Cartoon Archetypes, Part 1 : Wile E Coyote

In this series, I will explore the various archetypes expressed in the animated myths with which we grew up. For simplicity's sake, I shall stick to Warner Bros. cartoons, as they are the ones that stick in my mind the most(I never much cared for Disney). In this one, I shall explore one of my personal favorites, Wile E Coyote. The coyote was featured in Native American mythology as the trickster, but this coyote was usually the one being tricked. A Captain Ahab figure, this desert canine's white whale was a tall, avian sprinter. Much like my own pursuit of enlightenment, the coyote never attains the object of his desire, but he is defined by its pursuit. His reliance upon faulty Acme products, which ultimately backfire on him(sometimes literally), speaks volumes about the emptiness of our own consumerism, and its inability to bring us happiness. Tarot card: The Fool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsQ99-fUq3U