Disney Culture Analysis

Disney is one of the largest corporate enterprises in the United States. “Disney owns or holds a controlling share in the following media outlets: six motion picture studios (three animation studios, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, and Miramax Films). It also owns ABC television network (226 affiliated stations), two television production studios, cable television networks, 227 radio stations, four music companies; several book publishing imprints with Disney Publishing Worldwide, 15 magazine titles, five video game development studios, Disney Stores, internet sites, five theme park resorts, and three cruise lines” (Giroux, 1999). With Disney Corporation owning this many industries, how much effect could they hold on society? “There

Disney is a part of popular culture in which children have so much exposure to and therefore will help shape their ideas of race and culture. When thinking about my own experiences with these movies, all I could think was the theme “Happily Ever After” and how most Disney movies are unrealistic to real life situations. I was not able to back my idea with hard evidence, but am now able to see how these undertones can affect children’s beliefs. “Children often do not realize that they find much of their identity and belief system in messages put forth to them by popular culture” (Childs, 2014). Exposure to these Disney films are just seen as entertainment by parents and children, but the underlying meanings behind these films can affect a child’s identity and beliefs. The Mouse That Roared discussed the racial stereotypes found in Disney Films such as being demeaning to people of color, and using language and actions considered condescending by these groups (Giroux, 1999). Parents and educators may not always consider these movies to be poor examples of race and culture until a negative encounter with their children. In the Mickey Mouse Monopoly an example was given by a parent where her child referred to a group of

The roles of women are not realistic or accurate and have not changed much over the course of time. Older women tend to appear as undesirable characters, such as Ursula in The Little Mermaid or Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians; whereas older men tend to cast the role as clergymen, rulers, and mentors (Gioux, 1999). The Mickey Mouse Monopoly also refers to roles where women are not shown in an accurate light. Women are seen as big busted, small waisted, people pleasers who use their bodies to manipulate people, and always get into trouble and need men to rescue them (Sun, 2002). The depiction of women has referred to all the main characters in the same light, as beautiful women who in the end need a man to take care of them. Even in the movie Mulan, she was cast as a strong minded woman who went to war, but in the end still needed a man in order to complete her life (Sun 2002). These depictions that Disney sets out for our young girls, is not a realist role for them to live up to. How Disney has shown gender differences can also have a negative impact on children’s