Schulz was possessed of dogged determination. Given his Scandinavian background, this isn't surprising. Even more so when one considers that he was an only child and his mother was emotionally neglectful most of the time. His father was aloof, a very good barber but nothing more. Schulz wasn't in the popular set in high school, although upon entering the Army during World War II, he found a certain acceptance and rose to the rank of sergeant.
Schulz was originally rejected by countless newspaper syndicates and even Disney, although later Disney did invite him to come in and test. By then, Schulz knew enough about the business to reject Disney's offer, sure he was going to be lost amid all the artists in Disney's stable. He got his big break at a relatively young age and, despite not having much legal or business counsel, worked out agreements that were as favorable tot he syndicates as they were to himself -- perhaps more so.
Schulz was awkward with women throughout his life, something I feel we had in common. He also had low self-esteem insofar as he believe other people perceived him, but he had a very strong faith in himself and his abilities. The dichotomy made it difficult for people to understand him, another thing we shared. He also said that comedy doesn't come out of happiness, that it comes from the absence of happiness. This is another commonality we shared.
Weirdly, Schulz was involved in an affair with a much younger woman when he was in his forties, despite the fact that he had five children with his wife and the world by the tail. They eventually broke up, and his marriage continued to falter. Then, he met yet another younger woman, this time a married younger woman. Amazingly, while this was going on, he got in touch with the woman who broke his heart as a younger man who, by this time, was a longtime married woman and mother, and tried to convince her to rekindle their romance, together with the first younger woman. He ended up with the younger married woman he met after the first younger woman broke it off with him. Confused?
There were two facets of his life that I found interesting. Anything that went on in his life made it into Peanuts, including his affairs, although he was subtle about it. If anyone had been paying attention, they might have been able to read between the lines and figure out what was going on.
He was incredibly influential in cartooning, paving the way for The Far Side, Calvin & Hobbes and For Better or Worse. He encouraged younger cartoonists while at the same time viewing them as rivals, despite the substantial market share he and his creation enjoyed.
The other interesting thing I found out was the origin of the name Snoopy. It comes from a Norwegian term of endearment, Snupi, that is mortally sick mother suggested as the name for their next dog. Perhaps that is why Schulz kept that name so near and dear to his heart, because it was the lone connection to the woman whose love and approval he sought for the majority of his life.
This is why I read backstories. More often than not, they're more interesting than the story the public knows.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
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