Over the Garden Wall is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. It tells the story of two half-brothers Wirt and Greg who travel across a strange forest called the Unknown in an effort to find their way home.
One of the most iconic characters in the series is Beatrice a bluebird who has been transformed into a turkey by the nefarious witch Adelaide. Beatrice serves as a guide for Wirt and Greg on their journey through the Unknown. Her turkey form is rich with symbolism and deeper meaning. In this article we’ll explore the significance behind Beatrice’s turkey transformation.
Why is Beatrice Stuck as a Turkey?
Early in the series, we learn that Beatrice made a deal with Adelaide the witch to transform her family from bluebirds into humans. However, Adelaide double-crossed Beatrice and turned her entire family into turkeys instead. Beatrice was the only one spared, but she was cursed to take on a turkey form herself.
This spell is a form of punishment for Beatrice’s perceived betrayal of her family and desire to become something she’s not. The turkey form represents her foolishness and impulsiveness that got her into this mess. She’s trapped in an ugly, flightless form instead of her beautiful, graceful bluebird self.
The turkey is an emblem of regret, shame and humiliation for Beatrice. It’s a constant reminder of the mistake she made trusting Adelaide. This serves as an important learning experience for Beatrice about being content with who she is.
Turkeys as Awkward, Gangly Creatures
Beyond the symbolic meaning, there’s also an element of absurdity and humor in Beatrice becoming a turkey. Turkeys are seen as awkward, ugly birds in popular culture. With their gangly legs, bizarre wattles, and comedic gobbling, they are anything but graceful or lovely.
Beatrice retains her bluebird head on the turkey’s body, creating a jarring juxtaposition. This highlights how turkeys are bumbling, ungainly animals. Having the prim, proper Beatrice transformed into a turkey creates an amusing dissonance for the viewer. We can’t help but laugh at seeing her ladylike sensibility clashing with the turkey’s gawky frame.
This silly contrast serves to lighten the darker undertones of her spell, adding moments of levity. While she’s learned a serious lesson, there’s still room for fun and humor too.
Turkeys as Symbols of Stubbornness and Determination
Though turkeys aren’t the most dignified creatures, they are known for their stubbornness and determination. Once a turkey sets its mind on something, it is remarkably persistent in pursuing its goal.
This connects to Beatrice’s own stubborn character. Despite her turkey form, she doesn’t give up on accomplishing her mission of guiding Wirt and Greg home safely. She charges ahead with steely resolve to right her wrongs and break Adelaide’s curse.
Her turkey embodiment may look laughable, but it hides an iron will underneath. This represents her underlying strength and tenacity in the face of adversity. Her awkward exterior belies an inner fire and gutsiness.
connection to Thanksgiving Tradition
Of course, turkeys are firmly tied to the Thanksgiving tradition in American culture. They are the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving meals and celebrations. Beatrice the turkey acts as a constant reminder of this upcoming holiday for the viewer.
In many ways, Wirt and Greg’s journey through the Unknown is paralleled with the Pilgrims’ arrival in the New World. Like those first settlers, the boys are strangers in a strange land trying to find their way. Having Beatrice as their guide connects their quest back to those early Pilgrims helped by native residents of this land, like Squanto.
Beatrice’s turkey form therefore serves as a symbol of harvest, homecoming and the comforts of the familiar. She represents the warmth of family tradition and celebrations like Thanksgiving waiting for Wirt and Greg back home once their ordeal is over.
Turkeys as Symbols of Transformation
Finally, Beatrice’s entire turkey curse represents the larger theme of transformation in Over the Garden Wall. Many characters throughout the series end up transformed into animals or other creatures by magic.
Beatrice’s change into a turkey reflects the ongoing mutations, distortions and uncertainty running through the Unknown. In this realm, people’s forms don’t stay fixed for long. Things that were once familiar soon become bizarre and alien.
This speaks to the turbulent, confusing changes associated with adolescent growing pains that Wirt and Greg are experiencing. As they journey through the Unknown’s transformations, it’s like they’re traversing their own dramatic puberty transformations.
