Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes was about much more than just the adventures of the rambunctious six-year-old Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes. Throughout the comic strip series, the two of them got into all kinds of trouble, while Calvin resisted the responsibilities of adulthood and embraced his imagination to the ridicule of his parents and teachers. It’s been decades since the final installment of Calvin and Hobbes was published, but the series remains timeless, and that’s because Watterson tapped into the universal experience of growing up.
The series never shied away from the big questions that kids think about, or the frustrations they may have with chores or household rules. Watterson portrayed childhood as a time filled with confusion, curiosity, imagination, and self-discovery. We’ve all felt frustrated by authority figures, anxious about our future, and eager to escape into worlds of our own creation, and Calvin is no different. These pieces of dialogue capture the hardships that come with getting older and the lessons that shape us, proving why Calvin and Hobbes will always be relevant.
8
“Pretty convenient how every time I build character, he saves a couple hundred dollars.”
-Calvin
When Calvin was instructed by his dad to shovel snow in their driveway, he wasn’t happy about it, but his dad insisted it built character. His snarky response held some truth as he said to himself, “Pretty convenient how every time I build character, he saves a couple hundred dollars.” The quote perfectly captures a universal experience of childhood: forced into doing unpaid labor by your parents. It’s understandable why Calvin is frustrated by the chore, especially while his dad stays inside their house the whole time. However, he isn’t wrong, because it is undoubtedly a character-building task, fostering self-discipline, and that’s why it’s one of the strip’s greatest pieces of dialogue about what it means to grow up.
7
“Nothing lasts. Fall is just the last fling before things get worse.” “If good things lasted forever, would we appreciate how precious they are?”
-Hobbes and Calvin
At some point in childhood, we all learn that nothing lasts forever, and when Calvin and Hobbes discussed that harsh reality, it led to one of the strip’s most poignant moments. Their exchange was surprisingly profound, because, to Hobbes, autumn is beautiful, and he went on to explain its beauty came from its temporariness. Rather than lamenting that good things must end, he suggests that their temporary nature is what gives them value in the first place. Growing up often means learning to accept change, and Hobbes’ response offers a lesson that we struggle to embrace. In many ways, limitations make things more meaningful.
6
“Days go by and we hardly notice them. Life becomes a blur. Often it takes some calamity to make us live in the present. Then suddenly we wake up and sell all the mistakes we’ve made, but it’s too late to change anything.”
-Calvin
As you get older, life feels like it goes by faster and faster. As he flies down a hill with Hobbes, Calvin remarks that life feels like a blur when you don’t live in the moment, a sentiment shared by Ferris Bueller, and he’s right. It’s a life lesson that’s especially important as you grow up, and even though it’s exaggerated for comedic effect, it captures a genuine thought about living passively without appreciating the present. It’s a surprisingly mature observation coming from a character who spends most of his time avoiding responsibility, which makes this specific strip all the more memorable.
5
“Boy, I love weekends! What a better way to spend one’s freedom than eating chocolate cereal and watching cartoons!”
-Calvin
When you’re a kid, you value the weekends more than anyone else, whether it’s because of time away from the classroom or the fun of watching TV on Saturday morning. In a single piece of dialogue, Watterson captured the feeling of childhood and the contrast with growing up when Calvin’s dad enters the living room and pushes him to spend time outside. Of course, Calvin immediately goes over to his friend’s house to keep watching his show during the commercial break. If you remember what it’s like to structure your entire week around your favorite cartoon, you can instantly relate to Calvin’s sense of priorities.
4
“Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.”
-Calvin
At its core, Calvin and Hobbes is about friendship. The bond of the titular duo carried the entire series, as the two went on adventure after adventure together, and as Calvin struggles to fall asleep, he looks to his best friend beside him for courage. His one line encapsulates an important truth about growing up. Challenges don’t magically disappear when you have someone who supports you, but they become much easier to face. It’s also a reminder that growing up is easier when you have someone willing to face life’s uncertainties alongside you.
3
“There’s too much violence on TV. Why don’t you go read something?”
-Calvin’s Mom
Calvin’s parents frequently suggested he watch something besides whatever channel he changed the TV to. It’s an experience most kids can relate with, and as we know, Calvin tends to consume media like television, movies, and comic books, which promote intense action, so it’s no surprise his mom would prefer he read a book instead. The strip highlights an age-old battle between parents and children over entertainment choices, and it remains just as relatable today.
2
“I don’t need parents. All I need is a recording that says, ‘Go play outside!'”
-Calvin
After hearing the same things from his parents so many times, whether he’s being told to turn off the TV or leave the house, Calvin remarks that he might as well have a recording that tells him to go play outside. To be fair, Calvin goes outside all the time without being instructed to, so it isn’t like he spends too much time indoors, so to him, his parents are authority figures who impose limits and interrupt his fun. Like many children, Calvin mistakes constant guidance for constant nagging, something that tends to make a lot more sense in hindsight.
1
“Becoming an adult is probably the dumbest thing you could ever do!”
-Calvin
No quote better sums up Calvin’s attitude toward growing up than this one. Throughout the series’ 10-year run, adults are practically characterized as the villains in the context of Calvin’s life, from his parents to his teachers. They tend to misunderstand him, tearing down his hopes and dreams in the process, often ridiculing his sense of make-believe, and he has a hard time getting what’s so great about being an adult if it means sacrificing imagination. Childhood eventually ends, but Calvin has such disdain for adulthood that he forgets that basic fact of life. Watterson understands that fear perfectly, using Calvin’s dramatic complaint to capture a feeling many children quietly share.
- Writer
-
Bill Watterson
- Penciler
-
Bill Watterson
- Inker
-
Bill Watterson
- Colorist
-
Bill Watterson
- Publisher(s)
-
Andrews McMeel Publishing