thinking the monsters’ non-existence will make them go away? yet somehow Hobbes still exists to Calvin, but not those in Calvin’s social circle (his parents, Susie, Miss Wormwood, Rosalyn, Moe… uncle Max)
One would think you’d rather have your parents around than the monsters. At least your parents won’t want to make a midnight snack out of you. The lesser of two evils.
It may be ironic that Hobbes is considering that the Monsters may be figments of Calvin’s imagination as many readers think Hobbes is part of Calvin’s imagination. I used to think that myself.
The very first Calvin and Hobbes strip that I read began with Hobbes drawn as a stuffed tiger. Mom checked for the Monsters Under The Bed but refused to check the closet. She said, “I’m sure there are no monsters in the closet, Calvin. Goodnight.” Calvin replied, “Goodbye.” I then saw the living Hobbes for the first time and then he and Calvin got out of bed and switched the lights on and opened the closet door so that the light destroyed the monsters. “By Golly, no monsters are going to get us tonight! Wither and die, blood-sucking freaks of nature!” Dad came in and yelled at Calvin for getting out of bed and putting the light on. Hobbes was back to being drawn as a doll as he had been when Mom was present. Calvin’s closing line was “We need some way to shrivel him up!”
Because Hobbes was drawn as a doll, I assumed that the living Hobbes and the Monsters were part of Calvin’s imagination. After a few months, I saw that there are Calvin and Hobbes strips which show that Hobbes is alive when Calvin isn’t present and that he talks directly to us. He cannot see Calvin but he can see us and speak to us.
I still largely believed that Hobbes was part of Calvin’s imagination but I started to look out for strips which showed Hobbes without Calvin. They all showed he was alive. The one possible exception was the strip which showed that Hobbes was left behind on Calvin’s bed when Calvin and his parents went to a wedding. It was later pointed out to me that Hobbes wasn’t drawn as a doll. We could only see his tail.
The secret to mental health is be able to not think about the “monsters”. The only sure-fire, non-chemical method to break frightening thought cycles is any form of exercise that requires you to be in complete control of your body. That is what your brain evolved to do first and best.
If you do enough of it each day, you will fall into an exhausted, healthy sleep.
BE THIS GUY over 2 years ago
Mom and Dad are always around because they never stop thinking about you, Calvin.
Sugar Bombs 95 over 2 years ago
Apparently this storyline was a metaphor for Bill’s previous licensing fights according to the Tenth Anniversary Book.
codycab over 2 years ago
Gee, I wonder how this “experiment” will end…
Templo S.U.D. over 2 years ago
thinking the monsters’ non-existence will make them go away? yet somehow Hobbes still exists to Calvin, but not those in Calvin’s social circle (his parents, Susie, Miss Wormwood, Rosalyn, Moe… uncle Max)
C over 2 years ago
If you prefer being devoured by monsters, knock yourself out
GROG Premium Member over 2 years ago
One would think you’d rather have your parents around than the monsters. At least your parents won’t want to make a midnight snack out of you. The lesser of two evils.
Bilan over 2 years ago
Maybe Calvin should ask the monsters to stop thinking about him?
sirbadger over 2 years ago
Instead of thinking about monsters, think about sheep. Count sheep. Then the math monster and sheep monster appear.
KLSeering over 2 years ago
Telling someone not to think of something does NOT work. The best way to get someone to think of something is to tell them not to think about it!
The dude from FL Premium Member over 2 years ago
Let’s smoke a joint and contemplate this, yea?
Robin Harwood over 2 years ago
Bishop Berkeley, feel free to chime in anytime.
LeftCoastKen Premium Member over 2 years ago
Quantum mechanics, Schrödinger’s cat?
The Reader Premium Member over 2 years ago
It’s a wonder that the tiger in the bed wouldn’t scare the monsters away.
Susan00100 over 2 years ago
That’s like saying if you ignore a bully, he’ll stop plaguing you.
Doesn’t happen!!
rentier over 2 years ago
Spray holy water before going to bed, perhaps they will vanish!
bluram over 2 years ago
VegaAlopex over 2 years ago
In reversal, there’s nothing wrong with imagination, Calvin. Just learn how to control it.
Calvinist1966 over 2 years ago
It may be ironic that Hobbes is considering that the Monsters may be figments of Calvin’s imagination as many readers think Hobbes is part of Calvin’s imagination. I used to think that myself.