Beatrice’s turkey shape is the primary emblem of this metamorphosis. She models how to accept and learn from the unfamiliar evolutions during the coming-of-age process. By embracing change and not letting it break their spirit, the boys will be able to mature and find their way home.
In the end, Beatrice’s turkey form in Over the Garden Wall carries a wealth of symbolic weight. It represents punishment and regret for past mistakes, absurdity and humor in contrast to her proper personality, determination in the face of adversity, connections to Thanksgiving tradition, and the theme of transformation on the journey to maturity.
This humble turkey shape encapsulates some of the series’ most poignant themes and meanings. Beatrice models how to bear necessary burdens and embarrassments as part of the process of growing up. Her oddball turkey body proves she’s more than just a pretty face, giving her hidden substance.
Next time you watch Over the Garden Wall, pay special attention to Beatrice’s moments as a turkey. You’re bound to gain new appreciation for the complex role this Thanksgiving icon plays in the show’s unique coming-of-age tale. Gobble, gobble!
C’est justement à ça que l’application sert.
Also, why was there a turkey slouched over the table in this house? That wasn’t really explained, and it’s kind of creepy.
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*If it wasn’t clear, spoilers for Over the Garden Wall.*
We know very little about Wirt’s dad. We only know that Wirt’s mom got married again and had Greg with someone else. Wirt also doesn’t get along well with his stepdad. It could be that Wirt’s mom divorced her husband, but it’s also possible that he passed away. Wirt’s thoughts on life and death would have changed a lot if he did, which would have affected his choices and feelings while he was in the unknown. (I should clarify that I view the Unknown as some sort of purgatory/grey area between life and death. People who live in the Unknown are not ready to move on to the next stage of the afterlife, whatever it may be. But let’s go one step further with this idea: what if Wirt’s dad is one of the ghosts we meet in the Unknown?
For this to be true, we have to believe that some people’s personalities and looks change a little when they go into the unknown. I don’t think this is an unreasonable assumption. Take Miss Langtree, for example. I doubt that when she was alive she had a fixation on teaching animals the alphabet. It seems like your perception of reality changes when you’re a resident of the Unknown for long enough. I don’t think the residents of the Unknown know that they are dead (or something close to it). It’s also likely that they look different, because if they didn’t, Wirt would have known his dad right away if he saw him.
Let’s go back Miss Langtree. In the event that she didn’t really run an animal school while she was alive, I believe that the school represents a problem she did have while she was alive. Something like, “She spent her whole life trying to help children but couldn’t connect with them to help,” which must have been very painful for her. But I don’t want to talk about Langtree. I just wanted to show that someone’s struggles in the unknown could be a reflection of the problems they didn’t solve before they died.
My theory is that The Woodsman is actually Wirt’s dad, and his problems with his daughter are meant to show how he feels about dying and leaving Wirt.
I think Wirt’s dad died suddenly. If that’s the case, he would have left behind his wife and young son. He knew that Wirt would have a hard time for years after his death because of how badly he felt about his death. Wirt’s dad felt guilty and scared to leave his son alone. He went to the Unknown because he isn’t ready to let go of his life. He feels guilty about his own death and like he should have done more for his son than he did.
His conflict is represented in the unknown through the Woodsman’s daughter. Even though the Woodsman never sees his daughter, he works nonstop to take care of her and keep her lantern lit so that her spirit can live on. This is Wirt’s dad (subconsciously) attempting to make up for the damage he thinks that he caused Wirt. When OTGW reaches its conclusion, both Wirt and the Woodsman reach a sort of peace. The Woodsman realizes that he can’t keep working hard for his daughter. This is supposed to be Wirt’s dad realizing that he can’t keep thinking about what his death did to Wirt and what he could have done for Wirt if he hadn’t died. Finally at peace with himself, the Woodsman, aka Wirt’s dad, is able to move on from the Unknown.
