Analysis Of Data:

Male gender is always dominating the cartoons and the whole society since the history of mankind. We researched with the help of our questionnaire to find out the dominant gender in most of the cartoon characters. Around 99 percent of population including male and female believed that male gender is dominant in cartoons. Our detailed analysis of selected cartoons (Johnny Bravo, Justice League, Aladdin, Scooby Doo and Simpsons) has also made this point of view very clear. When we interviewed a sociologist Prof Hafeez, (Head of Sociology Department, Punjab University, Lahore), he agreed that male is dominating the cartoons but some revolutions of feminism also influenced cartoons and in some cartoons female are shown dominant. Furthermore Carter in 1992 has reported in a research, “Children’s television has always been male dominated” this fact got further authenticity when we interviewed Mr. Javaid Iqbal, the leading cartoonist of Pakistan, he also told us that male gender is the most dominant in cartoons, males are shown strong in cartoons and other media as well while females are shown independent on males. Then we talk about newspaper comical cartoons while interviewing Vicky Zhuang Yi - Yin (cartoon analyst and fan) she said “while reading newspaper they (adult people) would like to have entertainment section where they talk about what is going on in world in a comical way”.
Children are always considered the most innocent being in the world and their thoughts, emotions and expressions are far more different and unrealistic than a youngster. Hence they are more volatile to the language and use of gender and power in cartoons. Children idealize many characters due to different reasons like action, fantasy, humor and supernatural powers in cartoons. More than 80 percent people in our sample agreed that children idealize cartoons. Mr. Javaid Iqbal credited the hard work of English cartoon makers. He told us the hectic process how to make a number of frames of cartoons. He declared that the hardworking and the excellent conceptual English animated cartoons make children to idealize the characters. While Prof Hafeez agreed that the power and fantasy, which has been shown in cartoons, is the reason that why children idealize cartoons. When we interviewed a 13 year old boy he told us that he like the action characters and the super natural powers of the characters. He told that BeyBlade is his favorite cartoons and he bought more than 100 BeyBlades (a kind of spinning machine or toy) and he used to arrange competition with his friends and brother in which one have to defeat other’s BeyBlade. He also showed us his collection of BeyBlades. From this example we can see how much children idealize cartoons. We have also seen and observed that the sales of many stores including Toy Shop have been increased after the Cartoon Network launched the series of Pokemon and BeyBlade etc. 90 percent of the people who went through the questionnaire activity have shown a clear interest towards watching the cartoons in the English language, and the remaining like other languages. As English is an international language which is spoken and understood in majority nations of the world that leads the animation and creation of cartoons in English. With contrast to other countries, English language is considered as a status symbol (especially in Pakistan). This can also be a dominant factor that most of people prefer watching cartoons in English language. Another fact which is notable and probably a very dominant reason is the lack of availability of quality cartoons in other languages. When it came to the question regarding the cartoons targeting a specific age group of Children, response was quiet obvious and the majority agreed to the fact that the cartoons target a particular age group that is for sure children or the fellows of a particular age group but there were small ratios of the opinion who strongly agreed or strongly disagreed to the fact. e.g. Aladdin focuses on the age group of 5-12 because in that age children are mostly attracted towards magic and all the fantasy stuff while on the other hand Justice League focuses the age group of 19-27 in which person is growing up and this is the time when he is motivated towards some aspect by inspiration (inspiration of hardworking and commitment) from a superhero like Superman. While Johnny Bravo could target the age group of 13-18 as it contains flirt and humor as well. We can see the same thing in Simpsons which targets the age group of 27 and above because it focuses on the everyday life issues in the family, you can say it is for mature people of the society. Male cartoon characters have a strong voice pitch while female cartoon characters have a weak language. The male cartoon characters have supportive and meaningful arguments. But a sense of lack of confidence depicts from the language of female cartoon characters. Female cartoon characters are very soft spoken and use their language with utmost care. The weak language used by female cartoon characters more likely resembles to the assumptions of Robin Lakoff's theory in her book "Language and Women's Place". She claims that she has made use of media and has seen that women's language is weak. A strong and aggressive language used by male cartoon characters creates an image that males are dominant over females. The women always ask more questions and use such sentence which includes question rather than statement. Some of the researchers such as O’Barr and Atkins (1980) also believe that women have a powerless language and it is not only the case with females but males who do not have power also have the same language. We know that cartoons mostly target a specific age group ranging from 2 to 18. Children are the most important viewers of cartoons. We know that any image that stereotypes created in the young minds of children is permanent and long lasting. Such an image created in the minds of children cannot be eradicated and removed easily. Stereotypes promoted in cartoons show male characters as powerful, strong, and aggressive as well. Previous researchers such as (Merskin, 2002, Strenglenz & Serbin , 1974, Thomson and Zerbinos1995, 1997) are also of this point of view that cartoon world is a male world. They are also shown as solution maker to all the problems while female characters are projected as weak, delicate and trouble maker. All male characters are shown holding good positions while females performing the traditional roles. Majority of the population agreed that cartoons are perpetuating gender stereotypes. Research has indicated that male characters always represent policemen, doctors, and scientist. On the other hand females are projected doing house hold chores and they held inferior position like nurses, receptionist etc. Females are portrayed as weak and foolish. A research at