The very first Calvin and Hobbes strip that I read began with Hobbes drawn as a stuffed tiger. Mom checked for the Monsters Under The Bed but refused to check the closet. She said, “I’m sure there are no monsters in the closet, Calvin. Goodnight.” Calvin replied, “Goodbye.” I then saw the living Hobbes for the first time and then he and Calvin got out of bed and switched the lights on and opened the closet door so that the light destroyed the monsters. “By Golly, no monsters are going to get us tonight! Wither and die, blood-sucking freaks of nature!” Dad came in and yelled at Calvin for getting out of bed and putting the light on. Hobbes was back to being drawn as a doll as he had been when Mom was present. Calvin’s closing line was “We need some way to shrivel him up!”
Because Hobbes was drawn as a doll, I assumed that the living Hobbes and the Monsters were part of Calvin’s imagination. After a few months, I saw that there are Calvin and Hobbes strips which show that Hobbes is alive when Calvin isn’t present and that he talks directly to us. He cannot see Calvin but he can see us and speak to us.
I still largely believed that Hobbes was part of Calvin’s imagination but I started to look out for strips which showed Hobbes without Calvin. They all showed he was alive. The one possible exception was the strip which showed that Hobbes was left behind on Calvin’s bed when Calvin and his parents went to a wedding. It was later pointed out to me that Hobbes wasn’t drawn as a doll. We could only see his tail.
Squoop over 2 years ago
This is actually excellent advice. The best way to rid yourself of monsters is to ignore them and banish them from your thoughts.
jagedlo over 2 years ago
Mom going with a variation of “I Think Therefore I Am”?
Chris over 2 years ago
soooo… that means her theory is bogus then. thee experiment is a failure before it started.
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 2 years ago
Since when has the advice, “Just don’t think about it.” ever worked?
DavidSharp Premium Member over 2 years ago
I’ve suddenly realised there are monsters right here, under this comic strip. I’m out of here!
Redd Panda over 2 years ago
Being swallowed whole and then, they spit your bones and PJs out? Cool!
rshive over 2 years ago
Logic can take you to some strange places, Calvin.
Steverino Premium Member over 2 years ago
Easy peasy to take care of monsters under the bed. Just remove the legs off your bed, and then the monsters won’t fit.
Just-me over 2 years ago
Horatio: "O day and night, but this is wondrous strange! "
Hamlet: “And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
William Shakespeare
LKrueger41 over 2 years ago
Even in this very stressful situation, Calvin, with Hobbes help, logically arrives at a sound analysis of the way the world works.
Bruce1253 over 2 years ago
Monsters that keep you up never go away Calvin, they just change names: Car Payment monster, Mortgage Monster, Mother In Law Monster. . . .
mindjob over 2 years ago
I dream about monster guitar licks
Amra Leo over 2 years ago
I have an answer for my monsters, they’re scared of me…
mfrasca over 2 years ago
Obtrusive thoughts.
kathleenhicks62 over 2 years ago
What if you stop thinking about Hobbes? He will turn into a stuffed toy?!
Nick Danger over 2 years ago
The story goes about a man whose flying carpet would only work if he did not think of the word “elephant”…
mistercatworks over 2 years ago
The secret to mental health is be able to not think about the “monsters”. The only sure-fire, non-chemical method to break frightening thought cycles is any form of exercise that requires you to be in complete control of your body. That is what your brain evolved to do first and best.
If you do enough of it each day, you will fall into an exhausted, healthy sleep.
Sorry, pastry is not part of the process.
-Thatguy2020 over 2 years ago
How old is Calvin now? About 46
Bruce1253 over 2 years ago
Monsters that keep you up never go away Calvin, they just change names: Car Payment monster, Mortgage Monster, Mother In Law Monster. . . .
g04922 over 2 years ago
Hobbes – the voice of reason in Calvin’s imaginary world.
willie_mctell over 2 years ago
There’s a tiger in the bed. Seems like he could deal with the monsters.
Realimaginary1 Premium Member over 2 years ago
State into the ceiling, Calvin! Yeah, that’s the ticket!
christelisbetty over 2 years ago
I won’t think about it tonight, It will drive me crazy. I’ll think about it tomorrow….at TARA! —-Scarlet O’Hara….(more or less)