unaware; in which the “races” who inhabit it, like human beings, do not realize how interconnected and important they are to one another.

· The Races:

1. The Fraggles – creatures living in a cavern system. Share cavern with Doozers

2. The Doozers – devoted to the construction of crystalline structures, a food of the

Fraggles.

Interdependence: The Doozers provide food for the Fraggles via the construction work and the Fraggles by eating their buildings, open new space for new Doozer constructions; the very thing that sustains Doozer life.

3. The Gorgs – monsters that live just beyond the Fraggle’s cavern system. Have

declared themselves rulers of the universe. See Fraggles as pests and

hunt them unsuccessfully. Also grow radishes, another food source for

the Fraggles.

Interdependence: Like the Doozers, the Gorgs enter into a consumer/producer relationship with the Fraggles.

4. Marjory – the trash heap of the Gorgs, but is the Oracle of the Fraggles who often risk

their lives to hear her words.

Ecologists and Environmentalists – argue waste teaches us much about our culture, ways of life, and excess.

· Wanted to teach young viewers how to live not only with people different from themselves; but also, with the world including nature –an capitalistic/economical system with ecological interdependence.

· Good Example Episode 54: (Blanket of Snow, Blanket of Woe) – Marjory is frozen solid when the Fraggles fail to cover her during a hard freeze: care and caution on environmental impact.

Primary Characters: (The Fraggles)

a. Gobo – the leader and is an adventurous explorer

b. Red – Energetic Athlete

c. Boober – sees “death” and “laundry” as the two certainties

d. Mokey – the artist and philosopher

e. Wembley – very indecisive

Dark Crystal:

· 1982 fantasy film on the planet of three suns called Thra

· Dark Crystal is the name of the world consisting of 5 creatures:

1. The Urskeks – guardians of the crystal of truth which harnesses the forces of nature

for the benefit of all inhabitants of Thra.

2. The Mystics

3. The Skeskis

4. The Gelflings

5. The Pod People

· The Crystal splits and darkens during the great conjunction of the three suns. As a result, The Urskeks: - born from the crystal before it split and darkened, but now With the darkening of the crystal the Urskeks split into:

a. The Mystics – a gentle race who maintained the magic and wisdom of th Urskeks, but

could only use their magic in their home valley. Are environmentally

consciousness

b. The Skeskis – Evil pillagers of the world’s resources for their uses who kill the Gelflings

and Pod people to prolong their own lives. Are afraid of prophecy that

split crystal will heal therefore ending their reign

* 2 Primary Characters of the Gelflings, who do not know each other but respect nature and are supposed to fulfill the prophecy are:

a. Jen (male): Raised by the Mystics

b. Kira (female): Raised by the Pod People. Can speak with the animal

· Conflicts on the Dark Crystal between its ruling beings is based on political agenda of how the world’s resources should be used. The Dark Crystal deals with environmental issues seeing:

- Evil: as the use and depletion of resources, control and abuse of animals

- Good: as environmental harmony

Jim Henson’s Animal Show with Stinky and Jake:

· Most directly address issues of ecological literacy and environment

· Ran on the Fox network between 1994-1997 (after his death)

· Geared toward preschoolers to teach about animals

· Talk show format, devoted to environmental education

· The hosts, Stinky (a skunk) and Jake (a polar bear), as well as their guests were muppet animals

· Each episode is “themed around a common feature of the guests” (pg. 247)

Ex: Eating habit, Defense Mechanism, etc…

Ex: Cheetah and Gazelles were linked to predator/prey relationship

Ex: Crocodiles and Armadillos were linked by armor

Ex: Elephants and Hunting Dogs were linked by ways of keeping cool

Ex: Lions and Zebras were linked by habitat

· Viewers were asked to consider relationships, similarities and difference between animals so that they are not seen as “singular, anomalous organisms, but as relational, adaptable and evolving organisms.” (pg. 248)

“The Song of the Cloud Forest” from the Jim Henson Hour:

Goal: Teach about preserving environment and endangered species.

· Twenty-five minute skit set in the tropical rainforest

· Tells about Milton, last of the golden toads who knows soon his species will be extinct.

· He goes in search of a mate by using his mating call – sing a song.

· A female hears his song, but is caged by humans.

· The two golden toads, like Jen & Kira from the Dark Crystal are the last remaining hope for their species.

Conclusions:

· Jim Henson turned to ecology and ecological literacy in the development of educational and entertainment productions.

· There is a call to examine more of the Muppet texts: television shows, films, publications, commercials, museums and other products for the agenda of ecological literacy.