Yes, I’m talking about the Franklin radio drama yet again. I realize that I spoke sloppily last time when I said that I could not vouch for the accuracy of the conversations that took place. That’s acting as if they were supposed to be accurate.

This radio piece was supposed to be a dramatization, not a recreation. As with almost any dramatic biography, factual accuracy is not the primary goal – “truth” is the goal, and one uses dramatic tools to make that truth clear.

Most of Schulz’s decision making process was likely internal, not in conversations with people, but by giving him people to talk about it with, the internal is made external, and visible to the audience. If you listened to it already, you’ve heard the conversation between Schulz and fellow cartoonists Allen Saunders and Morrie Turner. Now, have you ever seen an old movie where a character is making a decision, and a little devil appears over one shoulder encouraging him down the darker path, then an angel appears over the other shoulder, pushing for the more righteous choice? That’s exactly what this scene is. Allen is pressing for Schulz to take the safe route, while Turner recommends the more righteous path.

The more I think about the show, the happier I am with it.

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