On the menu tonight is a steamy debate you’ll often come across on various platforms; but whether you hold an opinion in the affirmative or you choose to go against it, we can all agree that this cartoon was a huge part of our childhood.
Tom and Jerry is a beloved children and adult’s cartoon, in which a cat and a mouse engage in chasing and pranking to hurt the other one. Harmless? I don’t think so. Read on further to find out why.
It may seem like Tom is the one who should be punished; he’s the classic villain. The big, powerful bully who uses his might to try and capture the innocent little rodent but gets caught up in karma. The small victim slips through his grasp every time, and oh, because he’s so adorable with those eyelashes and doe eyes, we find ourselves sympathizing with him.
Now exchange the words victim and villain and you’ll find yourself standing where I’m right now. The real victim of this Warner Bros series is without a doubt, the big mean grey tomcat.
The cause of the dispute between the two animals is always Jerry and his disrupting nature. It is always Jerry who pokes Tom first, while the poor cat is napping or enjoying some leisure time.
There is hardly an episode where Tom’s the instigator and when he is, he always has a valid reason. Some might say Tom’s always chasing Jerry around. That’s because the poor guy is just doing his job. He’s keeping the house clean of pests and being loyal to his owner.
Jerry’s antics are just for the thrill of them. He doesn’t need to steal, as he has a fully stocked freezer inside his hole. Yet, he gobbles everything in Mammy’s fridge, plus Tom’s food because he loves the adventure. This instigates Tom to chase him and suddenly, it’s a predator-prey relationship.
Big size? Yes. Big brain? No. Poor Tom, the predator is always the victim of Jerry’s manipulation, gas lighting, mutilation and explosions. Jerry is way smarter, with always a new trick up his sleeve to hurt Tom as much as he can. That’s why he always has the upper hand.
Jerry even sabotages Tom’s romantic evenings with his date, usually a sleek white cat. Jerry is a pest who cannot bear Tom having a quiet peaceful time.
Some people say Jerry always takes care of Nibbles and the chick. Perhaps they haven’t seen or simply ignored the countless times Tom cares for the Tyke, the guard dog Spike’s puppy, washes him, feeds him and plays with him. They may also have overlooked the fact that Tom is always the first one to make up after a fight.
Tom is not only a victim to Jerry’s antics, but Mammy Two Shoes also treats him like trash. She punishes Tom for everything Jerry does and still Tom defends Jerry by letting him stay.
She even throws Tom out in the cold whenever he messes up, and we can see him shivering in the dark, while Jerry gloats inside.
Lastly, Tom is too soft-hearted for Jerry. Multiple times we’ve seen Tom depressed when Jerry leaves or they have a fight. In one episode, Jerry leaves the town and Tom becomes depressed to the point that he tries to kill himself by sitting on the train tracks. Because Tom loves Jerry. And he never wants to capture Jerry, instead just pretends to chase him, so Mammy Two Shoes doesn’t replace him with another cat who would actually do his job.
At the end, it is important to not form assumptions on the basis of size and skills. Naturally, we always blamed Tom because according to the natural cycle of a predator-prey relationship, he’s always the one to be the villain. However, Jerry’s brains often get the best of Tom. But that is just media; twisting the villain-victim game into mass confusion about who’s the attacker and who’s in the self-defense, cough, Israel.
Even so, Tom and Jerry are the best of friends, and live off annoying each other. They have a relationship my parents have, always fighting but cannot live without each other.