If you thought that the Charlie Brown cartoons were solely entertainment, you thought wrong. There are some viewers that theorize the Peanuts gang symbolize a variety of mental disorders defined by American Psychiatric Association. Check out some of the theories below.
Linus: Schizophrenia
People with schizophrenia often times find it hard to separate what is real from what is not real, which is actually what Linus does in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Among his friends, Linus is the only one that truly believes the Great Pumpkin is real and gives out presents every Halloween.
Lucy: Psychopathy
Characterized partly by antisocial behavior, people with psychopathy appear normal, but often lack conscience leaving them little to no empathy for other people’s feelings. We see this time and time again as Lucy continuously tortures the rest of the kids in the group for her own amusement.
Schroeder: Passive–Aggressive
People who are passive-aggressive are described as being moody then suddenly withdrawn. They withhold their emotions and don’t effectively communicate their problems with others. This can most effectively be portrayed through Schroeder’s relationship with Lucy. Even though she has apparent feelings for him, he completely disregards her and sinks back into his play piano.
Sally: Learning Disability
While Sally may not have a personality disorder like other Peanuts members, it is pretty apparent that she does have a learning disability. Often times she doesn’t put forth much effort into assignments and continuously has trouble giving reports by mixing up words and sounds.
Pigpen: Obsessive-Compulsive
Commonly known as OCD, Pigpen can in some ways be described as a hoarder. Through Pigpen’s appearance and lack of hygiene it can be inferred that his home is just as messy. Perhaps he has a deeper issue that finding a bar of soap?
Charlie Brown: Depressive
Probably the most obvious of the Charlie Brown characters is the man himself. In the words of Lucy herself, Charlie can be described as “moody, self-centered and dull” which can directly be correlated to the description of depression (well maybe not exactly, but you get the point). Just like Charlie Brown, people with depressive order are usually described as pessimistic, self-critical, valueless and discouraged.