This is the first time the term "wishy-washy" has been used in Peanuts, and the first time it is used to describe Charlie Brown.
As a kid, I wondered what it was about the term that made it so bad to be that. I'd say it has less of a negative connotation now, which may be why the later decades of the strip stopped using it.
The girls' observations about Charlie Brown -- "Nobody hates him... Everybody likes him..." -- stand in sharp contrast to the general consensus about him later on. Plus, the glow around CB's face emphasizes his need for praise and affirmation.
ReplyDeleteWell I think it's not that everyone hates him, it's just that Charlie Brown exhibits selection bias. He liked compliments but they don't stick with him, while the slights and insults stay with him forever.
ReplyDeleteAdd Lucy into the mix, and it's not hard to see how the kid could develop a bit of a complex.