From its first panels, Peanuts has been more than a comic strip; it is a celebration of goodness in its most essential form. While childhood can bring its share of teasing and friction, Charles M. Schulz captured the enduring kindness that lies at the core of human experience. Each character, in their unique way, reminds us that goodness is never far away.
Lucy Van Pelt, often sharp-tongued and commanding, exemplifies this beautifully. Beneath her surface cynicism lies a deep desire for love, attention, and connection. Even her moments of frustration are tempered by vulnerability, humor, and a surprising generosity of spirit. Through such characters, Schulz showed that happiness is not flashy or complicated. It can be quiet, subtle, and profound, expressed in a glance, a smile, or a small act of kindness.
“What’s the good of living if you don’t try a few things?”
― Charles M. Schulz
When Peanuts moved from comic strip to screen, its heart remained in the music. Vince Guaraldi’s melodies went beyond background sound, weaving emotion through every scene and filling them with warmth and gentle goodness. Each note was a quiet reminder that joy and kindness are always close at hand.
Charlie Brown’s constant struggles, his small defeats, and his enduring hope found a perfect companion in this music. Guaraldi’s piano and jazz arrangements carried us through Charlie Brown’s world, guiding both him and us to a place of happiness, however fleeting, that could always be discovered. Like the comic strip itself, the music reassures us that even amid life’s setbacks, goodness and comfort are never far away, sometimes just a few notes away for anyone willing to listen.
In 1970, a fifth-grade class at Hawthorne Elementary in Beverly Hills was asked to write letters to people they admired, asking: “What makes a good citizen?”
Ten-year-old Joel Lipton wrote to Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts. Schulz replied:
I think it is more difficult these days to define what makes a good citizen then it has ever been before. Certainly all any of us can do is follow our own conscience and retain faith in our democracy. Sometimes it is the very people who cry out the loudest in favor of getting back to what the call “American Virtues” who lack this faith in our country, I believe that our greatest strength lies always in the protection of our smallest minorities.
Peanuts endures because it reveals what is universally true: goodness exists in every person, every moment, every day. The confidence, resilience, and warmth of its characters invite readers into a world where optimism and kindness are celebrated, making the strip timeless and deeply relatable. There is real goodness in Peanuts, and it is this quality that continues to touch hearts around the globe.