Peanut has its share of adult characters, who are usually unseen – like Linus’s favorite teacher and the object of his adoration, Miss Linus. Othmar. It is common for adult characters to have implicit dialogue and for the strip to only show the Peanut childish side of exchanges.
Miss Othmar is no different, with the comic focusing on Linus’ very devoted feelings for Miss Othmar or the different exchanges with the teacher, whether in person or even by letter. What makes Linus so in love with Miss? Othmar is only known for Peanut creator Charles Schulz (and Linus, of course), because readers never get to see her. Regardless, Linus’s strongly held feelings about her never show any signs of wavering. Whether Miss Othmar is married, on strike or fired, Linus goes all in on his adoration for Miss Othmar.
10
“I have the best teacher in the world”
October 5, 1959
Miss Othmar is first mentioned in this comic where Charlie Brown questions Linus about his new teacher. Being younger than Charlie Brown, Linus has a different teacher who he has very strong feelings for. Miss Othmar is new to Linus, and he immediately thinks she is the best teacher there ever was.
Linus thinks he has the best teacher in the world.
As can be seen in his enthusiasm about his teacher for Charlie Brown, Linus thinks he has the best teacher in the world and that the National Education Association should be proud to have produced such an exceptional teacher as Miss Othmar. No child likes a teacher as much as Linus likes Miss Othmar, with your appreciation for the teacher comes off the page from the beginning. Charlie Brown can’t identify himself, but that won’t stop his adoration of Linus.
9
“Either she’s a genius or she’s new at the job.”
October 6, 1959
Given Linus’s deep appreciation for Miss Othmar, he cannot remain silent about this. Much like how he will tell anyone who will listen about the Great Pumpkin, Linus tells almost everyone about how Miss. Othmar is a great teacher. Linus’ proclamations about his teacher reach Lucy, who Linus knows will probably not be very supportive.
He is right when Linus tells Lucy that his teacher understands him, only for Lucy to respond that to understand Linus, the teacher is a genius or very green in her work. Linus is a bit eccentric, so Lucy’s statement, rude as it may be, isn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility. Regardless, for a student to feel like their teacher understands them is the greatest compliment, then Miss Othmar is definitely on the right track.
8
“I never said I loved her”
October 8, 1959
Linus tends to be an all-in kid. He’s obsessed with something or doesn’t care enough to let it affect him. This obsessive personality trait bothers Lucy deeplyespecially when Linus goes overboard when talking about his teacher. She informs that there is a line between liking a teacher, which is good, and loving it a lot, which is not.
Linus does not accept worshiping Miss. Othmar, but can at least admit that he has strong feelings about the ground she walks on. This seems very close to worshiping the ground she walks on, but Linus won’t give Lucy the satisfaction of being right. Linus can be quite rational when he wants to be, acting like a pseudo-lawyer in defense of himself, much to Lucy’s chagrin.
7
“Who is Miss Othmar?”
October 15, 1959
Many adults, and even other children, have issues with Linus’ attachment to his security blanket. Linus usually goes to great lengths to keep his security blanket safe and close by, even with a myriad of naysayers who urge him to get rid of it or even try to hide it from him. Linus comes to a crossroads when his dear Miss Othmar, who he never stops talking about, always praising her, speaks out against the blankets.
She boldly tells the class that blankets are a sign of immaturity and something she would never tolerate. When Charlie Brown warns Linus about this he must make a choice between the teacher he adores and his precious blankethe doesn’t hesitate in choosing his blanket. It’s not even a competition for him, being Miss. Othmar just a distant memory.
6
“A box of eggshells”
February 6, 1960
When Linus’ class is tasked with bringing eggshells for a school project, he just can’t remember no matter what. Lucy can yell at him to remember, he can try to make a plan to keep the eggshells, but nothing seems to help him remember. In all fairness, bringing eggshells to class is not the easiest task and it’s on the weird side.
