| Line 2: |
Line 2: |
| | | | |
| | == Characters == | | == Characters == |
| − | Calvin, a six-year old boy, was the star of the comic. Perpetually looking for and causing trouble, Calvin's destructive tendencies nonetheless stemmed less from a true "mean streak," and more from being too intelligent for his own age, as evinced by his large vocabulary in the comic. Calvin enjoyed an active imagination, setting a backdrop for the strip's frequently fanciful settings, in Calvin's own imagination. | + | '''Calvin''', a six-year old boy, was the star of the comic. Perpetually looking for and causing trouble, Calvin's destructive tendencies nonetheless stemmed less from a true "mean streak," and more from being too intelligent for his own age, as evinced by his large vocabulary in the comic. Calvin enjoyed an active imagination, setting a backdrop for the strip's frequently fanciful settings, in Calvin's own imagination. |
| | | | |
| − | Hobbes was - to the world at large - Calvin's stuffed tiger. To Calvin, Hobbes was a real, live tiger, domesticated and friendly, who was his lifelong companion and best (and possibly only) friend. When portrayed from an adult's perspective, Hobbes was always a stuffed animal; from Calvin's, a real tiger. He entered the strip in the very first comic, where Calvin describes to his father how he has "caught" a tiger with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. | + | '''Hobbes:''' Calvin's stuffed tiger and best friend. He was introduced in the first strip when Calvin caught him in a trap baited with a tuna sandwich. In the ''Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book,'' Watterson admitted he once thought it was important to explain how Calvin and Hobbes first met, but later regretted the decision. Later strips also contradict that origin story: in some instances, Hobbes recalls what Calvin was like as an infant, which is at odds with the story that Calvin caught him at age six. |
| | + | |
| | + | To Calvin, Hobbes was a real, live tiger, domesticated and friendly, who was his lifelong companion and best (and possibly only) friend. When portrayed from an adult's perspective, Hobbes was always a stuffed animal; from Calvin's, a real tiger. However, the strip is deliberately ambiguous about Hobbes's true nature - readers have debated over whether Hobbes is only "real" in Calvin's imagination, or if he is a changes from a real tiger to a stuffed one whenever anyone else is present.<ref>http://www.shelfari.com/groups/10643/discussions/2446/Hobbes-Stuffed-Animal-or-Real-Tiger-</ref>. Further complicating the issue is that Hobbes's movements have a tangible physical impact; every day, Hobbes lies in wait for Calvin and pounces on him when he returns from school, and Calvin receives cuts and bruises from these attacks. The two also have snowball fights and play sports together, which raises further question over whether Hobbes is real. |
| | + | |
| | + | '''Calvin's''' parents: never named, Calvin's parents frequently serve as Calvin's disciplinarians, although their roles expanded as the strip went on. |
| | + | |
| | + | '''Susie Derkins:''' Calvin's neighbor, principal enemy and possible love interest. Calvin teases and torments Susie. Calvin's club GROSS ('''G'''et '''R'''id '''O'''f '''S'''limy girl'''S''') was created specifically "to bug " Susie and Calvin and Hobbes, the club's sole two members, frequently hatch plans to soak her with water balloons and attack her with snowballs, among other plots. Susie often outsmarts Calvin and turns his plans against him. Hobbes frequently accuses Calvin of being in love with Susie, an accusation that Calvin vehemently denies. |
| | + | |
| | + | '''Miss Wormwood:''' Calvin's schoolteacher. Calvin is a very poor student, typically failing tests and creating mischief. Miss Wormwood is forced to punish Calvin frequently. |
| | + | |
| | + | '''Moe:''' a bully at Calvin's school, who frequently beats Calvin up, extorts his money and steals his toys. |
| | | | |
| | == Calvin's Personae == | | == Calvin's Personae == |