That's just brutal

One of my favorite series of Peanuts comics strips (which appears in the 1973-1974 edition of "The Complete Peanuts") revolves around the well-intentioned Linus arranging a testimonial dinner for Charlie Brown.  He does this on the notion that Charlie Brown has shown great dedication to his baseball team, and thus deserves a dinner to honor him and thank him.  This might be one of the cruelest stories that I've seen in Peanuts, at least so far as senseless conclusions go.  It didn't have to end the way that it did, but hey, Charlie Brown can't win! 


In spite of some zippy and derogatory comments by Lucy, the dinner plans go well at first.  With Peppermint Patty acting as the chairwoman of the invitation committee, everyone is soon on board with the dinner. They even arrange for Charlie Brown's favorite baseball player, Joe Shlabotnik ("last-round draft choice of the Green Grass League"), to attend the event.  With great pleasure, Peppermint Patty calls up Charlie Brown to tell him about the dinner plans.

So Charlie Brown is about as happy as we get to see him! Unfortunately, on the night of the party, Marcie of all people, stirs up trouble.  

What ensues is a train wreck of an evening for Charlie Brown.  Not only does he get no dinner, but it's confirmed that no one, not even Linus, has any faith in him.  Everyone goes their separate ways, not even bothering to consider the fact that even though Charlie Brown is a horrible baseball player, at least he cares and always tries his best.  They could have given him a dinner.  I felt that this series of strips was one of the most negative commentaries on Charlie Brown that I'd read (or rather, the most negative portrayal of the people that Charlie Brown has to live with)! The fact that the betrayal comes from the three characters who may respect Charlie Brown the most (though secretly for the most part) gives the story even more bite.  Indeed, normally vicious Lucy is floored to see the evening go up in smoke for Charlie Brown.  


I never get tired of reading Peanuts strips.  If you haven't read the above story, go look for it!  :)