• • • Bart Simpson and I !

Bartholomew JoJo Simpson or simply Bart Simpson to me is a dream character. He's someone that I'd gladly be as a ten years old, as you'd hardly find a kid as smart and wise as him at that age. I not only admire, but envy his guts and wish that I was at least half as cranky as him.

Bart is a character that I can personally identify with, or rather would want to identify with, in ways more than one. He, in my view, is by far the most misunderstood Simpson, and sometimes I feel so am I. He's constantly at loggerheads with the narrow mentality of the people around him. In many ways, I'm also stuck in a similar situation. I, like Bart, am also pained when people judge you on criteria that you don't even acknowledge. Bart's ingeniousness cannot be judged by the grades that he get in school, but yet the conventional wisdom would right him off just for the D-'s and F's that he gets.

Bart Simpson is actually someone that every boy would want to be like. He's opinionated, he's gutsy, he's straight forward, he's a risk taker and he would go lengths to achieve what he has put his mind to. He's rebellious and he challenges authority, something all great revolutionaries of the history have done. One may disagree with his philosophy of existence without purpose, but he does deserve the brownie points to actually have a philosophy. He may not be a 'smart' in conventional meaning of the word but then can you really blame him? I mean he's Homer's son after all, and had no control over who's gene dominated his DNA.

Another attribute of his that is admirable is his steadfast adherence to his ideal, Krusty the Clown. Now how many of us would be willing to idealise and help someone despite their repeated disinterest in you?

I have no hesitation in accepting that I have been taken over by Bartmania, only shame is that I can't really attempt on becoming any of what Bart stands for. I am sure many people, especially parents, would disagree with me and my answer to them would be, 'eat my shorts' ;) !


Photo courtesy: foxflash.com