"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated May 21, 1911:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (APRIL 1, 2021):
The last strip really set the stage for a reading of the following handful of tri-tone strips as allegory about McCay's true feelings about his tenure/impending departure from the NY Herald. - 1/16
With the magical flower that he has been gifted by the random Slumberlandian, Nemo is now able to not just speak with animals, but rather give them the gift of speech. - 2/16
As this strip demonstrates, it isn't just the holder of the flower (Nemo) who can hear the animals, but rather any human can hear them once the animal has sniffed the flower. - 3/16
As Nemo and his mother see this poor, oppressed workhorse being poorly treated outside, he rushes to its aid (with his mother's blessing, interestingly…) and has it smell of the flower. - 4/16
Once able to speak, the first thing the horse voices is just how tired he is followed by an explanation that the driver never provides him water or oats. - 5/16
After some coaxing by Nemo, the horse turns on the driver smashing the wagon to bits and chasing him down culminating in a punishing bite from the horse. - 6/16
Knowing what we know about how McCay was unhappy with the Herald's editorial board and his move to Heart's "NY American", I just can't read the horses comments as anything but those of McCay. - 7/16
Last strip ended with a declaration about how great it would be if the bears (animals in general moving forward) were allowed to tell their story. - 8/16
In my opinion, McCay is following in the steps of other writers (for obvious reasons, Orwell comes to mind here) and using the voice of animals as a pretense to declare honestly to the public how he feels. - 9/16
As the horse in this tale, he is speaking his truth to his readers and (maybe) even living vicariously through his equine character (oh how tempting it must have been to "kick back" at his tormentors at the Herald). - 10/16
Though McCay couldn't physically tear down and punish his oppressors the way the workhorse could, the allegorical implications are pretty damning… and very thinly veiled. Could editorial really not have seen it? - 11/16
The fact that McCay slipped this personal/political commentary past the editorial (if it was indeed a newly turned in strip, which I'm believing more and more each day) could be viewed as a very decisive win for the slighted artist. - 12/16
Though it is possible that I'm re-writing history here, I just… can't help it. I usually restrict myself to the work (as you've all probably learned about me by now), but I just can't not consider the external factors here. - 13/16
To begin this animal series with a horse being overworked, underpaid (in food and water, but still), and undervalued is just too obvious a connection to think otherwise. - 14/16
I recognize that it could just be pure animal activism, but I just don’t buy that. Am I being blinded by the external contextual situation? Is there another obvious reading that I'm discounting? - 15/16
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #293. What's yours? - 16/16
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