APA has reveled this and according to Dr. Spicher and Dr. Hudak “These findings are disappointingly consistent with past research showing that the portrayal of gender roles on television in general, has been stereotypic, and that female characters have remained under-represented". Children after watching cartoons expects themselves to pass their life as depicted in the cartoons. They think that males and females are entirely different from each other. Attitude of children changes in result of it. Children try to take the stereotypes within their minds as they grow further. Male children prefer to play with their male friends while female children keep themselves with their female friends. There is also a possibility that children may take cartoons as role model for their own gender. Dr. Hudak further elaborates on this point of view and adds that Cartoons are depicting significant differences in the status, behavior, and capabilities of female and male characters. Furthermore he says, cartoons tell cultural stories that can't help but inform young children about who they are to become and their possible future. This further creates a gap between two sexes producing a lot of more stereotypes. This also gives birth to misunderstandings among the minds of children as said by Deborah Tannen in her book 'You Just Don't Understand'. Male dominance shown in cartoons in the form of strength, power, smartness, and ability creates a negative effect in female minds. This sometimes also leads to inferiority complex in females. A sense of inferiority complex further affects the future lives of female children. They always consider themselves weak and inferior to men. It also effects their future education where they think that they cannot compete with males. The same also happens in the job market as well. A sense of male dominancy in males also creates a lot of other problems as well. It can cause violence against women including emotional and physical violence. Gender stereotypes are also a source of strengthening and exercising power. Power is an ability to bring about a change. Mr. Javed Iqbal (Cartoonist) has also said that male cartoon characters usually depict as having more power. Majority of our questionnaire analysis have concluded that people consider the notion that power is exercised through cartoons as neutral while 40 % people agreed with this question. So cartoons must show a clear picture and should teach good lessons, as their minds are growing and they will do what they will see. Most of the cartoons show the stereotypical nature of the society. They show violent fighting scenes and ways of taking revenge from others. These types of cartoons produce violence among children. There are many examples of such cartoons. Cartoons characters such as Slapstick (Road Runner and Tom & Jerry) are an example of this. These cartoons show the negative side of the picture which can have very bad and everlasting effects on children. Mostly, these violent scenes are promoted in ‘Action’ cartoons. We gathered data (From Questionnaires) about the type of Cartoons, people of all age like. Just 15 % people said that they watch Action cartoons. So, no matter action cartoons promote more violence than the cartoons from other categories, a small number of people watch these types of cartoons. We also see from our questionnaire that most of the children get violent behavior by watching cartoons, as 50 % of the people suggest that children get violent after watching cartoons. Prof. Hafeez and Head Mistress of the Divisional public School Mrs. Abida also suggested that lessons which are conveyed from cartoons should give a true picture, and indeed a good lesson. So, this is another reason why a good lesson from cartoon is very necessary.
We also see that, cartoonist give a good lesson from their political caricatures. We have seen from our analysis that 27.5% of the people watch political or criticism cartoons. So more than one-forth people get good lessons from these political or criticism cartoons, and political workers can change their bad behavior and evil thinking about their country and general public. This, same thing, is also told by famous cartoonist Jawed Iqbal. He suggests that cartoons are the best way to give a good lesson, (especially to the rulers of the country) with funny caricatures and without humiliating ones’ self respect.
Like we know that every cartoon has some story in it and sometime this story reflects the society’s views about the certain topic, and the same thing is proven by our research questionnaire (public opinion). We asked people that ‘Are cartoons just for entertainment or they have some good message in them? A total of 62% people agreed on our statement. E.g. In almost every cartoon hero is shown as the most hardworking and committed person. And he got victory only because of his hard work. People don’t just get entertained by them; rather they get useful lessons from them. As we have seen that children idealize their cartoons, so they get convinced from their heroes and use these lessons in their daily life. From our questionnaire, we see that about 33% people suggest and strongly agree with our statement that children idealize cartoons and about 63% people agree with our statement. So, overall, about 93% people suggest that children do idealize cartoons. This fact is also proved by Headmistress of Junior wing in Divisional public school. She suggests that not only children idealize cartoons; rather they adopt those actions and feelings in their life. She gave an example that after watching superman, every child thinks that he can fly in the sky and can help others. So, she gave more importance that children’s mind change quickly and hence, messages conveyed by cartoons should be carefully checked, otherwise there may be problems for parents and teachers to direct their children in the right path. According to (Roberts, Foehr, Rideout, & Brodie, 1999) children watch cartoons 2 hr 46 min/day to 3.25 hr/day day for television and videotapes combined ("Studies Find," 1999). Wright et al. (2001) tells that children from the age 3 to 12 years watch the television for an average of 657 minutes which is almost 10.95 hours per week in which television viewing was the primary focus, not an accompaniment to another activity such as eating; the older children watched significantly more television than the youngest children. A Department of Education report indicated that, in 2000, 75% of fourth-grade students watched television 2 hr or more per day: 18% of children watched 6 hr or more per day (Donahue, Finnegan, Lutkus, Allen, & Campbell, 2001). Parents, behavioral scientists, and public officials have voiced concern regarding the potential effects of so much television programming on children. From this given data we can see how much cartoons can affect the minds and heart of young children