Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15291/sic/2.15.lc.8
The Absurdist Trope in Chase Cartoons: A Case Study of Tom and Jerry in Comparison to Silent Films
Atreyee Sinha
; National Institution of Technology Mizoram, India
Abstract
This paper examines the absurdist trope in chase cartoons, focusing on Tom and Jerry and its parallels to the chase sequences in silent films. Absurdism, often defined by the breakdown of logic and the embrace of the irrational, is a key element in both media, shaping their comedic appeal. By analyzing the episodes of Tom and Jerry alongside iconic silent films, this research explores how physical comedy and surreal exaggeration are used to evoke laughter. The study draws on absurdist theory to argue that Tom and Jerry amplifies the absurdist tradition established in silent films, using the limitless possibilities of animation to exaggerate violence, physicality, and illogical outcomes far beyond the constraints of live-action cinema. The paper also highlights how both forms of visual media use repetitive cycles of pursuit and escape to create a sense of futility, reinforcing the absurdity of their scenarios. A deductive, comparative, analytical, and objective method has been used in this research, which illuminates the shared lineage and distinct innovations of absurdist humor in early and mid-twentieth-century entertainment.
Keywords
existentialism, alienation, silent films, Sisyphus, theatre of absurd, chase cartoons, Tom and Jerry
Hrčak ID:
335100
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2025.
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