Difference between revisions of "31: Barrel - Part 5"

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| date      = November 16, 2005
 
| date      = November 16, 2005
 
| title    = Barrel - Part 5
 
| title    = Barrel - Part 5
 +
| before    = <big><big><span class="plainlinks">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060529063505/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=20#:~:text=11%3A54%20am-,Barrel%20%2D%20Part%205,-The%20ferret%20got Original title</span>]: '''Barrel - Part 5'''</big></big>
 
| image    = barrel_part_5.jpg
 
| image    = barrel_part_5.jpg
| titletext = Too good not to happen.
+
| titletext = Too good not to happen.<br><br><span class="plainlinks">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060529063505/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=20#:~:text=11%3A54%20am-,Barrel%20%2D%20Part%205,-The%20ferret%20got Original caption</span>]: The [http://www.xkcd.com/ferret.html ferret] got to fly, in the end!
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
This gives a happy ending to the [[:Category:Barrel|Barrel series]]. The flying ferret is from [[20: Ferret]]. The humor is derived from the juxtaposition of two unlike elements - in this case, the contemplative and even dark nature of the Barrel series being resolved through the timely intervention of a comical flying mammal.
+
This was the thirty-third comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]]. The previous one was [[28: Elefino]], and the next one was [[32: Pillar]].
  
The series is probably inspired by the novella {{w|The Little Prince}} by {{w|Antoine de Saint-Exupéry}}. [[Randall]] is well known to be a fan of this book.
+
This gives a happy ending to the [[:Category:The Boy and his Barrel|The Boy and his Barrel series]], with the flying ferret from [[20: Ferret]]. The humor is derived from the juxtaposition of two unlike elements - in this case, the contemplative and even dark nature of the series being resolved through the timely intervention of a comical flying animal. The ferret could also be interpreted as a symbol of hope and following one's dreams, since in its original appearance, its powers of flight were just a dream. However, the dream becomes reality to save a child from an endless sea of hopelessness.
  
Somewhere between the release of the first ferret comic in October 2005 and the re-release of that comic (and all the other from [[LiveJournal]] in 2005) on New Year's Day 2006 on the new xkcd site, Randall's brother's ferret died - as given by the new RIP comment in the title text. The sad comment in the title text of [[25: Barrel - Part 4]] ":(" implying harm to the boy along with this RIP comment may imply that the boy has died and joined the ferret (in flying to Heaven). However, this line of reasoning only makes sense if the ferret actually died before the release of the Part 4 comic at the end of October and this comic, which were released in the middle of November 2005, 1½ month before the new title text were made public.
+
This is the last in a six-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first several dozen strips. The series features [[Barrel Boy]], a character that is different from what would quickly become the xkcd [[stick figure]] style. The full series can be found [[:Category:The Boy and his Barrel|here]]. After Randall released the full [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html The Boy and his Barrel] story on the site, it became clear that the original comic [[20: Ferret]] was also part of the series. The comics are listed in the order chosen by Randall:
 
 
This is the last in a six-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first several dozen strips. The series features a [[:Category:Barrel|character]] who is not consistent with what would quickly become the [[xkcd]] [[stick figure]] style. The character was in a barrel in part 1-3.
 
 
 
After Randall released the full [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html The Boy and his Barrel] story on xkcd it has been clear that the original [[Ferret]] story should also be included as part of the barrel series.
 
 
 
The full series can be found [[:Category:Barrel|here]]. But below they are listed in the order Randall has put them in his collection linked to above:
 
 
* [[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
 
* [[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
 
* [[20: Ferret]]
 
* [[20: Ferret]]
Line 25: Line 20:
 
* [[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
 
* [[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
 
* [[31: Barrel - Part 5]]
 
* [[31: Barrel - Part 5]]
 +
 +
The original caption included a link to [[20: Ferret]] the second comic in the series. The link is now defunct, but there's an [https://web.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html archived version].
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
:[Boy floating on piece of driftwood in ocean.]
+
:[A boy is grasping on to a piece of driftwood in an ocean.]
  
:[Zoomed out view of boy floating on piece of driftwood in ocean.]
+
:[A zoomed out view of the boy still grasping on to a piece of driftwood in the ocean.]
  
:[Ferret with airplane wings and tail above the ocean.]
+
:[A ferret with some airplane wings and an airplane tail flies above the ocean.]
  
