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Carol (Dilbert character)
Encyclopedia
Carol Cerberus is the Pointy-Haired Boss
's misanthropic
and bitter secretary
in the Dilbert
comic strip, who feels she is underappreciated and demeaned by her job and therefore takes out her frustration on all employees, especially her boss. Occasionally, when other major characters are plotting against the PHB, she will be privy to their schemes. She is drawn as having short brown (or gray) hair in a triangular shape on her head, and usually wears a pair of pearl
earrings.
As early as 1991, the boss' secretary was referred to as "Miss Cerberus", who in later strips was revealed to have a first name of Carole, then Carol. Frustrated and resentful of her boss
and co-workers for referring to her as a secretary
instead of by the more politically-correct "Administrative Assistant"
title, Carol has always been difficult to work with throughout the history of the strip. She orders office supplies
nobody will use (such as green pens, which will never need to be re-stocked), makes scheduling meetings with the PHB
impossible for his subordinates, and generally refuses to be productive out of spite
. Although the PHB
once allowed Carol to have her own personal secretary in order to help her be more productive, it had little effect, since the secretary learned Carol's bad work ethic
and made things worse for the employees.
Carol received a promotion to "Director of First Impressions Pro Tem" for four days in early 2005, but she angrily discovered that it was merely a fake title for a receptionist
position, and later resumed her normal duties as secretary.
Little is known about Carol's personal life, except that she is married (all references to "Miss
Cerberus" have been eliminated) and she has several children who occasionally appear in the strip, which include son Smokey the Biter and daughter Tess the Yeller; a son and daughter, both named Traylor; a son named Timmy, who apparently likes to tie up the neighbors and set fires
, and an unnamed son who was said to be flunking all of his classes.
with several stopovers in countries experiencing violent rebellions, has held a press conference to announce that the PHB was a serial killer
, and has shot him multiple times with a crossbow
and a harpoon.
Her most devious plot to rid the workplace of the PHB was by training him to be helpless. She would do every simple task she could for him (e.g., addressing envelopes and placing outside phone calls on his behalf) until he would forget how to do them himself. Once having succeeded in making him helpless, she then planned to send him on a one-way flight to South Korea, telling him before he left that speaking English was punishable with death. (Adams claims to have gotten hate mail due to this.)
After years of tolerating Carol's unprofessional and unproductive behavior in the workplace, the PHB finally told her in late 2005 that she was dismissed. However, she argued that he could not fire her without filling out the proper paperwork. Since he could not fill out the termination paperwork without her assistance, and since she obviously would not provide him with the paperwork, Carol was never dismissed and she still works for the PHB to this day.
Her hatred of her superiors did not begin with the PHB: in one strip, when asked by the PHB to locate the source of a strange smell, she states that it is the body of her previous boss.
Pointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
's misanthropic
Misanthropy
Misanthropy is generalized dislike, distrust, disgust, contempt or hatred of the human species or human nature. A misanthrope, or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings...
and bitter secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
in the Dilbert
Dilbert
Dilbert is an American comic strip written and drawn by Scott Adams. First published on April 16, 1989, Dilbert is known for its satirical office humor about a white-collar, micromanaged office featuring the engineer Dilbert as the title character...
comic strip, who feels she is underappreciated and demeaned by her job and therefore takes out her frustration on all employees, especially her boss. Occasionally, when other major characters are plotting against the PHB, she will be privy to their schemes. She is drawn as having short brown (or gray) hair in a triangular shape on her head, and usually wears a pair of pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
earrings.
Personality and Development
Initially a minor character in the strip, her character grew enough in popularity over the years that Adams started creating complete storylines for her. Her character was based on all the bad experiences Adams ever had with any secretary.As early as 1991, the boss' secretary was referred to as "Miss Cerberus", who in later strips was revealed to have a first name of Carole, then Carol. Frustrated and resentful of her boss
Supervisor
A supervisor, foreperson, team leader, overseer, cell coach, facilitator, or area coordinator is a manager in a position of trust in business...
and co-workers for referring to her as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
instead of by the more politically-correct "Administrative Assistant"
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant is a broad job category that designates an individual who provides various kinds of administrative support to people and groups in business enterprises.-Kinds of Administrative Assistants:...
title, Carol has always been difficult to work with throughout the history of the strip. She orders office supplies
Office supplies
Office supplies is the generic term that refers to all supplies regularly used in offices by businesses and other organizations, from private citizens to governments, who work with the collection, refinement, and output of information .The term includes small, expendable, daily use items such as...
nobody will use (such as green pens, which will never need to be re-stocked), makes scheduling meetings with the PHB
Pointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
impossible for his subordinates, and generally refuses to be productive out of spite
Spite
In fair division problems, spite is a phenomenon that occurs when a player's value of an allocation decreases when one or more other players' valuation increases...
. Although the PHB
Pointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
once allowed Carol to have her own personal secretary in order to help her be more productive, it had little effect, since the secretary learned Carol's bad work ethic
Work ethic
Work ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. An example would be the Protestant work ethic...
and made things worse for the employees.
Carol received a promotion to "Director of First Impressions Pro Tem" for four days in early 2005, but she angrily discovered that it was merely a fake title for a receptionist
Receptionist
A receptionist is an employee taking an office/administrative support position. The work is usually performed in a waiting area such as a lobby or front office desk of an organization or business...
position, and later resumed her normal duties as secretary.
Little is known about Carol's personal life, except that she is married (all references to "Miss
Miss
Miss is an English language honorific traditionally used only for an unmarried woman . Originating in the 17th century, it is a contraction of mistress, which was used for all women. A period is not used to signify the contraction...
Cerberus" have been eliminated) and she has several children who occasionally appear in the strip, which include son Smokey the Biter and daughter Tess the Yeller; a son and daughter, both named Traylor; a son named Timmy, who apparently likes to tie up the neighbors and set fires
Pyromania
Pyromania in more extreme circumstances can be an impulse control disorder to deliberately start fires to relieve tension or for gratification or relief. The term pyromania comes from the Greek word πῦρ . Pyromania and pyromaniacs are distinct from arson, the pursuit of personal, monetary or...
, and an unnamed son who was said to be flunking all of his classes.
Carol and the Pointy-Haired Boss
Although Carol generally dislikes all of her co-workers, she has an extreme hatred toward the PHB, which has led to several different attempts by her to rid the workplace of him. She has sent him on trips to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with several stopovers in countries experiencing violent rebellions, has held a press conference to announce that the PHB was a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, and has shot him multiple times with a crossbow
Crossbow
A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
and a harpoon.
Her most devious plot to rid the workplace of the PHB was by training him to be helpless. She would do every simple task she could for him (e.g., addressing envelopes and placing outside phone calls on his behalf) until he would forget how to do them himself. Once having succeeded in making him helpless, she then planned to send him on a one-way flight to South Korea, telling him before he left that speaking English was punishable with death. (Adams claims to have gotten hate mail due to this.)
After years of tolerating Carol's unprofessional and unproductive behavior in the workplace, the PHB finally told her in late 2005 that she was dismissed. However, she argued that he could not fire her without filling out the proper paperwork. Since he could not fill out the termination paperwork without her assistance, and since she obviously would not provide him with the paperwork, Carol was never dismissed and she still works for the PHB to this day.
Her hatred of her superiors did not begin with the PHB: in one strip, when asked by the PHB to locate the source of a strange smell, she states that it is the body of her previous boss.