There are many characters within television that I have been able to relate to. I relate to Rick Sanchez, from "Rick and Morty", because he too struggles with finding meaning in life and responds to the universe's indifference toward existence through gleeful nihilism (I know that sounds kind of dark, but it leads to great sources for comedy). I relate to Aang from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" because he is a person, like me, who feels overwhelmed by the responsibilities that are thrust upon him at an early age.
However, the television character that I have come to relate to the most is Lisa Simpson from "The Simpsons." Lisa holds a special place in my heart for several reasons. The two qualities that appeal to me the most, however, are her intellectualism and her individuality.
Lisa is an extremely smart and talented character. She loves to read classic literature, she loves math and science, and she is a great saxophone player. She is very free spirited and independent. She expresses these talents proudly and wishes to pass on some of this knowledge to her friends and family. This, however, alienates her from many of peers and her family. This is reflected perfectly in one of my favorite episodes of the show; the ninth episode of season 12, entitled "HOMR".
The episode features her father, Homer, who has become super intelligent after he has a crayon removed from his brain. This results in a tighter bond between Lisa and her father, but Homer's increased intelligence leads to alienation, and in some cases outright hostility, by his peers. Lisa even admits to him that she understands his pain and even shows him a graph she made that shows how increased intelligence leads to decreased happiness. Homer eventually decides that he can't live with the loneliness brought on by intelligence and has the crayon reinserted. This makes Lisa sad, but she later reads a note Homer left for her, where he tells her how much more he appreciates her after knowing what it's like to be as intelligent as she is.
This is my favorite episode because it tells the disturbingly honest truth about intelligence and how it is openly discouraged by a society that demands a level of conformity. Intelligence is something that's not really rewarded that much in broader society (especially these days). If anyone dares to express intellectual understanding on a subject you get labeled as an "elite" and get alienated by those who don't understand or choose not to even attempt to understand. I relate to many of the experiences that Lisa goes through.
She is often viewed as a "smarty pants" by her fellow students. Her attempts to educate her parents about certain subjects are met with disinterest or stubborn denial, and yet she still refuses to give up her intelligence to make her life easier. There is a level of integrity and nobility within that decision that inspires me to emulate her choice. I refuse to accept ignorance on certain issues just to fit in with a large majority of people who meet these issues with either apathy or outright hostility. Lisa maintains her intellect in a world that does not socially reward it, because being intellectual is a reward in and of itself.
Lisa is also brave enough to express her beliefs as an individual, despite others attempting to convince her to conform. In the season 13 episode entitled "She of Little Faith" Lisa leaves the family's Christian Church because she believes it has been ruined due to Mr. Burns buying it and making it a venue for advertisements. She feels that the spirituality of the Church has been cheapened due to this and it no longer satisfies her spiritually. This causes her to search for a religion to call her own and she eventually finds it in Buddhism.
The predominantly Christian grown ups, mostly Marge, do not like this one bit and try to pressure her to return to the Christian Church through brides and gifts on Christmas. Her family's inability to accept her religion causes her to run away, but she returns when she learns that being a Buddhist includes respecting other religions through love and compassion; meaning she can still celebrate Christmas with her family, while remaining a Buddhist.
This scene holds a lot of importance with me because I live in a part of the United States that is predominately Christian. I know what it's like to have people pressure you into believing in something you don't (for those wondering, I view myself as an Agnostic).
I could only imagine what would happen if I told my family I was converting to Islam, Judaism, or if I said I was an Atheist. This, however, goes beyond things like religion and into other aspects of one's life. What would happen if you told your family other personal things, such as sexual orientation or gender identity. Things such as these are not as accepted in certain parts of the world.
I felt for Lisa when she ran away because all she wanted was to practice the faith that spiritually satisfied her in peace, but those around her were incapable of respecting that. Despite the pressure, Lisa held firm on her beliefs even when it created a divide between her and her mother. She found a way to honor her Christian obligation while maintaining her Buddhist beliefs. Lisa is a kid who does not fights for what she strongly believes in or feels is right and the fact that she does this as a child is one of her most important qualities.
Lisa's position as a child in the show is what really makes her endearing to audience members like me. A child can look at her and be inspired to gain intellectual understanding on subject matters. A child can learn that you should have the kind of faith you want and not what others pressure you into having.
She is the kind of character I would hope my future daughter could watch and be inspired to learn about things like math, science, music, history, or literature. I would want her to be inspired to better herself through books and school, even if she is not viewed as a "cool kid" because of it. Lisa Simpson is important because she teaches everyone, especially children and little girls, that there is inherent worth in your education. She teaches them that there is worth in their individuality and independence. She tells them that they don't have to bend or conform to societies wishes if it is not what they truly believe in or feel is right.
Lisa Simpson is important because she inspired someone like me to learn about the world through education and thanks to her example I graduated college Summa Cum Laude. Don't let someone tell you that characters in art hold no real importance, because those characters are the ones who inspire us and give us the drive to be better.
