Understanding Symbolism Through Bluey's "Sleepytime" | Video Essay

[@RoughestDrafts]

Howdy scholars. I was so grateful for the response to my last video, thank you so much. This video would've been out sooner, but I had to deal with a lot of copyright issues which ultimately led to the video as you're seeing it. As always, let me know your thoughts, and I'd love to hear what kind of videos you all would want to see in the future. Also, if there's anything I can improve, let me know! Take it easy!

[@skittlesman7410]

Amen

[@pocketraccoons]

I dont know if that's the case but I think Bandit at least partially is represented by Jupiter because the planet is a gas giant. I know this is pretty juvenile but I think it's funny how much that does actually fit looking at other Bluey episodes haha

[@vandanacasm]

I can't believe someone made a video, and such a detailed one, about this episode. I watched this with my 4 year old and felt so many emotions after it ended. Stayed with me for some time too.

[@skittlesman7410]

Amen

[@jaydoesillymusic]

​@@skittlesman7410?

[@juleslund1515]

How old is this? Didn't it just come out like a year or less ago?

[@olfactoryninja]

I first became aware of Bluey right when my daughter was born, which also happened right as Covid hit. I lost my job and spent almost 4 years as a stay at home dad. Bandit is someone I endlessly relate to and empathize with, and this episode makes me cry every single time. You so perfectly explained all my thoughts about the metaphors and symbolism at play better than even I could (and I'm a writer!).

[@mckenziepearmain]

i loved this whole video! the excerpt from the beginning stood out to me, where it was talking about symbolism. “seriously, what do YOU think it stands for, because that’s probably what it does. at least for you.” that ties in well with the points you were making about analysis in media and literature throughout and towards the end. life is about finding meaning in the things we are drawn to, and this will look different for everyone since we all have our own soul and mind and experiences. or, we don’t have to find meaning at all and simply just enjoy media in a passive way. the parallels of Jupiter and the Sun to parents/parenthood were really fascinating. Bandit as Jupiter, Chilli and the Sun, and Bingo as the Earth were so well thought out. Jupiter protects the Earth from most asteroids and other space material and deflects them because of its gravity/mass. The Sun can also protect the Earth in the sense of the warmth and light it radiates that helps sustain life. idk haha just cool stuff and i love the depth you went into for this. last thought: Bingo leaving floppy makes me cry EVERY TIME bc i love my stuffed animals and it was just so tender to see Bingo pass on her little stuffed animal companion and it really is such a beautiful imagery of childhood and UGH

[@coins8559]

i cried over this video three times in the same watch. just kind of processing what this meant. i vaguely remember watching this episode and i just thought it was kind of surreal, but i knew there was something else underneath the surface that i just didnt. watching this helped the gears start turning in my head. idk this is just some good shit. this makes me remember why i used to love language arts. its been a long time since ive been able to connect with that.

[@afdrifhearts4100]

My interpretation of Bingo emerging from the shattering Earth is that the stories Chilli read to her at bedtime were incorporated into Bingo's dream via imagery of her "hatching" from an Earth "egg". Sort of like how the movies we watch before going to sleep often influence our dreams, and similar to the game of Pop-Up Croc the family played before bed, and Bluey's conversation with Chilli about Bandit being unable to play touch football with his friends like he used to because he's "busy" working and looking after Bluey and Bingo factored into Bluey's dream about being a fruit bat in the episode of the same name. Bandit is Jupiter because it's the largest planetary body in the Solar System, and often thought of as Earth's protector, with its gravitational force said to prevent asteroids and other bodies from slamming into the little blue planet. He's safe and welcoming, and Bingo knows that she can rely on him for both fun playtimes and reassuring comfort. And, Chilli is the Sun for all of the reasons you so eloquently stated, but also due to her role as the voice of reason in the Heeler household, reining in the general chaos caused by Bandit and the girls' antics. She's warm and loving, and the source of life-giving light which all of the planets revolve around. This video was an excellently researched and thoroughly interesting watch. I would love to see a similar analysis on the themes present in "Flatpack"; a highly underrated episode that manages to cram profound messages about, in series creator and head writer, Joe Brumm's own words, "the meaning of life", and symbolic allusions to religion and evolution into just seven fantastic minutes of television.

[@hypermaniya]

omg, i watched two whole videos of yours without realizing how FREAKING underrated your channel is. you earned a subscriber, sir! you are very well spoken and your videos are very high quality. keep it up! ❤️

[@lizd.8655]

Your Shel Silverstein video came across my feed and I'm now in the process of watching all your content! I'm in awe of this show and it doesn't surprise me that the best episode is the one with minimal dialogue. That just demonstrates how good it is

[@JHop03]

I been thinking about this episode of bluey for 3 days straight.

