Is Tom Misunderstood?

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:15 am

For literally decades, millions of viewers cheered on Jerry as he absolutely destroys Tom.

However, in retrospect I believe it’s a mistake. In fact, we should side with Tom. 98 percent of the time Tom is the good guy and Jerry is the bad guy. I mean consider:

1. In most episodes, Tom is resting rightfully in his house until he is outright attacked/provoked by Jerry. Jerry is really an invader.
2. Tom wanting to kill Jerry isn’t his fault, it’s just his nature. He’s a cat. He doesn’t deserve to be battered, humiliated, destroyed for it.
3. Jerry is downright obnoxious

What do you think NS?

Did history get it wrong? Is Tom in fact the party we should support?

My opinion? Yes. I skip most of the episodes unless it’s a rare episode where Tom wins.

by **Myfanwyski** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:03 am

small beer in comparison to that Tweetie Pie and it's manipulation, humiliation and victimisation of the Puddy Tat.

by **Cannot think of a name** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:29 am

This is the joke behind Itchy & Scratchy.

by **Gurori** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:32 am

My mind has been blown

by **Dreshand** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:36 am

Tom is basically a homeowner defending his house from a reoccurring robber

by **Ausinia** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:36 am

I shall now pay my respects. I have seen the truth now

*pays respects*

by **Valentine Z** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:39 am

There was one episode where Tom was just sleeping quietly, peacefully... then Jerry dropped a vase near him and have the housowner threw him out.

Jerry is an asshole half the time, but there are also times when Tom was a huge bully. So... give and take.

by **Greate Boston** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:39 am

I must admit I never found the point in cheering for Jerry. I see what you mean here.

Please don't make this thread into a power fantasy too, IM

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:57 am

Dreshand wrote:Tom is basically a homeowner defending his house from a reoccurring robber

It seems like Tom just wants to live peacefully, be loved by his owners, and live the good life.

But he keeps getting picked on.

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:32 am

Poll shall be added

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:35 am

Myfanwyski wrote:small beer in comparison to that Tweetie Pie and it's manipulation, humiliation and victimisation of the Puddy Tat.

It’s that bad?

by **Lillorainen** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:36 am

"My eyes are opened now!" ... what's wrong with you folks? I've already sided with Tom when I was three years old.

by **Walshatte** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:41 am

"..what's wrong with you folks? I've already sided with Tom when I was three years old."

Same here, man. Same here.

By the way, just in case anyone's interested, my associate is selling a few Black Rock Wheels. If anyone's interested, feel free to PM me.

by **Belorus Republic** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:43 am

As a kid, one of the only western cartoons that I watched was Tom & Jerry (probably because it didn't have speech so it was easier to understand).

I don't know about the others here, but I always had a silent wish that Tom would come out as the smartest in one of the episodes, and I think that there was actually a peaceful ending to a couple of them.

The design of the cartoon itself tries to make Jerry the underdog that always finds a way to succeed, but in the process just switches the label to Tom, who rarely 'wins' at the end of the episode.

Overall, I have mostly pleasant recollections of the show so I guess that this must have been the intended effect, at least for pro-Tom viewers.

by **Stiltball** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:45 am

an endless tirade of catism by animators and the grandest insult is this obsession with the vapid Mickey Mouse who usurped Oswald the lucky Rabbit.

by **Zitravgrad** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:52 am

Well, in my childhood impression, sometimes Tom came off as rather brutal in his methods. But overall, I just saw them as rivals on equal moral ground. These days, I am more inclined to support Tom because it appears to me that not only Jerry, but also other things are pretty much against him for no reason. (Like when there are new one-shot characters who cause trouble, they only cause it to the poor cat.)

by **Third Asopia** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:56 am

I agree with the OP. Since I was a kid I was interested in cartoons. But one particular cartoon that was liked by many didn't, erm, suit me. That's Tom and Jerry. Usually Jerry and Tom are the main protagonists. However, why does Tom keep on failing. It's Jerry that is annoying him. He's like an equivalent of Mickey Mouse. Jerry shouldn't be a busybody minding others' businesses. In fact, he should be punished. I just don't see how Tom doesn't manage to outsmart Jerry.
And yes. Thus is just an example of how one side always wins. It's unfair. The producers ought to make Tom look like he ain't stupid. This idea of one-sided superiority is like so damn popular. Cmon. You've gotta change. Well, unless a member part of making Tom and Jerry has a NS account, it's hard to see any improvement.

by **Nanatsu no Tsuki** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:03 am

Just a cartoon where the cat and mouse dynamic is made funny.

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:16 am

Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:Just a cartoon where the cat and mouse dynamic is made funny.

It’s borderline animal abuse promotion

I still side with Tom though if I pick

by **Nanatsu no Tsuki** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:27 am

Infected Mushroom wrote:
Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:Just a cartoon where the cat and mouse dynamic is made funny.

It’s borderline animal abuse promotion

I still side with Tom though if I pick

Fungus, it's just a cartoon. I'm going to assume you think The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote show is animal abuse too. Have you considered not, I don't know, siding with any of the characters and enjoy the animation?

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:31 am

Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:
Infected Mushroom wrote:
It’s borderline animal abuse promotion

I still side with Tom though if I pick

Fungus, it's just a cartoon. I'm going to assume you think The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote show is animal abuse too. Have you considered not, I don't know, siding with any of the characters and enjoy the animation?

I feel a kinship with Tom

Bad things just happen to him for no reason and he can’t prevail; and everyone cheers on his destruction

by **Caracasus** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:34 am

Tom and Jerry are both victims of an oppressive class system that places humans as superior and pits the two against each other so that they won't team up and take over the house, clearly.

by **Nanatsu no Tsuki** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:37 am

Infected Mushroom wrote:
Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:
Fungus, it's just a cartoon. I'm going to assume you think The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote show is animal abuse too. Have you considered not, I don't know, siding with any of the characters and enjoy the animation?

I feel a kinship with Tom

Bad things just happen to him for no reason and he can’t prevail; and everyone cheers on his destruction

Ok. Feel kinship with Tom. It's still just a cartoon. *shrug*

by **Infected Mushroom** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:06 am

Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:
Infected Mushroom wrote:
I feel a kinship with Tom

Bad things just happen to him for no reason and he can’t prevail; and everyone cheers on his destruction

Ok. Feel kinship with Tom. It's still just a cartoon. *shrug*

It’s make me feel very sad whenever Tom loses

I get very emotional

by **Nanatsu no Tsuki** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:08 am

Infected Mushroom wrote:
Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:
Ok. Feel kinship with Tom. It's still just a cartoon. *shrug*

It’s make me feel very sad whenever Tom loses

I get very emotional

Ok? The cat doesn't always gets the mouse, you know.

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