:[The empty ocean.]
+
:[A shot of the ocean, now empty.]
  
:[Flying ferret carrying the boy to safety.]
+
:[The flying ferret is carrying the boy to safety.]
  
:[Ocean with ferret carrying boy in distance, sun on the horizon.]
+
:[The ferret carrying the boy is now in the distance with the sun on the horizon.]
  
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
*This was the 33rd comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]].
+
This is the last comic that kept its original title after being transferred to [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com].
**The previous was [[28: Elefino]].
 
**The next was [[32: Pillar]].
 
*This comic kept its original title: "Barrel - Part 5"
 
**The first since [[16: Monty Python -- Enough]]  (called "Support Surreal Humor" originally) that had a title without mentioning the week day.
 
**Also the last until the comics began being released also on xkcd (the second of these [[46: Secrets]], nine comics later).
 
*Original [[Randall]] quote: "The [[Ferret|ferret]] got to fly, in the end!"
 
**The link took the reader to the first ferret comic.
 
*This comic was posted on [[xkcd]] when the web site opened on Sunday the 1st of January 2006.
 
**It was posted along [[:Category:First day on xkcd|with all 41 comics]] posted before that on LiveJournal as well as a few others.
 
**The latter explaining why the numbers of these 41 LiveJournal comics ranges from 1-44.
 
*One of the original drawings drawn on [[:Category:Checkered paper|checkered paper]].
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
  
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal| 33]]
+
[[Category:Posted on LiveJournal| 33]]
[[Category:First day on xkcd]]
+
[[Category:First day on xkcd.com]]
 
[[Category:Checkered paper]]
 
[[Category:Checkered paper]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Barrel|06]]
+
[[Category:The Boy and his Barrel|06]]
 
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Barrel 06]]
 
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Barrel 06]]
[[Category:Ferret]]
+
[[Category:Ferrets]]
 +
[[Category:Comics featuring Barrel Boy]]

Latest revision as of 07:53, 31 August 2023

Barrel - Part 5
Original title: Barrel - Part 5
Too good not to happen.Original caption: The ferret got to fly, in the end!
Title text: Too good not to happen.

Original caption: The ferret got to fly, in the end!

Explanation[edit]

This was the thirty-third comic originally posted to LiveJournal. The previous one was 28: Elefino, and the next one was 32: Pillar.

This gives a happy ending to the The Boy and his Barrel series, with the flying ferret from 20: Ferret. The humor is derived from the juxtaposition of two unlike elements - in this case, the contemplative and even dark nature of the series being resolved through the timely intervention of a comical flying animal. The ferret could also be interpreted as a symbol of hope and following one's dreams, since in its original appearance, its powers of flight were just a dream. However, the dream becomes reality to save a child from an endless sea of hopelessness.

This is the last in a six-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first several dozen strips. The series features Barrel Boy, a character that is different from what would quickly become the xkcd stick figure style. The full series can be found here. After Randall released the full The Boy and his Barrel story on the site, it became clear that the original comic 20: Ferret was also part of the series. The comics are listed in the order chosen by Randall:

The original caption included a link to 20: Ferret the second comic in the series. The link is now defunct, but there's an archived version.

Transcript[edit]

[A boy is grasping on to a piece of driftwood in an ocean.]
[A zoomed out view of the boy still grasping on to a piece of driftwood in the ocean.]
[A ferret with some airplane wings and an airplane tail flies above the ocean.]
[A shot of the ocean, now empty.]
[The flying ferret is carrying the boy to safety.]
[The ferret carrying the boy is now in the distance with the sun on the horizon.]

Trivia[edit]

This is the last comic that kept its original title after being transferred to xkcd.com.


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Discussion

this series feels like a homage to "The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry". the sketches have the same - quality ( for want of a better word) Arjunsharma (talk) 07:52, 25 March 2013 (UTC)jun

This was also my first thought today when I did look at this comic again. Maybe the Barrel is just the Meteor from "The Little Prince".--Dgbrt (talk) 21:50, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

I have to wonder if the flying ferret has anything to do with Richard Bach, a noted aviation author who published a series of flying books called "The Ferret Chronicles" in 2002-2003? --144.92.241.6 21:56, 28 October 2013 (UTC)

Should the last trivium be put in the explanation section? 0100011101100001011011010110010101011010011011110110111001100101 (talk page) 04:38, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

Last panel reminiscent of http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/4 141.101.81.87 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)