Monday Hatred

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In the universe of Garfield, Monday represents the intrusion of responsibility into a life dedicated to sleeping and eating. The character is explicitly noted for his hatred of Mondays, alongside other dislikes like exercise, the vet, and Nermal. This aversion serves as a primary counterpoint to his love of lasagna, pizza, coffee, and napping. The dynamic creates a sharp contrast with Jon Arbuckle, who must face the workweek, while Garfield treats Monday as an enemy combatant.

In Their Own Story

The arrival of Monday morning triggers an immediate shift in Garfield's demeanor. As a cat defined by his love for sleeping and food, the start of the week disrupts his hedonistic routine. The source notes he hates Mondays explicitly, often using this sentiment to justify his refusal to engage in any activity that requires effort. Whether it is avoiding exercise or complaining about the day itself, Garfield's reaction is a blend of cynicism and self-absorption. His hatred is so strong it overshadows other activities; even his love for lasagna sometimes takes a backseat to the sheer annoyance of Monday's presence.

Reader's Guide

To understand Garfield's Monday hatred, one must recognize it as an intrinsic part of his character design by Jim Davis. It is listed alongside his specific loves (lasagna, pizza) and hates (Mondays, Nermal, the vet). This trait has remained consistent since the strip's debut on June 19, 1978. The humor often relies on Garfield's exaggerated cynicism regarding the day, using it as a punchline or a motivation for his laziness. Fans can expect this theme to appear regularly, serving as a reliable anchor for the character's personality across decades of comics.

Did You Know?

• Garfield's first comic strip was published on June 19, 1978, but his exact birth year is not explicitly stated in the strip.
• The character's name comes from Jim Davis's grandfather, James Garfield Davis.
• Jim Davis credited the animators of the television specials with redesigning Garfield to stand on two legs for better animation.
• On October 27, 1979, it was revealed in a strip that Garfield does not like raisins.
• In 2005, Garfield and Jon appeared in Blondie comic strips to honor the latter's 75th anniversary.

Origins and Early History

Garfield was born on June 19, 1978, in the kitchen of Mamma Leoni's Italian Restaurant, the same day the first strip was published. Created by Jim Davis, who named him after his grandfather James Garfield Davis, the cat developed a taste for lasagna as a kitten. Due to his large appetite, the restaurant owner sold him to a pet shop, from where Jon Arbuckle adopted him on August 19, 1978. Early strips revealed specific dislikes, such as raisins (October 27, 1979), and habits like using a sandbox in 1978. His adventures include getting stuck in roll-up shades, sparring with mice, and being locked in animal shelters.

Personality and Visual Evolution

Garfield is portrayed as lazy, fat, cynical, and self-absorbed. He loves lasagna, pizza, coffee, and sleeping, while hating Mondays, Nermal, the vet, and exercise. His physical appearance has evolved; originally obese with small features requiring him to stand on all fours, he was redesigned by Charles M. Schulz to stand on hind legs for easier animation. As newspaper pages shrank, Davis enlarged his eyes and facial features. In February 2017, a debate arose about his gender; while Jim Davis initially stated Garfield is universal and not strictly male or female (2014), he later clarified that Garfield is indeed male.

Voice Actors and Media Presence

Garfield has been voiced by Scott Beach (1980), Lorenzo Music (1982–2001), Lou Rawls (1982–1991, singing), Tom Smothers (1991 commercials), Bill Murray (2004–2006 films), Jeff Bergman (2004), and Jon Barnard (2004–2021). Frank Welker has voiced him from 2007 to the present in shows and games like The Garfield Show and Nickelodeon Kart Racers. Chris Pratt took over for the 2024 movie. Since the 1990s, he has been a mascot at Kennywood amusement park, where the ride 'Garfield's Nightmare' was created with Jim Davis's exclusive input.

Crossovers and Cultural Debates

In 2003, for his 25th anniversary, strips featured Garfield interacting with his 1978 version. In 2005, he appeared in Blondie strips for their 75th anniversary, following a crossover on April 1, 1997. A 2017 Wikipedia talk page dispute regarding his gender arose from Jim Davis's 2014 comments about the character being universal, though Davis later confirmed Garfield is male. Unofficial material has featured voices like Fred Tatasciore (Robot Chicken), Seth Green (Robot Chicken), Kevin Shinick (Mad), and Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons).