Bart Sells His Soul/References

References/Trivia

Season 7 Episode References

←

131

132
"Bart Sells His Soul"

133

Cultural references

"In the Garden of Eden" is a parody of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly.
Snake's girlfriend in this episode is named Shoshanna. This was a barb at Jerry Seinfeld, who at the time of the episode's airing was dating Shoshanna Lonstein, who was 21 years his junior and still a teenager at the time they first dated.
Bart's saying that a soul is something adults make up to scare kids "Like the Boogeyman or Michael Jackson." is a reference to a case in 1993 where Michael Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse.
Moe reads a book titled Your Gimmicky Restaurant by Benngian and Fuddrucker. The authors' names are references to the restaurant chains Bennigan's and Fuddruckers.
Bart's prayer, "Are you there, God? It's me, Bart Simpson," is a reference to the young adult novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

When Chief Wiggum shines the flashlight to see who is harassing Ralph, Bart's pupils become cat-like.
This episode is notable for featuring the Seven Deadly Sins:
- Lust: Homer and Marge remember making out to "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".
- Gluttony: Celebrated in the TV commercial for Uncle Moe's. When Moe is converting his bar into a restaurant, he acquires a gigantic deep-fat fryer, claiming it can deep-fry a buffalo in forty seconds, to which Homer grouses "Oh, I want it now"! Later, Homer gets Bart's meal at Moe's Tavern.
- Greed: A flash at Reverend Lovejoy counting money. Also, Milhouse avariciously celebrates owning Bart's soul, saying, "Who's stupid now?"
- Sloth: Bart and Milhouse slacking off cleaning the organ. Later, Milhouse's dad is very serious about wanting his sleep, although this is probably justified considering Bart traipsed by uninvited in the middle of the night.
- Wrath: The minister gets angry at being fooled. Later, Moe loses his restaurant in a fit of anger.
- Envy: Moe envies the profits of family restaurants. Lisa wishes she had five dollars. Bart envies the kids in his dream for their souls.
- Pride: Bart is proud at fooling Milhouse out of five dollars, and is later humiliated at having his soul sold for pogs. Snake is seen with a trophy girlfriend (also a combination of Pride & Lust).

Jasper's beard is incorrectly colored yellow while singing "In the Garden of Eden".
After the sponge incident, Bart is standing in the drive with a sponge packet in his hand. In the next shot he says "everything about me must go", but the packet has vanished from his hand.
When Bart is handing out "hymns", Mrs. Clark's hand is yellow.
When Reverend Lovejoy scolds the kids, Todd Flanders has Lewis' colors. Then when Milhouse snitches on Bart, Martin has Richard's colors.
When Bart laughs during the song, Ms. Albright has Lunchlady Dora's colors.

Bart has previously made reference to the soul:
- "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment": Bart doesn't fear Hell, and Bart defers to Lisa's soul-saving quest.
- "Bart Gets Famous": Bart yearns to cast away "the shackles of the soul-crushing hellhole that is Springfield Elementary School".
- "Lisa's Rival": Bart welcomes Lisa to "the nether regions of the soul".

← Season 6 Season 7 References Season 8 →
Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two) • Radioactive Man • Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily • Bart Sells His Soul • Lisa the Vegetarian • Treehouse of Horror VI • King-Size Homer • Mother Simpson • Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming • The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular • Marge Be Not Proud • Team Homer • Two Bad Neighbors • Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield • Bart the Fink • Lisa the Iconoclast • Homer the Smithers • The Day the Violence Died • A Fish Called Selma • Bart on the Road • 22 Short Films About Springfield • Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish" • Much Apu About Nothing • Homerpalooza • Summer of 4 Ft. 2