History WesternAnimation / WhyCharlieBrownWhy

* GrewASpine: Linus not only learns to stand up to his domineering sister but also to a classmate who was bullying Janice at the playground.

** Following Linus's visit to the hospital and him calling out Lucy, we get a cute scene of Snoopy taking Woodstock and his friends sledding, probably to give the viewer a breather.

* GreenEyedMonster: Downplayed with Janice's sisters; they reveal to Linus that since she got sick, they've received fewer presents or attention from their family, although they do understand why that's happening. When Linus lets them vent, and tells them they really do care about their sister, they do take time to appreciate her pile of presents knowing how happy she'll be.
** Surprisingly, there's no jealousy on Sally's part in this special, even though her "Sweet Babboo" clearly fancies Janice instead of her.
* HarmfulToMinors: A sobering case because it's all too realistic. A little girl in your class becomes sick for no reason, and develops a potentially incurable disease. The special was made when modern chemotherapy (which was as close to a "miracle cure" for leukemia as you could get) was just coming out of its infancy and into wide circulation[[note]]a significant part of the point of the special was to encourage ''parents'' who might otherwise hesitate to subject their child to the harshness of chemotherapy to go for it[[/note]]; up until the 1950s-60s, childhood-onset leukemia was a death sentence, as afflicted children would simply bleed to death from the lack of platelets. Charlie Brown and Linus demonstrate this fear best:

* NotAfraidOfYouAnymore: Linus does this upon Lucy discovering he was visiting Janice, and had checked her forehead for a fever. Since Linus knew he can't catch cancer like a cold, he yells at his normally bully of a sister for her remarks. Linus goes as far as standing up against a schoolyard bully for making fun of Janice's baldness, a side-effect of chemotherapy.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Linus, all the way! You know he's way out of character when he finds it in himself to actually yell at Lucy, a person who usually intimidates him with her fists, and verbally tearing a bully apart for mocking Janice's condition. He's also not seen with his blanket at all! Not even '''once'''. In fact, the latter was even a deliberate choice BY Schulz to emphasize the seriousness of the subject matter.

* AnAesop:
** Bad things happen to everyone and there isn't really an answer for it. However, that doesn't mean you should give up hope.
** Even in the toughest of times and changes, it is important to stay positive and live life to the fullest.
** A more minor one, regarding Janice's baldness: Don't pick on someone who looks different. You never know what they're going through.

First aired on Creator/{{CBS}} (and in Canada on Creator/{{CBC}}) in 1990, this ''Franchise/{{Peanuts}}'' special (the 33rd overall) is notable as the first animated cartoon to tackle the subject of cancer. Sadly, ''Peanuts'' creator Charles Schulz would lose his own battle with the disease a decade later, but his approach to the topic was a brave move and has been celebrated and replayed for decades.

* AdvertisedExtra: Janice appeared in this special and this special alone, but also appears in various postcards, puzzles and get-well cards. She's also appeared as a non-speaking background character in contemporary productions of ''Theater/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown''.

* AdvertisedExtra: Janice appeared in this special and this special alone, but also appears in various postcards, puzzles and get-well cards.

First aired on Creator/{{CBS}} in 1990, this ''Franchise/{{Peanuts}}'' special (the 33rd overall) is notable as the first animated cartoon to tackle the subject of cancer. Sadly, ''Peanuts'' creator Charles Schulz would lose his own battle with the disease a decade later, but his approach to the topic was a brave move and has been celebrated and replayed for decades.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Janice is a CanonForeigner that happens to be friends with Linus, Charlie Brown and Sally.

* AdvertisedExtra: Janice appeared in this special and this special alone, but also appears in various postcards, puzzles and even get-well cards.

* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: Very notable.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Linus, all the way! You know he's way out of character when he finds it in himself to actually yell at Lucy, a person who usually intimidates him with her fists, not to mention verbally tearing a bully apart for mocking Janice's condition. What's also notable is that he's not seen with his blanket at all! Not even '''once'''. In fact, the latter was even a deliberate choice BY Schulz to emphasize the seriousness of the subject matter.

* TheTopicOfCancer: The special is notably the first animated cartoon to tackle the subject of cancer, and the subject is treated with appropriate seriousness.

* VerySpecialEpisode: An extremely notable example -- this special was the first to address cancer in an animated format, at least in the English language. A great many of the Very Special Episodes about illness and whatnot in the [=90s=] and beyond were attempting to copy this special and achieve the same impact it had (and said impact was significant).

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: As Janice describes her treatment, Charlie Brown reacts viscerally to her describing them taking samples of her blood and bone marrow and asks her if it hurt.

* NeverSayDie: Probably one of the biggest, most notable aversions in modern children's programming; the special makes absolutely no bones about the fact that Janice's condition is life-threatening and is willing to discuss it at length. Charlie Brown even famously comes right out and asks Janice if she's going to die from her illness. It's also one of the elements that makes the special as effective as it is.

