I’ve been asking quite a few people a question for the last while and I wasn’t able to get a satisfactory answer. “Why are the two big stars of Veggie Tales, actually fruit?” Now I’ve run into a glitch with the question. I asked the question of someone and it led to a discussion on the different characters. I now realize I’ve been asking the wrong question the whole time. The question should be more like “Why are only a few of the characters actually vegetables?” Now I don’t claim to be a Veggie Tales expert (I’ve actually never seen an entire show but that’s changing since I’m watching a Veggie Tales show with my nephew as I write this) but I went online and looked for a list of the characters. I don’t think I was able to find a complete list, but here’s the result of what I did find. I’ve compiled a list which includes the botanical classification.
Bob the Tomato Fruit
Larry the Cucumber Fruit
Junior Asparagus Herb
Laura Jay Carrot Vegetable
Percy Pea Grain
Jimmy and Jerry Gourd Fruit
Madame Blueberry Fruit
Nebby K Nezzer (zucchini) Fruit
Mr Lunt (gourd) Fruit
The French Peas Grain
Pa Grape Fruit
Petunia Rhubarb Herb
Ann Scallion (onion) Vegetable
??? Lemon Fruit
??? Bean Grain
Now, like I said, I don’t think this is a complete list (actually I’m sure it’s not a complete list) but it’s the extent of what I found; but from the list above, you should be able to see why I’m asking the question. Now it’s your turn. If anyone has an answer for me, please answer for me why Veggie Tales has more characters that are not vegetables than those that are vegetables. (In case anyone is still wondering; yes, this is an attempt at getting more feedback on my blog).
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11 comments:
Good question... hey, maybe they should change Veggie Tales to Fruity Tales.
But i haven't got an answer to your question Larry.
gb
I have come to the realization that you are quite possibly the freakiest person I know to date. The fact that you would actually research this topic to become more informed on the merits of the title shows that you have entirely too much time or a rather easy load this semester. Personally, I, too, have thought this for an instant but not to this degree. I am impressed with your thoroughness. Keep us posted.
Ok, i started a reply yesterday but my computer screen went black and did all kinds of strange things for a bit. I'll try again...
A simplified explanation (expanded for your benefit :-)) may be that "Veggie Tales" was probably originally intended to be geared at young children. Younger children are still developing (physically & mentally) and usually have not developed to a point where they can understand the scientific classification of the different varieties of fruits, vegetables and grains, and for that matter, they don't really care about the scientific classification of them. Have you ever noticed that children are easily content with the simple answers we give them to their questions? In fact, I think in many cases they are more content with the simple answers than the complicated ones (which obviously will require further explanation). Even those who ask "why" hundreds of times a day are usually not looking for information that is this deep ~ and if we don't have a simple answer for them, many are content with "you'll understand it better when you are older." Yes, there are those Einstein's who will still ask "why/how" when you've fed them all the information you possibly can... good for them! They may be the kids that are least likely to be sitting in front of TV's, and watching Veggie Tales. (And Veggie Tales was probably not produced with those children in mind).
So, as children, we've mostly all been told that cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, peas, zucchini, gourds, rhubarb, onions & beans are all vegetables. (This teaching both at home and school). I think that traditionally it's just been accepted that we grow veggies in our gardens, so we've named them all veggies ~ including tomatoes, which for some reason some of us are later taught that they are actually fruit. I suppose that's where your "research" began, huh? causing you to wonder about this now??
For our young and (at the time) less developed thinking/reasoning, that was sufficient information. And consistency in the teaching at home and at school was/is important at that age.
Have you ever heard a child who's been taught one thing at home, and learns something else at school, challenge either his/her parents and/or teacher with "no, my Mom says..." or "but my teacher says..." It's just easier to go with what is commonly understood. (Kind of like why do most people call all "facial tissues" "Kleenex" and why did we used to call all snowmobiles "skidoos" and did you know that in some places in the US, all carbonated beverages are called "Coke"??)
Well, i had a few more thoughts earlier, but they've escaped me at the moment... but does that help answer your question?
All this chatter about fruit has reminded me of an old comparison between wisdom and knowledge: Knowledge is knowing tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
TE
Now that's a good one Trev.
thanks for enlightening me on the fruits and vegetables thing. Guess I now can no longer say I don't like any fruits, except apples and bananas. I thought you might find it interesting to know that as I was searching for recipes to disguise fruits and vegies in cakes and muffins, I came across a survey on whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables, and comments of explanation. So I guess you're not the only one who cared. Here's a quote. Of course, it does not answer why Vegie Tales are called as they are.
"Vegetable is a broad category refering to members of the Plant Kingdom, often as used for food. Thus, the tomato plant clearly falls into this category. The test question is "animal, mineral, or vegetable?", and the answer is clear. Fruit, or fruiting bodies, are organs that occur on flowering plants that are enclosed fleshy bodies that contain the seeds of the plant. Thus, fruits are parts of living things called vegetables. Therefore, all fruits are technically vegetables, but not all parts of plants consumed as vegetables are fruits. The distinction made for marketing purposes is arbitrary and not always scientific.
Tomatoes are clearly fruits. Their close relative, the huckleberry, makes this abundantly clear."
It is absolutely hilarious how one very uninteresting beginning question can spawn the most action you have ever seen on your blog. 'Karen' really got into it and went way further than even you expected. Trevor, clever. S
Regarding the annonymous post saying that fruits are included in vegitable, I would have to say that depends. I have not found anyone yet that would clasify poison ivy as a vegetable but all would admit that it is vegitation. So to say that fruit are part of vegitation would be accurate but there's a difference between vegitation and vegitables. Now regarding the following part of the message...
"fruits are parts of living things called vegetables. Therefore, all fruits are technically vegetables, but not all parts of plants consumed as vegetables are fruits."
By the same reasoning I could say that tires are part of the moving vehicle called a car so all tires are technically cars but not all cars are tires...or all fingers are part of a hand, therefore fingers are technically hands, but not all hands are fingers...or shigles are part of a house so shingles are technically houses, but houses are not all shingles.
I think Trevor may be onto something. Maybe people think of tomatos as vegitables because they wouldn't go well in a fruit salad, and maybe that's because they aren't sweet like we expect fruit to be.
"I think Trevor may be onto something. Maybe people think of tomatos as vegitables because they wouldn't go well in a fruit salad, and maybe that's because they aren't sweet like we expect fruit to be."
Ahhh, but have you ever eaten tomatoes of the small variety - cherry tomotoes, tiny tims, sweet 100's? These are actually quite sweet and are eaten much like a berry - pop them in your mouth and enjoy.
Maybe they'd actually taste good in a fruit salad and people just haven't thought to try it because they were misinformed about tomatoes and thought they were veggies.
BR
I would have to disagree on the point of adding even the smallest tomato to my fruit salad becuz they are still distinctively tomato in flavor and that just doesn't taste good no matter how you look at it (fruit/veggie) Now I realize this would fall under the category of personal opinion but I am well aware that people add fruit to veggie salads as well and that has been quite flavorful to me on occasion.
I was actually hoping someone would take the bait and find some way to discover possible covert operations by the vitamin companies for profits. I'm thinking Larry started it so he should finish it. Hmmm?
I agree with the last comment - Larry should investigate. After all, Larry, you're a student so you've got lots of time for this kind of thing, right? And you did ask us all on your blog for suggestions on what you could do with your time while you're in Hawaii.
Maybe you could even get some government funding which could help put you through school.
BR
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