Empty Nested and Non-Traditional: Goofy’s College Journey

As a millennial with fond memories of morning and afterschool cartoons, one show that fondly stands out was Disney’s Goof Troop. The show chronicled the adventures of G.G. Goof, better known as Goofy, and his son Max, a unique story for its time in that this was a cartoon that depicted a single parent raising their son, even more uniquely a single dad raising their son. A narrative that was not often seen, especially in a children’s cartoon. The success of the series led to two films, A Goofy Movie, and An Extremely Goofy Movie. Both were cult classics, but for this narrative, I want to focus on An Extremely Goofy Movie as it follows both Goofy and Max as they embark upon college.

The Empty Nested Parent

Goofy’s role and identity as a parent are pillars of his character. He loves his son dearly and often has issues with the fact that he has grown into a young adult. Goofy’s traditions of putting Max to bed, giving him his stuffed animal at night, and making breakfast were challenging to remove from his regime of care. At a celebratory college send-off cookout, Max expresses his discontent with his neighbor and friend PJ as he states that he is ready to leave his dad and go to college. PJ wants some of what Max has in a parent, as his dad is eager to get PJ out of the house. To avoid his dad’s sentimentality, he eagerly leaves home with his friends as soon as he can, using the excuse that he does not want to be late for freshman orientation. Goofy’s empty nest syndrome leaves him in a bit of a fog and results in the onset of an identity crisis similar to what is shared in this piece in Insider about empty-nested parents.

Ah Hyuck’d Up!

Goofy, a longtime employee of the Beekins Toy Factory, is in a moment of distraction, relishing in memories of Max as a child and how much he will miss him. Goofy is known as a loveable yet klutzy character and often has mishaps that are brushed away. This time, he ignores the assembly line, which causes a massive disaster at the factory, resulting in his immediate firing from his employer.

As Max hits campus, he catches the attention of the Gamma Mu Mu fraternity, simply known as the Gammas leader and president Bradley Uppercrust, III, whose sights were to recruit Max to their X Games Team based on his skateboarding prowess. Ironically, this story arc sounds very familiar and immediately puts me in the mind of Monster’s University and Sully’s encounter with RΩR. There is truly something to the notion that Disney has a formula or cadence to stories that create Disney Magic. Nonetheless, this movie appeared to do it first among these animated films.

From UnderDog to UnderGraduate

An impactful scene is when Goofy is at the unemployment office. Before he can share his skills and experiences, he is cut short by an employment counselor who shares that she would only be able to find him a job with a college degree as the jobs they help place individuals into require a degree as a minimum requirement.

Goofy cites that he completed three years of college in the 70’s but did not complete his studies. Feeling discouraged by his age, Goofy states that it’s too late for him to go back to college, and the counselor’s reply is, “It’s never too late.” He enrolls in the same college that Max attends with the hopes that he can earn a degree while being close to his son.?

Other than embarrassing Max with his antics and references to 70s culture, Goofy eagerly dives right into college life as a nontraditional student. Upon his arrival, the Gammas shift their attention to Goofy and initiate him into the fraternity. Ultimately, it is exposed that Goofy’s membership was a ploy to irritate Max and to pull at the heartstrings of the student body, viewing Goofy as a charity case and not a valuable member of the organization.

Belonging & Self Doubt

After a bout with imposter syndrome, Goofy begins to feel like he doesn’t belong in college, and he even confides in his neighbor Pete, who discourages Goofy’s ambitions and states that he doesn’t need it (college) and that he is fine without his degree. Pete even ridicules college by making a joke about how there is no need to know formulas and theories as long as you know the basics.

Rather than become consumed by Pete’s argument, Goofy realizes that he ignored a valuable factor in his college-going process and his focus on himself. Being consumed with Max and everything else around him, he lost sight of who he was going to college for, and that was for himself.?

Going back to college and earning a degree would afford him the opportunity to embark upon a new career. By completing college, he can set an example for Max and become what can be presumed as a first-gen college student since little to nothing is known about Goofy’s family and educational history.

Unrivaled Focus

In an effort to distance himself from Max as much as possible, Goofy befriends librarian, Sylvia Marpole based on their age and similar interests. She evolves into a love interest for Goofy but also takes on the role of academic support as Goofy looks to get his grades up. She tutored Goofy and served as something like an unofficial academic coach, helping him to carve out more time to study and providing motivational support.?

I relate to this, as partnering with the right people can have an impact on positive academic behaviors in college. For example, my grades went up when I began dating my girlfriend, now my wife. She too had intense focus and although I could not mirror all of her practices and strategies. I did mirror some practices, mainly time on task, which increased my productivity and outputs (better grades). Having a guide whether they are a professional, friend, or companion helps regarding one’s academic accountability.

Oh “Gawrsh” (Gosh), a Graduate!

The movie’s ending shows Goofy graduating from college, and Max is beaming with pride regarding his father’s accomplishment. Although humorous, Goofy shows the highlights of what a nontraditional student experience can look like with the layer of being a parent. The moments of self-doubt, the need to find connection, and embarking on a new journey are prevalent themes in this film. These college narratives are inspiring and often provide normalcy at institutions where students can feel like the other based on their differences, lived experiences, and circumstances. From the working parent, to the adult learner looking to change careers, there are so many narratives out there like the ones from Rasmussen University that empower and show that college is and should continue to be a place where all students should be able to thrive and succeed.

James K. Winfield, EdD is a #popculture enthusiast, #highered administrator and instructor who is passionate about #equity, access, and #success. He can be followed via Twitter @jwinfield4