Thoughts on Cantus

[CensoredAlso]

It's ok, I think it's easy to dismis Cantus as nonsense, because he's so far beyond the normal Fraggle's (and human's) way of thinking. Plus, he doesn't want Fraggles to take life TOO seriously, it's important to enjoy life.

And he knows it's important for Fraggles to figure lessons out for themselves, rather than him making everything neat and obvious for them.

Like when he says, "She has a long way to go, though the journey is short." The answer is right in front of you, but you must go through the whole process of figuring it out yourself, even if it takes a long time.

 

[superboober]

You have to wonder who influenced him to become who he is. An episode looking back at his formative years may have been interesting to watch.

Cantus is perhaps most representative of the Jim Henson I envisioned growing up in the 80s: an ominpresent force who knew more than anyone (but never got arrogant about it) and who basically could do no wrong.

 

[Saironi]

Bren brings an interesting subject to add to this; Cantus looks especially ancient and mystical because his body seems covered in orange fur. Where this could lead some to think of him as a hippie, I think perhaps he's lived longer than anyone else and could be an ancient breed of Fraggle. Perhaps when the Fraggles began to grow hair and laughing was no longer a crime, could the new leader (can't remember her name) have created and given it to him?

 

[Emeowrald]

I think that out of the two characters that Jim Henson played in Fraggle Rock I think that he enjoyed playing Cantus a bit more. Cantus was wise and a bit philosophical because you get the idea that there was something more to him then just the fact that he was a minstrel. I also think that Cantus may not entirely be a Fraggle either, but rather a hybrid of some kind. I think that while I'm sure that Henson did like playing Convincing John that Cantus was a more likely his choice for an alter ego as far as Fraggle Rock is concerned. I think that he sort of represented the sort of mysterious and majical anything-is-possible sort of air that Jim Henson seemed to have.

 

[Super Scooter]

Cantus travels constantly. I'll bet he just hasn't shaved in a long time... going for that Grizzly Adams look.

 

[Giar Fraggle]

Query: Is Cantus a Fraggle?

Boy, we could have a huge discussion on this one.

Personally, I don't think he is. Although his body structure is similar to a Fraggle's, his fur and feathers are different, and I don't believe he has a tail. He's just...him.

And yes, he is nonsensical, but I think nonsense has been given a negative connotation over the years as meaning simply not making any sense, and therefore not worthwhile. Lewis Carroll's writings were very nonsensical, but they masked engaging logical and mathematical puzzles. To me, nonsense is a mental and linguistic tool that, when used properly, can be used to mask higher forms of thought so that only those in the right mindset can appreciate the message.

Which is what Cantus did.

And that's why come he's so awesome.

 

[Saironi]

"Feathers"? I guess you can say Cantus has feathers, for want of a better word for those bright things on his head. Personally, I often thought he'd styled his hair.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Honestly, I always thought Cantus was a Fraggle, just that they took liberties with his appearnce to make him look special and stand out. If they didn't want him to be a Fraggle, they would have made sure he didn't look like one. That's what I think anyway.

 

[Giar Fraggle]

I always considered them feathers, seeing as that's what they're made of.