Children are fascinated with many things; from animals to toys, even many different types of television shows. After reading through a number of articles, one really caught my eye about a set of four animals, turtles actually. These turtles have been around since the early 1980's and were founded by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. While working in a seafood restaurant, these two men started drawing pictures of animals, some were turtles with superhuman powers.
Once published in 1984, the men wanted to maintain the presence of the turtles with a great store line. With this, they named these animals the Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles. With four turtles and a rat, the story line provokes the young mind by creating a story about four young turtles and a rat were exposed to radioactive waste (in New York City's sewers) which made them grow, walk on their back feet, speak, gain vast intelligence, and learn various martial arts. In addition, the rate that was also with the turtles at the time of the exposure also grew large and more intelligent. Also, since the rate was from a martial arts expert, he was able to train the turtles to learn more about the art of ninjitsu (Bisges, 2008).
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are mainly for children in grade school. Some of the antics include things such as 'kicking butt', eating pizza, and becoming shy around girls. Although the turtles have been around some 25 plus years, they are still popular in today's time. In addition to the original comic (1984) and movie (released in 1990), the turtles have been in a sequel (The Secret of the Ooze-1991). Even though the turtles have seen their fair share of the spotlight, people could not get enough. At one time, there were action figures and sets, home decor, cartoons, and also clothing, all representing the turtles and their adventures.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic example of good versus evil, were good always prevails. The turtles are subjected to a variety of adversaries and always end up on top. Through their adventures, the turtles are able to fight the evil clan people called "the foot" and their leader who they refer to as "Shredder" (Database, 2010). With all of this excitement, the turtles want nothing more than to protect each other, their mast sensei rat named "Splinter," and eat as much pizza as they can.
The article brings about more than just ninja fighting turtles. The more you read into the article, the more you can understand that these turtles are into protecting others against harm. They treat the rat as if he were family, and demonstrate courage to face their enemies and fears. I feel that the movies, cartoons, and comics help children to do just that; protect your family and face your own fears. With the assistance of Eastman and laird, the turtles come to life through various ways, including the big screen and the television screen.
As the turtles continue to dominate the sewers and any evil which passes by them, we are reminded that is is important to protect people, especially your family. Keep your friends close and depend only on those you trust. While doing so, be yourself and face your fears. It is easier to conquer your fears once you have faced the reality of what they are and how you can overcome them.
References:
Bisges, J. (2008). Turtle Power!: How Four Mutant Teenagers Nuked the Entertainment Industry. Journal of Popular Culture, 41(6), 918-933.
Database, T.I. (2010). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Retrieved November 1, 2010, from IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100758/
Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common culture: Reading and writing about American Popular Culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