Finally, Linus remembers to pick up the eggshells and bring them to class – only to find that Ms. Othmar is not at school, because she is getting married and is going to drop out. However, his absence will not prevent Linus from giving Miss Othmar the requested eggshellsso he plans to give her a wedding gift. Unfortunately for Miss Othmar, Linus’s wedding present is a box of eggshells.
5
“In real life she is Miss Othmar”
September 2, 1961
After Miss Othmar gets married and receives Linus’ very thoughtful gift of eggshells, she sends him a letter to thank him, telling Linus that her new last name is Mrs. Hagemeyer. Although she initially stopped teaching after getting married, she returns some time later, becoming Linus’ teacher again. Although she now has her married name, which Linus is fully aware of, he is not prepared to accept it yet (or ever).
He considers Hagemeyer to be his married name, but for Linus, that is not “real life.” What is it “real life“Her name is Miss Othmar. For your own happiness, Linus chooses to live in his own version of realitywhich, of course, involves Miss Othmar keeping her maiden name and basically acting like she never got married.
4
“A Bowl of Rain”
February 25, 1969
Peanut gives a peek into the real world when a storyline sees the teachers at Charlie Brown and Linus’ school going on strike. However, Peanut makes a point of maintaining humor, with the strike’s plot focusing on Linus’ eternal adoration for Miss Othmar. When the strike starts, Linus praises how amazing she is.
Linus’s heart is in the right place, and he is incredibly thoughtful and kind for wanting to bring something to his teacher that will make her feel better.
Likewise, in the next strip, Linus thinks about Miss Othmar in the cold rain, so he goes to bring her a bowl of soup – this unfortunately turns into a rain bowl after being under a downpour. Linus’s heart is in the right place, and he is incredibly thoughtful and kind for wanting to bring something to his teacher that will make her feel better. It’s a shame that the execution of his kind gesture isn’t as exceptional.
3
“I think I figured it out”
March 4, 1969
After the teachers’ strike, Miss Othmar is fired, which is extremely upsetting for Linus. Linus does a lot to try and deal with disappointmentlike grabbing your security blanket and trying to write a letter of protest. To help calm down after Miss Othmar’s firing, Linus also talks to his friends about it, such as asking Snoopy for advice and talking about it with Charlie Brown, as seen in this strip.
After much deliberation, Linus decides that Miss Othmar must have been fired because she is perfectalthough Charlie Brown isn’t too keen on agreeing. Being perfect would be a unique reason to be fired, but Linus is unwilling to consider any other option that might cast a negative light on his beloved Miss. Othmar.
2
“A Certain Kind of Question”
September 11, 1973
After Miss Othmar is fired in a shocking and distressing turn of events for Linus, his discomfort doesn’t last forever, with Miss Othmar being hired on September 11, 1973. As seen in the strip, Miss Othmar has been back at school for some time now, if Linus and Charlie Brown’s usual attitude is anything to go by, especially now that they both have her as their teacher.
When Linus asks a perfectly reasonable question about whether he would be able to microwave a TV dinner in one of the cafeteria’s ovens, Miss Othmar doesn’t react well to the question, which seems to be a pattern. By keeping Miss Othmar’s reaction off the page, as well as the other adult characters, the reader can only guess at Miss Othmar’s exasperated reaction to Linus’ question at lunch.
1
“A strong believer in renunciation”
November 16, 1990
Snoopy loves many things, with eating at the top of the list. Snoopy’s appetite becomes a problem for Charlie Brown and Snoopy when Charlie Brown has to go back to school. Snoopy can’t eat as much, having to give up several of his many snacks. Miss Othmar is not the most understanding of what Charlie Brown is explaining, and a knowledgeable Linus testifies that Miss Othmar is actually a big proponent of renunciation.
Since Linus is the authority on all things Miss. Othmar, he would be the only one to know about your strong belief in resigning. Like most teachers, Miss Othmar knows how not to give in to children’s unrealistic expectations, as can be seen in this strip set in the classroom. Charlie Brown may not have gotten the feedback he wanted, but Linus is sure to side with his beloved teacher no matter what. Peanut strip.