Jadalyn's Thoughts

     Being that Gerald is the only Black character, there is pressure to make him an example of what most people think the entire Black community is. I think to make Gerald’s character better the writers should expand on his personality. They should make him more than just the token friend and cool kid; I’d like to see more of his academic interests for instance. In addition, it would also be a great idea to make Gerald a bit less hostile and selfish. That is yet again another stereotype against the Black community. As an African American myself, when I see Black characters on the screen, I like to see their flaws, passions, values, goals, and quirks. Not only does it make a character more enjoyable but it provides an accurate representation of Black people. Though we share very similar experiences, we are all different, and that should be exemplified. If these changes were to happen, Gerald would not be such a flat character. 

  Hi y'all. As a practice post, I'll just be introducing myself and welcoming y'all. My name is Jadalyn, and I look forward to writing on here and interacting with everyone!

     In the 90s cartoon Hey Arnold! , there are all sorts of characters that many people adore. For those who aren't familiar with the classic, Hey Arnold! surrounds the daily life of a kid named Arnold and his neighborhood friends. In this show, I personally enjoy the character Gerald, although I would like him better if he weren’t a positive stereotype. I believe television shows and films usually have some sort of positive stereotype in order to make the character(s) in the show or movie more digestible to audiences. Gerald is a black kid and the best friend of the protagonist Arnold. He often is left to over-exemplify Black culture, and that leads to his main character trait being Black (check out this video of Gerald's ideas for the name of a community  party ) . Gerald has no other character depth besides him being a so-called cool black kid. Gerald is a good character because he is a great friend to Arnold and other characters, but he’s loved by many of his f...