The Smurfs

Plot Summary for The Smurfs:
The show is about these small blue 'people' called Smurfs. The Smurfs are very friendly, and most of them are named after the thing that they do the best, for example the one smurf who thinks he knows all is Brainy Smurf. But the Smurfs do have to worry about something, or someone. That someone is Gargamel, the cunning and two-faced wizard, and all the things he sends after them. He at first made Smurfette to lure the other Smurfs to him. But that ended up backfiring on him. But most of the show is about the problems that might arise in the village or how Gargamel is trying some new plan to get the Smurfs.

Show Information:
Seasons run/running- Unknown number of seasons, but no fewer then 256 episodes were produced (in 1981 NBC had the T.V. series produced)
Episode length- Unknown
Animation/Live- Animation
Type- Cartoon, Family, Comedy

Situation of Discourse:
Author-
1. Implied: Well, I would have to say the Smurfs, for each episode it seems like a different smurf is telling the story. So it is more a story of their lives, and how they are getting over the many changes or difficulties that might arise.
2. Assumptions: I would have to say that I think the real author(s) are really smart to think of this idea. But trying to think of how they came up with this idea, I have no clue. I think that it has a lot to deal with a big family and how that family might be dealing with the problems that arise. So this could/might be based off of a family of one of the authors and all that the family and their crazy uncles and such deal with life as it comes at them.
3. Names: Hanna & Barbera (made the T.V. series), but the real and first creater was Pierre Culliford-better known as Peyo
Audience-
1. Implied: A group of young Smurfs, I think might be what the implied audience consists of. For I feel that this show has a feel about it that has to deal with the older and wiser grandfather telling the young about all that went on in his life, also about all the stories that he might have heard over the years. But it could also be aimed for a younger adult group of people to watch, this for the same reasons I feel that it might be aimed for young Smurfs.
2. Goals/Influence: I think that this show message/goal is just to have a moral, or just to be laughed at. I don’t know if it is really trying to convey some deep message, but to been seen as fun. This makes me feel that the intentions are more of those of a lighter, maybe you will get what we are saying, but it does not matter if you don’t for it is funny anyway, kind of meanings to the show.
3. Actual: I think that the actual audience is that of a pre-teen to young adult group of people. The show is a cartoon, and is funny, but some of what happens in the show seems to have an older feel about it.
4. Include Self: YES!!! I do have to say, that when I was little I loved to sit down on Saturday mornings and watch The Smurfs. Though I had never thought as in-depth as I am know about the show. But at times I really wanted to be like Smurfette and have all the guys wanting to gain my attention. But being more like Sassette, the tomboy girl smurf made to keep Smurfette company, it was hard. I could only really connect with all the boys as a jock, or more over a tomboy.

Characters:
Smurfette- The only female smurf (other then Sassette who was created to keep Smurfette company, but the two are really nothing alike)
All the other male Smurfs- They all shower Smurfette with gifts and flowers, trying to win her attentation

Main Courtship “Sighting”:
Smurfette and all of her Admirers

My Views on the “Sighting”:
Smurfette and all of her guys, well that is something that anyone could write a very long paper about. All of the male smurfs are trying for the attention of Smurfette, I don’t know if just to be in her company or to be with her. Most of the male smurfs bring her gifts from the different traits that they might have, such as, Cook Smurf who bakes her food. But the show always keeps the watcher wondering about who she is going to end up with. I know that from when I was little, I was always wondering about who Smurfette was going to choose, trying to find her ‘perfect’ match. Through out the show, you have the male smurfs vying for the attention of Smurfette. This leads me to think about the many different views or concepts of courtship that are played upon in the show. This makes it have a very strong point about her dating habits, but never once is she called anything rude.

I Would Also Like to Add:
I would also like to add that even if Smurfette did test all of her options of all the male Smurfs that were available to her, she was trying to find that right one. The idea of a one to one coupling, to find that guy that will last a life time. But even within her search she creates, or has created for her, a love triangle. This triangle consists of the three males that she always seems to go back to; these smurfs are Handy, Brainy, and Hefty. Each had their own good points and bad, but never does she pick one out over another. From this, I think that I have always looked for those kinds of guys to date; I understand how strange that sounds. But when I was little, I watched this show like no other, and I always wanted to be like Smurfette. To have three guys hanging over her, a brain, a jock and a handyman. But those are also standards that are held by many women and males all over the place.

Main References:
http://www.schtroumpf.com/site/index.html