# Where did the Angel and Devil arguing on a character's shoulder start?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-angel-and-devil-arguing-on-a-characters-shoulder-start/444517>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 8, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-angel-and-devil-arguing-on-a-characters-shoulder-start/444517 "2008-04-08T21:55:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-angel-and-devil-arguing-on-a-characters-shoulder-start/444517/21 "2014-05-29T21:36:04Z")

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> [@Simplicio](#):
>
> I’m thinking that the origin isn’t really from the Islamic tradition mentioned above. It looks like Disney cartoonists simply first used the device of a tempting devil from the Christian tradition and from there it was natural to add an angel in the later cartoon. Presumably some later cartoonists put them on someones shoulder (though I’m guessing that innovation happened with a different character then Pluto since 1) The database I found of Disney characters doesn’t have any further appearences of the “Pluto’s devil” character till the '90s and 2) Pluto doesn’t really have shoulders). In anycase, I’d be interesting if someone knows when the mini angel/demon moved up to peoples shoulders.

That Wikipedia article is particularly terrible; it doesn’t even touch on cartoon representations, where the trope seems to have found its modern form. Hergé was particularly fond of the trope and may have codified it from existing “tempting devil and advising angel” motifs. The saintly Tintin was seldom affected, but the more mundane Captain Haddock and Snowy were frequently lured by whiskey or bones. In _The Red Sea Sharks_ from 1958 Captain Haddock had the miniature angel and devil perched on each shoulder, counseling him to either abstain or drink.

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**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-angel-and-devil-arguing-on-a-characters-shoulder-start/444517/22 "2014-05-29T23:10:31Z")

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In a Halloween episode of Modern Family, 3 boys are walking down a street. In the middle is one of the main characters (Manny, for those who don’t watch) flanked by his cousin Luke in a devil costume, and an unnamed friend wearing the uniform of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team. Naturally, the two are giving Manny conflicting advice.

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