Charlie Brown is one of the standout characters from the Peanuts comics. Alongside Snoopy, he quickly became the face of the franchise, having starred in numerous specials, TV shows, and movies. He continues representing the franchise today, a quarter-century after Charles M. Schulz’s comic ended.
Despite enjoying a firm place in his friend group, Charlie Brown never enjoyed much confidence. He spent nearly every waking hour stressing over his place in the world. Unfortunately for the young star, he rarely found much comfort in the night. Even when trying to sleep, Charlie Brown is often awoken by new chaos.
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10
Charlie Brown Makes Snoopy Less Alone
Published on February 18, 1990
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Night can be a lonely time for any young boy. A long evening can be terrifying in an enormous bed that is easily big enough for two. Understandably, Charlie Brown has always been afraid of being alone at night. Knowing that, it’s only natural that he would seek out a companion.
As Snoopy’s owner, Charlie Brown can always rely on the presence of a loyal friend. The February 18, 1990 strip saw him take full advantage. When Snoopy wakes him in the night, Charlie Brown immediately projects his loneliness on the beagle. He offers a full-scale monologue, deeply empathizing with Snoopy, only to find that the beagle wants nothing more than a cookie. It’s a sad ending but still very funny.
9
Snoopy Wants a Midnight Snack
Published on February 5, 1967
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Snoopy has never been an especially good friend in the dead of night. After all, he may be brilliant, but he is still just a dog. Charlie Brown can easily fall asleep, but his beagle has an ever-active stomach. Naturally, on February 5, 1967, Snoopy woke his owner to beg for food. He was quickly refused by an indignant owner.
The punchline comes when Charlie Brown offers Snoopy a snack in the morning. The once-eager dog refuses it, as his “stomach’s asleep.” It’s an ironic turn that makes Snoopy more of a cat than a dog. He may enjoy writing in the mornings, but Snoopy is far more nocturnal than Charlie Brown.
8
Peppermint Patty Wakes Charlie Brown
Published on August 26, 1994
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Snoopy isn’t the only one who annoys Charlie Brown at night. Whenever he manages to fall asleep, Peppermint Patty makes sure to give him a call. While she is often viewed as one of Peanuts‘ meanest characters, her relationship with Charlie Brown is genuinely adorable. Unfortunately, that could not save her from a disappointing call. Though she woke Charlie Brown, he quickly fell back asleep and left Snoopy to answer for him.
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The strip shows just how disinterested Charlie Brown is in a relationship with Peppermint Patty, but it also shows Snoopy’s interest. Unlike his master, who can fall asleep easily, Snoopy gives a rare vocalization. It’s a sweet moment, as he offers her the “kind word” she wanted, but imagining Peppermint Patty’s inevitable anger is still funny.
7
Charlie Brown Knows the Meaning of Life
Published on February 9, 1975
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While rare, Snoopy doesn’t always wake Charlie Brown in search of food. Sometimes, he legitimately needs his master’s help. In a strip filled with some of Peanuts‘ best quotes, the beagle woke Charlie Brown in a desperate attempt to find the meaning of life.
Somehow, Charlie Brown immediately understood what his dog wanted from him. Unfortunately, he was not especially interested in helping. It’s hilarious to see Charlie Brown snapping at Snoopy for begging for food in the one instance in which Snoopy didn’t even think about it. His reputation, unfortunately, preceded him.
6
Snoopy Wakes Charlie Brown Again
Published on December 1, 1968
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There is no escape from Snoopy’s incessant kicks. Even in 1968, he was more than willing to nap during the day and intrude on Charlie Brown’s sleep at night. However, the adorable aspect of this strip is that Snoopy wholeheartedly believes he is doing the right thing.
From the bottom of his heart, Snoopy believes that he is saving Charlie Brown from losing the sun. It’s odd that Charlie Brown would leave his dog out in the snow, but even that cannot save this from being an adorable Snoopy strip. While Charlie Brown may be a star, Snoopy’s adorable response overshadows even him.
5
Charlie Brown Reassures Snoopy in the Night
Published on July 18, 1993
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Charlie Brown is not always the villain at night, of course. In an absolutely adorable Peanuts strip, Snoopy runs to meet Charlie Brown. Snoopy never offers a thought bubble, but Charlie Brown understands his concerns. He hugs him, kisses him, and promises that “the flood waters will recede.” It’s an extremely sweet little comic.
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Of course, Charlie Brown ends this Sunday strip with a punchline. While he may have been the perfect person to reassure a terrified Snoopy, he had no one to comfort him. It’s easy to picture him crawling out of bed and hugging Snoopy again, only to drag him back to their shared bed.
4
Snoopy Wakes His Neighbors While Typing
Published on September 22, 1974
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Friends and beagles aren’t the only ones who wake Charlie Brown at night. He also sometimes finds himself awoken by phone calls from adults. The adults are not shown, but Charlie Brown is still quick to act when his dog’s typing wakes his neighbors.
It’s funny to imagine the thought process of the neighbors. They are woken in the middle of the night by a dog typing. Infuriated, they call their neighbors, only to get through to an apologetic eight-year-old. Sally and Charlie Brown may have been quick to answer the phone, but their parents were not interested in disciplining their verbose dog.
3
Snoopy Wakes Charlie Brown By Moving
Published on September 11, 1966
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It’s always adorable whenever Charlie Brown and Snoopy share the bed, especially since the beagle loves using the pillow and blanket. It only gets better when he puts on pajamas to prepare for bed. In every way, the September 11, 1966, Sunday strip is nothing short of downright charming.
Anyone can relate to Snoopy’s inability to get comfortable. Similarly, anyone with a pet can also likely relate to Charlie Brown’s confusion when he wakes up to find Snoopy in the most bizarre sleeping position possible. The punchline is hilarious, but it’s also a very understandable strip with a new joke in every panel.
2
Sally Wakes Charlie Brown About a Snowman
Published on December 27, 1987
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Children often look to their older siblings for support, and there is no better time than in the dead of night. While Charlie Brown was able to sleep soundly, he was quickly woken by his little sister. Sally was terrified of the snowman outside, and her terror led to a horrifying night for Snoopy.
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Charlie Brown attempted to throw the snowman’s head away, and it utterly haunted poor Snoopy. With no way to know that such a terrifying sight would be coming his way, he spent the rest of the night shaking. Instead of a relaxing night’s sleep, poor Charlie Brown was left seeking a veterinarian’s help in the dead of the night. So much for rest.
1
Snoopy Lets Out an Anguished Cry
Published on October 9, 1966
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Most of the time, Charlie Brown wakes up because of a crisis. Snoopy is hungry, Sally is scared, or someone calls for reassurance. Sometimes, however, he wakes in the middle of the night because he has no luck. The October 9, 1966 strip was one of those incidents.
After Charlie Brown had fallen asleep, Snoopy decided to daydream about life as a pilot. After the Red Baron likely shot down his plane, he let out a devastating cry of anguish that launched his master back into the land of the living. It’s an utterly hilarious concept, and it may very well explain why dogs howl at night. Still, Charlie Brown really should have taken off Snoopy’s aviator hat before bed.
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Peanuts
Charlie Brown, an everyman plagued by self-doubt, navigates life’s challenges with his loyal dog Snoopy and friends like the bossy Lucy, philosophical Linus, and talented pianist Schroeder. Through everyday adventures and heartfelt moments, the series explores themes of friendship, resilience, and the simple joys of childhood.
- Writer
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Charles M. Schulz
- Publisher
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United Feature Syndicate
- Artist
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Charles M. Schulz