Abstract:
The following thesis is a critical analysis of children’s media. The work that follows,
argues that children’s cartoons can carry complex latent messages when analyzed
through the theoretical lens of Neo-Marxism. This thesis explores this theory by
connecting characters within the show SpongeBob SquarePants to key terms related to
Marxist theory and the evident class representation within the program. This thesis also
briefly touches on other children’s programs as well and how they also carry latent
messages. The research concludes that children’s programs have the power to deliver
complex latent messages to their viewers when analyzed with the lens of Marxism.