Editing Eric Cartman (section)

==Role in ''South Park''==
Cartman attends South Park Elementary as part of [[Mr. Garrison]]'s class. During the first 58 episodes, he and his classmates were in the third grade, before transitioning to the fourth grade during the fourth season. He is the [[only child]] of [[Liane Cartman]], a promiscuous single mother. In the episode "[[Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut]]", Liane is said to be [[intersex]], being both Eric's mother and father.<ref name="mcfarland1">{{cite news| first = Melanie| last = McFarland| title = Oh my God, 'South Park' killed a decade!| work = [[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]| date = September 30, 2006| url = http://www.seattlepi.com/tv/287052_southpark02.html| access-date = May 9, 2009| archive-date = February 27, 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200227122725/https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/tv/article/Oh-my-God-South-Park-killed-a-decade-1216016.php| url-status = live}}</ref> This is later revealed to be an elaborate ruse in the fourteenth-season episode "[[200 (South Park)|200]]". In the following episode, "[[201 (South Park)|201]]", it is revealed that Cartman's true biological father is Jack Tenorman, a former player for the [[Denver Broncos]] whom he arranged to have killed in "[[Scott Tenorman Must Die]]"; Scott Tenorman, Jack's son, is thus revealed to be Cartman's half-brother.<ref name="cartmandad">{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/south-park-201-1798164797|title=201|last=O'Neal|first=Sean|date=April 21, 2010|work=The A.V. Club|publisher=Onion Inc.|access-date=April 22, 2010|archive-date=April 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425154542/http://www.avclub.com/articles/201%2C40382/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cartman is distinguished from most of the other children by a wider physical appearance,<ref name="growsup2">{{cite magazine|author=Jaime J. Weinman |title=South Park grows up |magazine=[[Maclean's]] |date=March 12, 2008 |url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20080312_115131_115131&page=2 |access-date=April 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802210052/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20080312_115131_115131&page=2 |archive-date=August 2, 2009}}</ref> and is subject to ridicule from others for his obesity.<ref name="islam">{{cite news|author=Ali Asadullah |title=Contemporary Cartoon Conjures Racist Past |publisher=IslamOnline.net |date=November 15, 2001 |url=http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1158658390218&pagename=Zone-English-ArtCulture%2FACELayout |access-date=May 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317003250/http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1158658390218&pagename=Zone-English-ArtCulture%2FACELayout |archive-date=March 17, 2007}}</ref> He is most commonly portrayed as an antagonist, with most of his actions driving the events of many episodes.<ref name="NPR"/> Cartman is alienated by the majority of the other children for his strong amorality,<ref>{{cite news |author=Jonathan Groce |title=Entertainment and wartime make strange bedfellows |work=[[The Johns Hopkins News-Letter]] |date=April 18, 2003 |url=http://www.jhunewsletter.com/2003/04/17/entertainment-and-wartime-make-strange-bedfellows-78555/ |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |access-date=December 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222053349/http://www.jhunewsletter.com/2003/04/17/entertainment-and-wartime-make-strange-bedfellows-78555/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="lowbrow">{{cite news| author = Dennis Lim| title = Television: Lowbrow and proud of it| newspaper = independent.co.uk| date = March 29, 1998| url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-lowbrow-and-proud-of-it-1153256.html| access-date = May 9, 2009| archive-date = May 15, 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190515083355/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-lowbrow-and-proud-of-it-1153256.html| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="lear">{{cite news| author = Jesse McKinley| title = Norman Lear Discovers Soul Mates in 'South Park'| newspaper = [[The New York Times]]| date = April 10, 2003| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/10/movies/norman-lear-discovers-soul-mates-in-south-park.html| access-date = May 9, 2009| archive-date = December 10, 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191210110153/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/10/movies/norman-lear-discovers-soul-mates-in-south-park.html| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="asullivan">{{cite magazine| author = Andrew Sullivan| title = South Park and Imus| magazine = [[The Atlantic]]| date = April 13, 2007| url = https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/04/south-park-and-imus/229330/| access-date = May 9, 2009| author-link = Andrew Sullivan| archive-date = May 23, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220523004043/https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/04/south-park-and-imus/229330/| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="philo">Arp and Miller, pp.177–88</ref> but they are occasionally influenced by his manipulation.<ref name="philo2">Arp and Johnson, pp. 213–23</ref>

