Since my daughter was born, every year we watch the Rankin-Bass âRudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeerâ special, and every year, I have questions for it, particularly regarding the Island of Misfit Toys. Here are just a few:
1) What is the standard for being a misfit toy? It seems pretty inconsistent. Some of the playthings have mild ânonconformitiesâ (to quote Sam the Snowman), like the polka-dot elephant, the cowboy who rides an ostrich, etc. Others, like âthe boat that doesnât floatâ or the train with square wheels on its caboose, donât seem like misfit toys. They just seem like crappy, defective toys. Next thing you know, China will be sending barges full of recalled lead-containing toys to the island. âWeâre all misfits!â
2) Why isnât âKing Moonracerâ more help? Apparently the flying lion (who seems a little like Narniaâs Aslan) travels the world, finds unwanted toys and brings them to an arctic island thatâs like a frozen leper colony. When Rudolph, Hermie and Yukon Cornelius arrive, he asks them to tell Santa Claus about the toysâ plight. But why canât King Moonracer tell Santa HIMSELF? You can fly, dude! Isnât not like the North Pole is that far away. It didnât take Rudolph and company very long to get to the island, and they were on a frickinâ ice floe.
3) Does it really matter that Charlie-in-a-Box is named âCharlie?â Are kids really that hung up on having their Jack-in-a-Box be named âJack?â I would suggest that Charlie simply âpassâ as a Jack by changing his name, but maybe that would send the wrong message. At least he has the integrity to admit that heâs a Charlie, rather than live a lie and spend his life, you know, in the box.
4) Whatâs so bad about a gun that shoots jelly? Itâs supposed to be a TOY. Would you rather give your kids an automatic that fires Teflon-coated bullets?
5) What exactly is wrong with the âDolly For Sue?â She looks like a perfectly normal rag doll and, as the song âItâs the Most Wonderful Time of the Yearâ points out, she can even say âHow do you do.â Does she have a ânonconformityâ that doesnât visibly show? Is she anatomically incorrect in a disturbing way? Does she have some kind of psychological disorder, like the dolls that try to kill their owners in all those horror movies? Apparently on NPRâs "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me," producer Arthur Rankin said that the Misfit Doll was abandoned by her mistress and suffered from depression. Hmm, Iâm unconvinced.
Finally, if you're a fan of "Lost," you'll probably enjoy this.
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