[@theitalianalien8477]

shit i'm crying. Good video.

[@violetlife7607]

I haven’t watched bluey but this video made me want to

[@chelseaely2316]

Less than 600 views??? That’s crazy! I was going through the comments and was surprised to abruptly reach the end of them all. I haven’t watched Bluey, but know it is meant to be amazing for kids and adults alike, and I loved this analysis!!! This is only the second video I’ve watched from you (I watched the first earlier today) and was shocked to see you didn’t have many subscribers, I wish I could subscribe again after this vid too!

[@andocoolxd5158]

STELLAR ANALYSIS! Love how you went through every single detail to manufacture and link them into a conglomerate of data to emphatize your point and going truly in-depht to achieve it! This episode is indeed a Magnum Opus; EVERYTHING from the use of orchestal interpretation for the credits, to the paralelism between Bingo's dream and real life, Chilli being depicted as the sun symbolizing how her little planets [or little stars as she affectionally call them] (and husband) rely on her mere presence, the fact the episode started with a simple night routine for the family and developed into complexity as it progressed, the spectacular humor, the fact it represents a metaphor for both abandonment and fear of loss, Bingo adorably being finally able to sleep in her own bed (THEY GROW SO FAST), the now confirmed parallel for Chilli's miscarriage from Mercury being unhatched etc... A pair of bonus facts someone who had an interview with Joe posted in Reddit include originally there were going to be Greek deities floating around the solar system, the fact the sun was originally not going to represent Chilli but 'the universe' and the fact it was going to be voiced by Cate Blanchett!!! Again, MAGNIFICENT video, mate! Indeed, Bluey is a MASTERPIECE, for real life!

[@laragalc]

insightful analysis, I liked this one

[@joshuasgameplays9850]

That single Tumblr post about the blue curtains has single handedly ruined an entire generation's ability to analyze media.

[@UpintheAirft.Zurich]

Amazing video, great analysis of a piece of media that not a lot of people would think to take the time to go into depth with!

[@juleslund1515]

You always have the *BEST* theories to explore, the *BEST* questions to ask. I'm new here, so glad that I found you. You're the Coolest!

[@nothingnoone5732]

Bluey is one of my favorite kids shows, and growing up catholic I remember the song “O God beyond all praising” being my favorite because if the the sweeping music and the chorus of people swelling to keep up with the massive organ in my childhood mass. It was an added wave of nostalgia for a level of peacefulness as a child that I don’t know if I’ve experienced since I was that age. I don’t like the Catholic Church (hot take as a queer person, ik) but those old traditions and Latin choruses are still special to me since I went to a Roman Catholic school K-12.

[@pippinlovesbooks]

I watched this episode so I could have an emotional reaction on my own before the analysis and I cried watching the episode and then cried more watching this video

[@ZelphTheWebmancer]

I think the "Blue curtains" meme has some merit but the critic it's trying to make is off. (I will be talking about primarily about brazilian school system because it is what I know best). Thing is, even if teachers try their best to teach to think critically, and I have seen a lot of teachers try their best and have little to no real compensation, the system is made in a way that it doesn't matter if you learn critical thinking or not, as long as you told the right answers you pass. The student's first presented incentive isn't intrinsic, it's extrinsic, to get high enough grade to conclude that year, and despite teachers' best efforts (most of them anyway) the system itself isn't made for letting students become naturally interested in the subjects, it just cares if you got the number at least "this" high. This actually can decrease intrinsic motivation the student might had in the first place, or hinder the teacher's attempt at engaging the student's intrinsic motivation. I have seen extremely passionate teachers talk about literary work that actually engage me in their class but never felt the need to actually read the book because I would be reading to just get a grade, which I already could without reading it. Meanwhile, few years later I bought a book of my interest and read it in 2 days (usually I take a few weeks to read 200~300 pages) and another book, slightly bigger one, I read in less than a week a while after that. All of that was because I had interest in reading those so I was super engage with them. The "Blue curtains" meme misses the mark by thinking the problem is the english teacher or the english class, but I feel like the problem is more systemic. We should try to make classes draw from the intrinsic motivation of students, instead of relying on "You need to have a passing grade", which in Brazil it doesn't matter how high it is, as long as it's the average, you can conclude high school no problem, it only really matter in the exams to enter universities and universities themselves (somewhat), but at that point you had almost your entire life of "Average is enough". I have a much better time actually searching for videos that talk about the stuff I watch/read than I had in school, sure there is some part in the fact a youtube video is trying to be entertaining more than a class, but there is also part of I don't need a passing grade here, I can engage with fiction I have intrinsic interest in. Anyway, that is my TedTalk. Very good video, I'm glad I found this channel.

