Cartoons typically don't age due to a narrative technique called a "floating timeline," also known as a "sliding timescale."
What is a Floating Timeline?
A floating timeline is a device used in fiction, especially in long-running animated series and comics, that allows characters to remain relatively the same age regardless of how much time passes in the real world. This allows the stories to remain contemporary and relevant to current audiences, while not forcing the characters to age and potentially lose appeal or be subject to permanent change.
How Does a Floating Timeline Work?
- Time Progression is Flexible: Instead of following a strict, linear timeline like in real life, a cartoon's timeline is elastic. Years may pass in the real world, but in the cartoon world, significant aging might not occur.
- Maintaining Character Status: Characters are kept at their established ages and personalities to maintain consistency and appeal to their audience. This prevents characters from becoming elderly or going through significant life changes that might alter the show's core dynamic.
- Relevance to Contemporary Settings: Despite the character's lack of aging, the show's world can still evolve to reflect real-world trends, technologies, and social norms. This keeps the cartoon feeling modern and avoids it from appearing outdated.
- Example:
- Characters like The Simpsons have been on television for decades, but the characters have remained the same ages. While events in the real world have passed by, the ages of Bart, Lisa, Homer, and Marge remain unchanged. This is a primary example of a sliding timescale.
Reasons for Using a Floating Timeline
- Continuity: Maintaining a consistent status quo helps with the overall storytelling and keeps the core group of characters that audiences love intact.
- Commercial Viability: Keeping characters at a specific age and personality can be very important for merchandise and appeal to younger audiences for extended periods.
- Flexibility: It allows writers to explore a wide variety of stories across a long time, without the limitations of a character's specific age.
- Audience Expectations: Audiences come to expect characters to remain at particular ages. If the characters aged significantly, it may alienate a portion of the viewer base.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | A narrative device allowing characters to age little or not at all despite the passing of time. |
| Purpose | To keep characters consistent and relevant while updating the settings with modern elements. |
| Usage | Commonly used in long-running comics and animated series. |
| Benefit | Allows for exploration of various storylines without changing the character’s age and appeal. |
In summary, cartoons don't age because they employ a floating timeline, a flexible narrative device that allows them to maintain character consistency, stay relevant, and appeal to audiences over long periods.
