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Deconstructing Helga G. Pataki
Apr. 9th, 2016 07:34 pmHelga's obsessive nature when it comes to Arnold can be traced to him showing her kindness at one of her lowest points. While her obsession is not a healthy one it is one that is easy to understand - a child who is emotionally and physically neglected (her mother not buying groceries, Helga never seeming to have a proper lunch or someone to take care of her, never being dressed properly for the weather, etc.) latched on to the first person who showed her kindness and after that all the love and affection that should have been given to her family and returned by her family is given solely to Arnold.
Seemingly unloved, unwanted, and unappreciated by her parents in favor of her older sister, Olga, Helga passes through her young life feeling like she has to pretend to be a bully and a tyrant to hide the fact that she is, in fact, a very scared, very lonely girl, starved for attention and affection. Her behavior in school, toward her friends, and toward Arnold are not 'crazy' or 'psycho' but very real consequences of the upbringing that many young viewers of HEY ARNOLD! suffered. Helga was someone these children could relate to and she even helped them find humor in their situations. Even more impressive was that a cartoon showed a child such as Helga getting help from a psychologist and it was not a joke or a gag. A rare thing indeed.
Is There Hope For Helga?
The short answer - yes.
Helga is shown getting the help she needs from Dr. Bliss in the Season Four episode 'Helga on the Couch'. Dr. Bliss seems to genuinely care about Helga and wants to help the young girl. Helga, after some initial reservations, seems to accept that Dr. Bliss is going to be part of her life from that point forward and even appears at the end of the episode to view Dr. Bliss as an adult she trusts - one that won't let her down or turn her back on Helga.
Will Helga ever be 'normal'? Probably not. Children who suffer an upbringing like Helga's are able to live a relatively normal adult life but they tend to be unnecessarily harsh at times and occasionally emotionally distant. Helga would be more likely to enjoy time to herself as opposed to with others.
Seemingly unloved, unwanted, and unappreciated by her parents in favor of her older sister, Olga, Helga passes through her young life feeling like she has to pretend to be a bully and a tyrant to hide the fact that she is, in fact, a very scared, very lonely girl, starved for attention and affection. Her behavior in school, toward her friends, and toward Arnold are not 'crazy' or 'psycho' but very real consequences of the upbringing that many young viewers of HEY ARNOLD! suffered. Helga was someone these children could relate to and she even helped them find humor in their situations. Even more impressive was that a cartoon showed a child such as Helga getting help from a psychologist and it was not a joke or a gag. A rare thing indeed.
Is There Hope For Helga?
The short answer - yes.
Helga is shown getting the help she needs from Dr. Bliss in the Season Four episode 'Helga on the Couch'. Dr. Bliss seems to genuinely care about Helga and wants to help the young girl. Helga, after some initial reservations, seems to accept that Dr. Bliss is going to be part of her life from that point forward and even appears at the end of the episode to view Dr. Bliss as an adult she trusts - one that won't let her down or turn her back on Helga.
Will Helga ever be 'normal'? Probably not. Children who suffer an upbringing like Helga's are able to live a relatively normal adult life but they tend to be unnecessarily harsh at times and occasionally emotionally distant. Helga would be more likely to enjoy time to herself as opposed to with others.
