Abstract:
The fast developments of the technological tools such as television, computer, cell phones and internet considerably affect every aspect of the society, particularly children. The reason of this is that not only the family but also the television and cartoons play an important role during the education process of the children. Children learn a lot of information and acquire many behaviors unconsciously while they are watching cartoons and they transfer the characters in the cartoons into their real lives by assimilating themselves with these characters. Therefore, cartoons have a strong influence on the children's cognitive development, behaviors, and social life. Moreover, the cartoons constitute the children's identities with the values and codes they include. Animated cartoon producers are aware of the fact that it is possible to shape a child and his life with the help of cartoons. However, Turkish people have been indifferent to this function of the cartoons and cause their children to be formed and raised by the effect of the foreign culture in the cartoons. Yet a child should meet his own nation's culture and be educated with this culture beginning from the time he is born. Because culture is a combination of all values by which a person gains an identity appropriate to the society he lives in. In this study, how the cartoons are used as a means of cultural transfer is examined by identifying the folkloric components of "Pepee" which is an animated cartoon of a Turkish production. Thereby, utilization of Turkish cultural codes by dealing with these codes again in today's world is aimed.