Though Cartman has shared an enmity with all three of his friends, his rivalry with Stan and Kyle has progressed significantly during the show's run, with Cartman routinely exposing them to physical endangerment. Cartman, a staunch [[antisemitism|antisemite]], reflects most of his hatred towards the [[Judaism|Jewish]] Kyle, such as deliberately infecting him with [[HIV]] ("[[Tonsil Trouble]]").<ref name="growsup2"/><ref name="AIDS">{{cite web|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/859/859352p1.html|title='Tonsil Trouble' Review|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=October 12, 2009|archive-date=August 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801084410/http://tv.ign.com/articles/859/859352p1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Kyle occasionally exhibits similar behavior in such episodes as "[[Fatbeard]]", wherein Kyle  encourages Cartman to travel to [[Somalia]], hoping he will be killed.<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Neal |first=Sean |title=South Park: Season 13: Episode 7: "Fatbeard" |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=April 22, 2009 |url=https://www.avclub.com/south-park-fatbeard-1798206093 |access-date=April 23, 2009}}</ref>

His rivalry with the other characters stems from opposition with their personalities. Where Kyle is restrained by firm morals, Cartman indulges in sadistic hedonism. He revealed that he hated Kenny the most in the episode "[[Jakovasaurs]]". He has on numerous occasions made fun of Kenny for being [[poor]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbr.com/south-park-cartman-nastiest-jabs-karma-kenny/|title=South Park: Cartman's Nastiest Jabs at Kenny Resulted in Dark (Yet Hilarious) Karma|first=Renaldo|last=Matadeen|publisher=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR.com]]|date=February 23, 2022|accessdate=September 29, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930011355/https://www.cbr.com/south-park-cartman-nastiest-jabs-karma-kenny/|url-status=live}}</ref> In "[[Kenny Dies]]", Cartman takes advantage of his declining health to get a ban on stem cell research lifted in order to construct his own [[Shakey's Pizza]] restaurant out of fetus stem cells. However, Cartman also implies that Kenny is his best friend, making their relationship unclear.<ref>{{cite news| last = Dominic| first = Serene| title = Cheap Trick vs. All Four Original Members of Asia!: 'Don't Cry' if Mommy & Daddy just seem a little weird over who to 'Surrender' the fun money to this weekend!| work = [[Metro Times|Detroit Metro Times]]| date = July 4, 2007| url = https://m.metrotimes.com/detroit/cheap-trick-vs-all-four-original-members-of-asia/Content?oid=2187709| accessdate = March 6, 2022| archive-date = March 6, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220306221718/https://m.metrotimes.com/detroit/cheap-trick-vs-all-four-original-members-of-asia/Content?oid=2187709| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/01/18/classic-south-park-jakovasaurs-review|title=Classic South Park: "Jakovasaurs" Review|last=Fickett|first=Travis|date=January 17, 2008|website=IGN|access-date=December 11, 2016}}</ref>

Kyle is sometimes an enthusiastic participant in Cartman's schemes and he is sometimes seen treating Kyle well, although this is generally to put aside their hatred momentarily for a common goal or for manipulation.<ref>e.g. "[[Wing (South Park)|Wing]]", "[[Crack Baby Athletic Association]]"</ref> Parker and Stone have compared the relationship to that between [[Archie Bunker]] and [[Michael Stivic]] on ''[[All in the Family]]''. Kyle has a tendency to make what he thinks are safe bets with Cartman, often losing these bets when the improbable actions promised by Cartman are accomplished. Cartman's motivation in this regard is not only monetary gain, but an obsession with beating Kyle, a fixation that ultimately plays a major part in a subplot to the three-part "[[Imaginationland: The Movie|Imaginationland]]".<ref name="growsup2"/> This obsession has been shown to overshadow other goals Cartman wishes to achieve. Cartman has a high sadistic streak towards Kyle, and has repeatedly expressed desire in seeing him suffer,<ref>e.g "[[Fat Butt and Pancake Head]]"</ref> often to extremes.<ref>e.g "[[Humancentipad]]", "[[Ginger Cow]]"</ref> 
In "[[You're Getting Old]]", it is suggested that Kyle and Cartman may be developing a genuine friendship, possibly due to the void left by Stan's apparent departure. This relationship ends in "[[Ass Burgers]]", however, due to Kyle finding out how Cartman was producing his hamburgers. Cartman's resentment of Stan is at times reserved for when Cartman actively proclaims his hatred for both Stan and Kyle as a duo, and his contempt for Stan as an individual is usually due to his annoyance with Stan's sensitivity, affection for animals, and relationship with [[Wendy Testaburger]].<ref name="philo3">Arp and Jacoby, pp. 58–65</ref>

