Charlie Brown is still something more of a smart aleck than a whipping boy here, but it is an early example of Patty and Violet teaming up against the kid. Later on he loses this ability to reflect feelings of inadequacy back upon assailants.
Look at Patty's satisfied arms-crossing in the first panel. Man, that's some serious smug. Also in the first panel, that's quite a lot of detail on the background there.
An early example of one of Patty and Violet's favorite weapons - social snobbery, of the "you aren't good enough/cool enough for us" variety. Although it's never stated outright, I've always wondered if Violet comes from a higher social class than most of the other kids. Just a hunch, based on strips like these and other available evidence (all the "my dad is better than your dad" stuff, the way she sometimes lectures the other kids on proper dress, grooming, and manners, and that early 60s strip where Charlie Brown is dressed so formally for her birthday party).
ReplyDeleteI'd say her parents are fairly rich, not famous, and Patty's parents are definitely well off. While the Brown's are fairly poor, I believe the Van Pelts probably have a great job since they would have a business job ( read the comics were they moved away).
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