Wendy is often shown around television. Watching it, listening to it, it’s a companion in the background of her life.
Jack makes a jab about what Danny’s picked up from the tv, and he’s not entirely wrong.
If Danny knew about cannibalism but not the Donner Party (a familiar example in American history), he’d probably have picked it up from Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny.
We see Danny watching Summer of 42 with Wendy. This movie is also inappropriate for children, it deals with a young teenage kid losing his virginity and getting romantically involved with a war widow.
Adult themes is putting it lightly.
In this image · No.9
Danny knows what cannibalism is but not what The Donner Party is.
Inappropriate Content from Television: No.40.
Cultural Relativism: Native Americans / Africans were “savages” for their practices, but Europeans/Americans were justified in their choices, be it for the sake of survival, or for pleasure when the wealthy ate slaves and mummies.
No.14’s dialogue; No.37 and No.37.
Children’s cartoons had content that showed indigenous peoples as savages, engaging in cannibalism. In America, you mainly associated cannibalism with the Donner Party. To show Danny knowing what cannibalism is but not what The Donner Party is connects to the “violence in cartoons” signified by the Tom & Jerry, Roadrunner & Coyote narrative theme music and the Bugs Bunny signifiers.
Violence in cartoons; American Culture; Play vs. Harm.
Inappropriate Content from Television: No.40.
Cultural Relativism: Native Americans / Africans were “savages” for their practices, but Europeans/Americans were justified in their choices, be it for the sake of survival, or for pleasure when the wealthy ate slaves and mummies.
Television
A child dismissing an adult and not being challenged by either Wendy or Danny.
Jack’s frustration at the Television.
Wendy & Television: No.4, No.6, No.29, No.37, No.62.
As Danny continues, he says he learned about cannibalism from the television, which prompts Jack to tease Wendy about the reliance on television. This lukewarm interaction is the seed that begins what will become abusive in future scenes.