Is this theory a stretch? Oh, it’s a huge stretch. I think anything is possible, though, because Over the Garden Wall leaves so much open at the end. Also, Wirt’s dad’s death would have affected his choices in the Unknown, even if the Woodsman is just the Woodsman. I think it’s an interesting idea to think and theorize about.
*If it wasn’t clear, spoilers for Over the Garden Wall.*
We know very little about Wirt’s dad. We only know that Wirt’s mom got married again and had Greg with someone else. Wirt also doesn’t get along well with his stepdad. It could be that Wirt’s mom divorced her husband, but it’s also possible that he passed away. Wirt’s thoughts on life and death would have changed a lot if he did, which would have affected his choices and feelings while he was in the unknown. (I should clarify that I view the Unknown as some sort of purgatory/grey area between life and death. People who live in the Unknown are not ready to move on to the next stage of the afterlife, whatever it may be. But let’s go one step further with this idea: what if Wirt’s dad is one of the ghosts we meet in the Unknown?
For this to be true, we have to believe that some people’s personalities and looks change a little when they go into the unknown. I don’t think this is an unreasonable assumption. Take Miss Langtree, for example. I doubt that when she was alive she had a fixation on teaching animals the alphabet. It seems like your perception of reality changes when you’re a resident of the Unknown for long enough. I don’t think the residents of the Unknown know that they are dead (or something close to it). It’s also likely that they look different, because if they didn’t, Wirt would have known his dad right away if he saw him.
Let’s go back Miss Langtree. In the event that she didn’t really run an animal school while she was alive, I believe that the school represents a problem she did have while she was alive. Something like, “She spent her whole life trying to help children but couldn’t connect with them to help,” which must have been very painful for her. But I don’t want to talk about Langtree. I just wanted to show that someone’s struggles in the unknown could be a reflection of the problems they didn’t solve before they died.
My theory is that The Woodsman is actually Wirt’s dad, and his problems with his daughter are meant to show how he feels about dying and leaving Wirt.
I think Wirt’s dad died suddenly. If that’s the case, he would have left behind his wife and young son. He knew that Wirt would have a hard time for years after his death because of how badly he felt about his death. Wirt’s dad felt guilty and scared to leave his son alone. He went to the Unknown because he isn’t ready to let go of his life. He feels guilty about his own death and like he should have done more for his son than he did.
His conflict is represented in the unknown through the Woodsman’s daughter. Even though the Woodsman never sees his daughter, he works nonstop to take care of her and keep her lantern lit so that her spirit can live on. This is Wirt’s dad (subconsciously) attempting to make up for the damage he thinks that he caused Wirt. When OTGW reaches its conclusion, both Wirt and the Woodsman reach a sort of peace. The Woodsman realizes that he can’t keep working hard for his daughter. This is supposed to be Wirt’s dad realizing that he can’t keep thinking about what his death did to Wirt and what he could have done for Wirt if he hadn’t died. Finally at peace with himself, the Woodsman, aka Wirt’s dad, is able to move on from the Unknown.
Is this theory a stretch? Oh, it’s a huge stretch. I think anything is possible, though, because Over the Garden Wall leaves so much open at the end. Also, Wirt’s dad’s death would have affected his choices in the Unknown, even if the Woodsman is just the Woodsman. I think it’s an interesting idea to think and theorize about.
Anonyme asked:
so how do you rate the ship pinescone?
There are things I really like about Pinescone. (For anyone who doesn’t know, that’s Dipper from Gravity Falls and Wirt from Over the Garden Wall. They get along great with each other, and even though they both worry about everything all the time, I can see them calming each other down when they start to freak out, which is so cute. They would do all kinds of fun things together, and I would definitely watch a show with them on it. I don’t personally ship Pinescone, but I like to imagine the two being really good friends.
the otgw shitpost of shitposts.
I WASN;T FU CKING READY
I literally did a slow clap alone in my room. I couldn’t NOT reblog this.
Over The Garden Wall – Turkey
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