[@MrAcuriteOf1337]

"Jupiter" is a later corruption of "Jove Pater," Jove the Father, where you also see the same name used to refer to the same guy in expressions like "By Jove!". We also get, referring to the same guy, the word "Jovial," happy and lighthearted. The Roman Jupiter was very different in characterization compared to the Greek Zeus, given that the former loved empire and authority, while the latter is very much colored by writers like Ovid. "Jupiter, the bringer of Joviality" and the comparison to someone's loving dad are, therefore, entirely sensible.

[@clara6016]

Fantastic stuff, I love your style. Looking forward to new projects!

[@brak666]

Chilli as the sun and the terrestrial planets as eggs takes on even more symbolism since the fan theory that Chilli had suffered a miscarriage was confirmed. Bingo, her youngest child, hatches from the Earth, the third planet from the sun. Bingo flies toward the sun encountering the broken second planet, Venus from which her older sister Bluey has already hatched. Eventually she comes to the first planet from the sun, still intact. Mercury, the unhatched egg, the unborn child that still remains with its sisters in the light of its mother's love.

[@rhosymedra6628]

A simple mathematical approximation of our solar system as a binary system between Jupiter and the sun works about as well as the ideal gas law does for behaviour of gases, because Jupiter is just that big - and I think it also kind of fits here, where Jupiter and the Sun (Bandit and Chili) are the solar system, and Bingo and Bluey are smaller heavenly bodies transiting through the solar system.

[@joshuaclabeaux1470]

This is my favorite Bluey episode! I knew there was a lot to unpack in it and I think that's what makes it so great; it crams a lot of content into just 8 minutes. I recognized a lot of the same symbolism that you did. I thought I was the only one who took a stab at this, so I'm glad you did, too. By the way, thanks for Holst's Jupiter as the background music for this video. Of note, Jupiter starts playing in the episode when Bingo gets to Jupiter, and I knew exactly why.

[@ScrimmyBingus42]

I'm always grateful that a show like bluey not only exists, but is as widely popular as it is. There needs to be more soulful, intelligent, and beautiful kids media like bluey, not the overstimulation slop like cocomelon.

[@ConcreteAfterRain]

the actual episode didn't make me cry, but watching this immediately after did

[@ashwolf9155]

The Jupiter from the planets in the background genuinely freaked me out for a second because I’m playing that for band

[@aidansmith3821]

This made me reconsider what literary analysis even is. Thank you

[@screamingforever]

straight up weeping over this

[@josephbateman7742]

One thought, the sun/mom is the center of the system and the omnipresent force of attraction, light, and warmth. Jupiter/dad is the second most influential body of the system, and much like bandit, is in the middle of the planet's and influences them. I would also note that irl Jupiter tends to act as a protective force, shielding the inner planets from things like asteroids, like a father protecting his children.

[@ruthbarron625]

With music by Gustav Holst. Who also composed a tune for the Christmas Carol In The Bleak Midwinter. Based on a 19th century poem by Christina Rossetti.

[@Gnomageddon]

Hey you probably saw me on the Shel video, but here i am here i am again, this time, i feel like you hit the nail on the head with Sleepytime. This episode both my fiancé and myself love this episode, its what we and how we feel when it comes to raising our son, hes still little but we do our best to make sure hes loved and can sleep in his own bed.

[@raghugba863]

Amazing video. I don't have much to say, but I have to say that the section after 17:12 really resonates with me. So many times people don't realize it doesn't matter what the author "meant", but what the author's work makes you feel, how, and why.

[@_kaleido]

When we’re looking at the basic symbolisms of the episode, I think it’s worth mentioning that the planet Mars, which is between Earth (Bingo) and Jupiter (Bandit), remains unhatched. I think Chili and Bandit may have tried for another child after Bingo, but Chili suffered another miscarriage. That’s why they end up cleaning out the nursery and Bandit considers getting a sterilization in that one conversation with Fido, they don’t want to try again and risk more heartbreak.

[@miriamlevenson9430]

your thumbnail is genius.

[@cookiesandtea6442]

I discovered your channel today and I'm hooked! Every video I've watched is a banger! Sleepytime had me sobbing the first time I watched it, it's worthy of an analysis like this! Also that thumbnail is funny as fuck

[@honeykissinq]

you are an overly underrated channel.

[@randomspider725]

In astronomy, Jupiter represents strength and power, since it’s the biggest planet in the solar system. It also has many, many moons, which could symbolize someone with a support system or makes friends easily. This could mean that Bingo sees her father as a figure who is both powerful and friendly.

