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The dark side of the Moomins

newstatesman.com

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Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#21

Post by philips »

tikotus wrote: post #5

I'm not sure how tongue in cheek this was, but I assume it's serious. Either way, it's a fun and smart read. The article spots well the dark side of the moomins, but in my opinion goes too deep into it. My disagreements boil down to this: "One of the oddest aspects of the Moomin phenomenon is how these complex tales of apocalypse, breakdown and disfunction have been consistently misread as cutesy celebrations of dome…

I love the books, I have read them all to my kids, and I agree that I think the article takes its thesis too far.

The books are strange tales. They have dark undertones. And sometimes the adults take actions that only someone with life experience would really understand (e.g. Moominpappa wanting to suddenly upend everything in the families life and move to an isolated island). But, my kids mostly pick up on the adventure and the friendships.

I feel that the Moomins are like most media that is enjoyable by both children and parents in this way (e.g. Bluey, Pixar films, etc.).

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#22

Post by logifail »

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #13

They are children’s tales - which are designed to hide lessons and warnings on the dark side of life in a wrapper that does not traumatise - like an inoculation against what comes. Everything the Grimms brothers collected and Disney sanitised still hides warnings. I have read all my children “The Tiger who came to Tea” as well as taken them to theatre performances- and the author ran from Germany hours before the Ges…

"Kerr, however, stated more than once that the tiger represents nothing more than a tiger, and had no relevance to her upbringing"[0]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tiger_Who_Came_to_Tea

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#23

Post by bazoom42 »

tikotus wrote: post #5

I'm not sure how tongue in cheek this was, but I assume it's serious. Either way, it's a fun and smart read. The article spots well the dark side of the moomins, but in my opinion goes too deep into it. My disagreements boil down to this: "One of the oddest aspects of the Moomin phenomenon is how these complex tales of apocalypse, breakdown and disfunction have been consistently misread as cutesy celebrations of dome…

The cutesy family parts kind of evaporates towards the later books though. The last book is about longing for a moominmamma which is no longer there.

To be fair, Jansson never claimed she wrote for kids in the first place.

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#24

Post by npteljes »

It's a good read, thanks for sharing. Really sad that people would pester the author about the creation. It needs to be realized that the author is just another complex human being, even though they created their fantastic thing. As I experience it takes a lot to think about other people as so complex. We much rather like them as just simple characters.

Another thing is that for long-running franchises, it's really interesting to watch the progression of character design. Both visually and characteristically. The first Moomins look really weird, but fun, compared to the later iterations. Because, of course, the context also changed a lot around them - in real life, not in-universe.

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#25

Post by helsinkiandrew »

Who will comfort Toffle is a very moving book about loneliness

https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/who-will-comfort-toffle-backs...

> But when he tries to write about how lonely he has been, About his house and Hemulen, the smooth white shell he’s seen,

> The Groke, the night he sailed the sea, he finds no words will come. He is too shy to write his tale. Poor Toffle is struck dumb.

> So Who Will Comfort Toffle now? Will someone lend a hand And help him write to Miffle so that she can understand?

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#27

Post by account-5 »

I never read any of the books, didn't actually know they were originally a book. I grew up with the TV show though. Hated it. I've never watched TV or film for the feels. Tv and film for me is escapism, I don't want to be depressed or have to think. I'm assuming this is why I never liked the moomins.

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#28

Post by briandw »

I lived in Finland for a couple years. Finns, like the Moomins, are whimsical yet profound, like midsummer’s fleeting joy before the long winter. They mirror Finland’s love of nature and quiet isolation, with their cozy valley echoing the Finns forest cabins by a lake. The happy vibe hides struggles—tough winters, heavy drinking—but the Moomins’ warmth reflects the Finns’ wholesome character.

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#29

Post by fsloth »

tikotus wrote: post #5

I'm not sure how tongue in cheek this was, but I assume it's serious. Either way, it's a fun and smart read. The article spots well the dark side of the moomins, but in my opinion goes too deep into it. My disagreements boil down to this: "One of the oddest aspects of the Moomin phenomenon is how these complex tales of apocalypse, breakdown and disfunction have been consistently misread as cutesy celebrations of dome…

Spot on. I think the author did not think through their argument: ""One of the oddest aspects of the Moomin phenomenon is how these complex tales of apocalypse, breakdown and disfunction have been consistently misread as cutesy celebrations of domestic life.""

But that's exactly what makes domestic life worth celebrating - at best it sustains you through disaster and hardship. What better way to celebrate it than to show it's strength?

Re: The dark side of the Moomins

#30

Post by kleinishere »

philips wrote: post #21
tikotus wrote: post #5

I'm not sure how tongue in cheek this was, but I assume it's serious. Either way, it's a fun and smart read. The article spots well the dark side of the moomins, but in my opinion goes too deep into it. My disagreements boil down to this: "One of the oddest aspects of the Moomin phenomenon is how these complex tales of apocalypse, breakdown and disfunction have been consistently misread as cutesy celebrations of dome…

I love the books, I have read them all to my kids, and I agree that I think the article takes its thesis too far. The books are strange tales. They have dark undertones. And sometimes the adults take actions that only someone with life experience would really understand (e.g. Moominpappa wanting to suddenly upend everything in the families life and move to an isolated island). But, my kids mostly pick up on the adven…

Based on your experience, what age do you think is ideal for introducing the books to kids?
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