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Greg’s idealism shines as he accepts this offer in spite of Wirt’s growing disdain for him. Greg’s character is tested when he is encountered with an opportunity to get his brother home that would cost him his own life. The stark contrast between Greg and Wirt resounds greatly with our diverging desire to either be hopeful or to loath optimistic people when we ourselves do not experience hope in order to remedy the cold, emptiness we feel. Wirt rejects such positivity as disconnected from reality, and instead he actually grows to detest Greg’s hopefulness over the course of the story, convinced that Greg’s undeterred bliss is based in ignorance of the threatening woods that surrounded them. In the iconic school house scene when the brothers encounter a bunch of sad students, Greg’s optimism shines as he encourages the students to sweeten their otherwise bland meal of potatoes with the molasses hiding right under their noses. As they seem to travel, in Wirt’s words, “further and further from where I want to be, who I want to be” despite their deep desire to return home, Greg’s optimism remains unbroken.
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This constant opposition causes Wirt’s determination to wane greatly. Episode after episode, they encounter new obstacles that deter them from their end goal of finding their way home. Throughout the story, Wirt, the pensive, elder brother, is trying to guide his ever-happy-go-lucky brother, Greg, home, even though Wirt does not know the way himself. This theme is carried out through the plot of the story and is completely embodied by the younger brother, Greg.
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#Over the garden wall series
However, despite its dark setting, the most striking theme of the series is hope. Many OTGW fanatics even theorize that this children’s cartoon is a modern retelling of Dante’s Inferno (an observation that has not yet been debunked by creator Patrick Hale). Over the Garden Wall yields a bounty of compelling themes through crafting symbols out of the setting, dialogue, and characters. If you are reading this thinking, What is this? I’ve never heard of this awfully obscure cartoon, then I would encourage you to watch the show before reading another word! Filled with autumn’s leaves, colorful characters, entrancing melodies, and a Grimms’ Fairytale-like setting, it’s impossible not to get swept up with wondering if brothers, Wirt and Greg, will ever find their way back home. It’s just about that time of year when the leaves are changing, sweater weather is approaching, pumpkin spice lattes are brewing, and for me, the time to watch Over the Garden Wall has come again.Ĭartoon Network’s first animated mini-series, Over The Garden Wall, available on Hulu, tells the tale of two brothers lost in the woods.