[@randomspider725]

Also, in the argument about authorial intent, I would say that it only matters if the author has any intent at all. Like, let’s say that an author wants a story to be about the importance of a mother. A good author would make that intent clear via the actions and symbolism of that story. A bad author would not put as much thought into these things and simply say, “this is what you should think”. It’s all about clarity. Does the average audience understand what you are trying to say? Would an uneducated viewer still come to the conclusion you want? Is there anything cultural or hyper-specific that would alter the delivery or understanding of the message? I believe that asking these questions would be more helpful from a literary standpoint rather than simply claiming “what the author intends doesn’t matter”. Not only would this show more appreciation towards authors who CAN deliver clear messages, but also help beginners understand their own craft more. “Do I want to say something? What do I want to say? How do I say it? How much does it mean to me that the audience understands my message? Would a person from a completely different background still get the same meaning?”

[@solarpunch333]

I love how this episode displays both Bandit and Chilli's different style of parenting. Bandit is the 'fun' parent who likes to use action - from him dragging Bluey to bed in the beginning, the dream sequence of Bingo and Bluey running on Jupiter, all the way to Bluey kicking him when he's sleeping on the floor. He is a giant play-magnet, and the kids first instinct when he's around is to engage in physical activities with him. Meanwhile, Chilli likes to use her words. She reads to Bingo in the beginning and her dialougue exchange with Bingo in the dream sequence is the only dialougue exchange thats in the dream sequence. But both these methods of parenting work and are necessary for children. Bandit's section has a larger, more obvious reaction from Chilli's, with Bluey and Bingo clearly giggling and having fun with him when compared Bingo's simple tail wag with Chilli. But what brings them both together is the use of Gustav Holst's Jupiter in both of their respective scenes. It shows us that even though they engage with their children differently, they still bring 'Jollity' to their kids. This was forshadowed in the beginning sequence where Bandit dragging Bluey to bed and Chilli reading to Bingo both help their kids sleep despite using different methods (though to be fair, I guess it's a bit dubious whether Bluey actually falls asleep or not) Also speeking of Bluey, I personally believe that Bluey is similar to Bingo where she struggles to sleep on her own. It's clear that she doesn't actually want a glass of water (as the glass of water is full at the end of the episode), but probably just wanted to interact with her mother. I don't think she actually really wants Bandit to sing to her either, and that she instead just wanted to be with her dad for a bit. Bluey probably doesn't want to admit that she can't sleep on her own, but she doesn't strive for independance like Bingo does, and that's ok. It shows us that people reach independance at different times, and thats alright! Can I just say that this video is amazing!! There is seriously so much to say about Sleepytime. Its one of the few episodes that goes over the usual 7-minute runtime of a Bluey episode and not a second of that is wasted. I love hearing different analysis' of the episode and this is my favourite one yet!

[@jellorbs495]

You're so underrated holy moly

[@ewetwentythree]

I have never watched this show, may or may not after the video. Just wanted to say the thumbnail is fucking awesome

[@Gibbon420]

Great video mate

[@alterajujutsu]

uh bingo is really funny but the ball crushing oh hoho R.I.P bandts balls

[@angel_of_rust]

it must be the TPAB, the Ok Computer of kids shows

[@itszaene1484]

peak fiction

[@aarosundvall]

Okay, but maybe the curtains were just fucking blue.

[@BiscuitGeoff]

The blue curtains makes me laugh. What book was this from? Find me the blue curtains book! Oh, it doesn’t exist. Straw man then.

[@poweradereal]

i am a starving child starving to death in zimbabwe and this is the last thing i will ever see

[@GEB_Rosee_PPS]

okay?

[@glass6582]

🎉

[@SHDW-nf2ki]

Of course the arts major thinks a show meant for literal toddlers is some kind of magnum opus lol

[@raghugba863]

Getting to 17:12 isn't that fucking hard. But I guess you straight up can't understand what the point of analyzing media is.

[@papabear5506]

@SHDW-nf2ki Target demographic for Bluey is 5-7 years. Toddlers are 1-3 years... Literally.

[@benf6822]

My man sitting here like a pizza cutter, all edge with no point.

[@November_Monday]

This video is bussin 😢don’t look at me tho! 🫣

[@stinkyrat2960]

Hi!! I am a relatively recent enjoyer of your videos, and I would love for you to create a podcast! It wouldn’t even HAVE to be new content, but just an uploaded audio from your videos on Spotify. As someone who is frequently on the go, and can’t afford youtube premium (to employ the feature of listening while my phone is off) it would be such a treat to be able to walk and listen to your opinions! Regardless if you make the podcast, I am loving your content, it’s amazing. Thanks!