Characters

 

The Philosoraptor is like a Bad Luck Brian in that it is one of the more historical memes, meaning that like the Bad Luck Brian meme, it has survived the grueling task of maintaining relevance in the Internet age. Philosoraptor can poke fun at social issues or even be a tad more serious. In this instance, Philosoraptor tackles gun control using a toast analogy. Memes like this can spark opinionated commentary, however that’s part of the beauty of memes. Social issues can be explored and discussed through the simple framing of images and text.

 

Bad Luck Brian is perhaps one of the most storied characters in meme-lore. This poor kid’s yearbook photo has been the premise for so many memes it’s almost applaud-worthy. This meme presents a good solution to a problem, but still yields a negative outcome.

Poor Keanu Reeves can’t seem to catch a break with the memes based on this picture of him. Reeves has come a long way since the Bill & Ted days, however this meme always provides a humorous pseudo-philosophical realization that really takes the mind for a trip. There are a variety of captions with this photo that vary in topics ranging from lighthearted realizations to more serious ones.

This still from Gene Wilder’s portrayal of Willy Wonka has become the backdrop for many memes. Something about that sarcastic look has given many writers a blank canvas to work with. These types of memes are always very sarcastic in nature and also play into cultural stereotypes—specifically in a shaming sense. For example, in this instance Instagram, the popular photography app, is cited. However this is poking fun at how many people feel like pseudo-professional photographers while utilizing premade filters or watered down photo editing techniques. This meme can get a little personal, but another common theme in memes is having a thick skin.

Storied characters make common appearances in memes. Kermit the Frog has seen his fair share of usage—including the “Kermit Drinks Tea” meme that showcases sarcasm and a sort of “I Told You So” mentality. The Evil Kermit meme surfaced in early November 2016, and stems from a 2014 Muppets film. It has proven to be a hilarious addition to his catalogue. This meme pits two adversaries against each other—your good and bad conscience. The caption for this meme adjusts in severity and raunchiness, giving it that versatility that allows memes to thrive.