* BerserkButton: The normally weak Linus finds the courage in himself to defend Janice from Lucy and a bully when they mock her, yelling at the former and almost getting into a fight with the latter. He previously scolded Charlie Brown for asking Janice if she was going to die, although Janice assured him it was okay.

* AdultFear: A little girl in your class becomes sick for no reason, and develops a potentially incurable disease. The special was made when modern chemotherapy (which was as close to a "miracle cure" for leukemia as you could get) was just coming out of its infancy and into wide circulation[[note]]a significant part of the point of the special was to encourage ''parents'' who might otherwise hesitate to subject their child to the harshness of chemotherapy to go for it[[/note]]; up until the 1950s-60s, childhood-onset leukemia was a death sentence, as afflicted children would simply bleed to death from the lack of platelets. Charlie Brown and Linus demonstrate this fear best:
** Charlie Brown says that cancer sounds scary and asks, "Are you going to die?"
** Linus does the TitleDrop because he cannot find an answer for why someone he likes, and who has done nothing to deserve it, is struck at random with cancer. The special is about him being the depressed one for once, and realizing that there is not an answer for everything.
** Janice's sisters bear the emotional burden of watching their sister go through painful treatments while being accidentally neglected in turn. After venting to Linus, they manage to say that Janice's pile of presents looks nice.

* LittlestCancerPatient: Janice Emmons.

** Subverted in one case; Linus calls out Charlie Brown for asking Janice [[AdultFear "Are you going to die?"]] but Janice says it's okay, since she asked her doctors the same question. She then proceeds to explain to them about the process of her treatment.

On an autumn day, Linus notices his classmate Janice is getting a lot of bruises and feeling tired, so he convinces her to see the nurse. When he learns about Janice and her cancer diagnosis, Linus starts to go through a change. As Janice's treatment for cancer progresses, the seasons changes to symbolize this, and Linus becomes stronger for being emotionally affected by the issues, even going as far as to [[TookALevelInBadass chew out Lucy and a schoolyard bully]] for their picking on Janice.

* CanonForeigner: Janice Emmons, who was invented specifically for this special (though apparently [[RememberTheNewGuy Charlie Brown, Linus, and Sally already knew her]]). She didn't end up integrated into the wider ''Peanuts'' cast, [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter to the frustration of some]].

** Bad things happen to everyone and there is not really an answer for it. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up hope.

* BaldnessMeansSickness: Janice becomes bald after getting chemotherapy. Though she wears a hat to hide it, it eventually gets knocked off to reveal that she's gone bald, and she breaks down in tears when a boy bullies her because of it.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: A bully removes Janice's hat, which covered her baldness, and then loudly mocking her baldness until she cried. Linus then proceeds to verbally destroy him.
* CanonForeigner: Janice Emmons, who was invented specifically for this special (though apparently [[RememberTheNewGuy Charlie Brown, Linus, and Sally already knew her]]). She didn't end up integrated into the wider ''Peanuts'' cast, to the frustration of some.

* KickTheDog: The bully does this to Janice by tossing away her hat and announcing loudly that she's bald. [[RageBreakingPoint He ends up paying for it]].

* NotAfraidOfYouAnymore: Linus does this upon Lucy discovering he was visiting Janice, and had checked her forehead for a fever. Since Linus knew he can't catch cancer like a cold, he yells at his normally bully of a sister for her remarks. Linus goes as far as standing up against a school yard bully for making fun of Janice's baldness, a side-effect of chemotherapy.

* VerySpecialEpisode: An extremely notable example - this special was the first to address cancer in an animated format, at least in the English language. A great many of the Very Special Episodes about illness and whatnot in the [=90s=] and beyond were attempting to copy this special and achieve the same impact it had (and said impact was significant).

** Played straight when Lucy freaks out on Linus touching Janice to check for a fever, worried that he'll pass on "cancer germs" to Lucy. Linus first tries to calmly explain to Lucy that you can't catch cancer the way that you have a cold, but she won't listen and orders him to take away the glass of milk he just brought her. Linus [[TranquilFury refuses]], because he doesn't want to [[IronicEcho catch her crabbiness]].

** Bad things happen to everyone and there is not really an answer for it. However, that doesn’t mean you should be give up hope.

First aired on Creator/{{CBS}} in 1990, this ''Franchise/{{Peanuts}}'' special (the 33rd overall) is notable as the first animated cartoon to tackle the subject of cancer. Sadly, ''Peanuts'' creator Charles Schulz [[HarsherInHindsight would lose his own battle with the disease a decade later]], but his approach to the topic was a brave move and has been celebrated and replayed for decades.

* BaldWoman: Janice becomes one after getting chemotherapy. Though she wears a hat to hide it, it eventually gets knocked off to reveal that she's gone bald, and she breaks down in tears when a boy bullies her because of it.