Captain Underpants

In the opening chapters, Pilkey characterizes George and Harold as likably mischievous. Pilkey positions his audience to appreciate the boys’ relatively harmless pranks, such as the changing of the local sign to read “pick our noses” instead of “pick your own roses” (3). Pilkey suggests that the boys may have taken their mischief too far when their pranks at the football game result in the afternoon being ruined—“everyone in the entire school was miserable” (27). However, even when the boys do get up to trouble, it is never with malicious intent, supporting the theme that Mischief and Silliness Are Essential to Childhood.

Krupp is characterized as villainous in his stern efforts to bring the boys to justice. In contrast to George and Harold, his intentions are malicious. He stands against the fun and good humor the novel values, embodied by George and Harold. His nastiness is reinforced by the title of Chapter 4, “Mean Old Mr. Krupp,” and by the accompanying illustrations, which depict him glaring at George and Harold from his office as they distribute their comic. Through him, Pilkey explores the theme of Adults as Villainous Antagonists.

Krupp is further characterized as an antagonist, or the protagonists’ enemy, by his hostility. In spite of working in a school, “he hated the sound of children playing at recess. In fact, he hated children altogether!” (18). He despises joy and happiness, and epitomizes fury. His preference for humiliating and disciplining children is revealed by the sign affixed to his work desk—“kneel here.” Chapter 5 foreshadows Krupp’s transformation into the entirely different character of Captain Underpants—“this is the story of how [...] some huge pranks (and a little blackmail) turned their principal into the coolest superhero of all time” (21).

The opening chapters establish Pilkey’s use of humor, including wordplay and misdirection. For example, Pilkey says that George and Harold are “usually responsible,” implying that the boys are relatively well-behaved, but then clarifies that they are “usually responsible” for “anything bad,” subverting the reader’s expectations.

The Inedible Hunk is a play-on-words. The name alludes to the far more intimidating and heroic comic book icon, The Incredible Hulk. Similarly, Captain Underpants is a ridiculous and satirical version of celebrated comic book superheroes, such as Super Man, who often “look like they’re flying around in their underwear” (7).

The football game, with its sneezing cheerleaders and slipping musicians, exemplifies Pilkey’s use of outlandish and humorous scenes . George and Harold’s comic books are depicted as humorous and entertaining; the boys are characterized as admirable entrepreneurs: “after school, they sold their homemade comics on the playground for 50 cents each” (8). The samples of the boys’ comic books, which mirror the Captain Underpants’ toilet humor. They reflect an elementary-school creation with their spelling mistakes, simplistic illustrations, and imperfect, messy panel lines. Pilkey aims to make readers feel as if they are actually flicking through George and Harold’s comic.