Despite being intolerant of other cultures, Cartman displays an aptitude for learning foreign languages. He knows [[German language|German]], and once uses this knowledge to impersonate [[Adolf Hitler]] while promoting the extermination of Jews to an oblivious audience that did not speak German,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/south-park-cartman-darkest-storylines/|title=South Park: Eric Cartman's 10 Darkest Storylines|date=October 24, 2019|website=ScreenRant|access-date=March 10, 2022|archive-date=March 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310021810/https://screenrant.com/south-park-cartman-darkest-storylines/|url-status=live}}</ref> and in interactions with Mexican laborers, such as the episode "[[My Future Self n' Me]]", seems to speak at least conversational [[Spanish language|Spanish]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Park: The Complete Sixth Season DVD Review |work=IGN |date=February 26, 2009 |last=Schorn |first=Peter |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/10/14/south-park-the-complete-sixth-season |accessdate=January 25, 2017 |archive-date=February 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205103538/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/10/14/south-park-the-complete-sixth-season |url-status=live }}</ref> This is in service of a running joke in which Cartman displays incredible aptitude at quickly learning almost any topic in service of his schemes, despite being an awful student in a school environment and displaying extreme ignorance about subjects that do not immediately interest him.

Conversely, in "[[Major Boobage]]", Cartman shelters the town's cats when they are outlawed;<ref>Fickett, Travis (March 27, 2008). [http://tv.ign.com/articles/862/862445p1.html "South Park: 'Major Boobage' Review"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808215143/http://tv.ign.com/articles/862/862445p1.html |date=August 8, 2012 }}. ''IGN''.</ref> outside of episodes that take place in alternate timelines, this is the only multi-scene plotline in which Cartman acts in a traditionally moral way without any ulterior motive being indicated on-screen.

Cartman will use an awkward pause during a conversation as an opportunity to casually remind Kenny that he hates him.<ref name="bullzeye">{{cite news| author = Jamey Codding| title = Bullz-Eye's All-Time Best Cartoon Characters| publisher = Bullz-Eye.com| date = January 28, 2006| url = http://www.bullz-eye.com/entertainment/features/2006/best_cartoon_characters.htm| access-date = May 11, 2009| archive-date = September 19, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090919140708/http://www.bullz-eye.com/entertainment/features/2006/best_cartoon_characters.htm| url-status = dead}}</ref> Cartman's mischievous treatment of Butters, and the relationship the duo shares, has received significant focus in the more recent seasons of the series.<ref name="growsup2"/> This reflects Parker's interest, as the scenes between the two are the ones he most enjoys writing.<ref name="buttersfave">{{cite news| author = Dudley Price| title = Butters one of 'South Park' creator Trey Parker's favorite characters.| publisher = [[The America's Intelligence Wire]]| date = December 18, 2003| url = http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-19761309_ITM| access-date = May 9, 2009| archive-date = July 20, 2012| archive-url = https://archive.today/20120720045843/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-19761309_ITM| url-status = live}}</ref>

Several episodes concern Cartman's greed and his get-rich-quick schemes, although his numerous attempts to attain wealth generally fail.<ref name="NPR"/> His extreme disdain for [[hippie]]s serves to satirize the [[counterculture of the 1960s]] and its influence in contemporary society,<ref name="cityjournal"/> reflecting Parker's real-life antipathy towards hippies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/behind/interviews.php?interview=25|title=An interview with Matt Stone|publisher=www.southparkstudios.com/|access-date=February 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219061433/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/behind/interviews.php?interview=25|archive-date=December 19, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Though the role is customarily taken by Stan or Kyle, Cartman will occasionally be the one to reflect on the lessons learned during the course of an episode with a speech that often begins with "You know, I've learned something today...".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~smaji/southpark.html |title=List of "I've learned something today" quotes including relevant episode citations |access-date=September 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627134449/http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~smaji/southpark.html |archive-date=June 27, 2009}}</ref>