Stereotyping In Happy Dan, The Lady And The Tramp

Almost 100 years ago Walt Disney created what would later become one of the biggest multimedia empires in the nation. Since then, Disney has become a common household name around the world. Some of the company’s earlier animated films include Snow White, Cinderella, and Lady and the Tramp. When you think of Lady and the Tramp you most likely picture two lover dogs eating a bowl of spaghetti when they both just so happen to choose the same noodle and kiss as if they were humans. Looking past this cute yet somewhat unsettling scene, the viewer can see Disney’s attempt at stereotyping not one, but at least four different ethnicities depicted throughout the film through the form of animals. The stereotypes range from social class types, feminine

and masculine features, and racism of many different nationalities. Leave it to Disney to stereotype without even using humans.
Based on an article written in a Cosmo magazine in the early 1940s titled “Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog”, The Lady and the Tramp started as a hardcover book published by Disney in 1953 giving attributes to the true author, Ward Greene.

With no coincidence, the animated version of this story debuted just two years later in 1955. The film follows a spoiled-rotten cocker spaniel, Lady, who is owned by an upper-class family. From the beginning, she was the center of her family’s attention, but not soon after she is replaced when they have a baby. She then meets a neighboring mutt, Tramp, who is from a much lower-class part of town. Together they adventure through the town as Lady finds herself in

trouble.
Lady, a cocker spaniel with big beautiful eyes, long eyelashes, and a perfectly groomed coat is characterized as a “damsel in distress” throughout the film. Her voice—played by Barbara Luddy—even has a soothing and attractive tone. Her diction and speech is sophisticated which also allows the viewer to know she is part of the upper-class. Tramp, on the other hand, is a grey-colored mutt with more masculine facial features and muscular build. In one scene, she is chased by a group of wild dogs when out of nowhere comes Tramp who fights off the other dogs and saves Lady. According to an article on Bitmedia.com, this is not the first time Disney has done something like this stating “this is similar to other Disney cartoons such as Snow White, Little Mermaid and so forth… [t]herefore, Lady is merely a reflection of other Disney damsels who are often portrayed as nubile, helpless and in danger”.
In another scene, Tramp even goes as far as referencing her as a model showing off merchandise.

He states, “modeled by the lovely young lady the new, improved, patented…log puller… turn around sister and show the customer the merchandise…” Not only does this indorse the idea that she only good for her looks but he says it in a sexualized voice, which falls into the stereotype that men objectify women.
Later in the movie, Tramp convinces Lady to break into a chicken coop in order to chase and tease the chickens.
Another stereotype the viewer is exposed to is two Siamese cats named Si and Am. These two cats perform a song in which they move in perfect unison as they sing about manipulating their owner into getting what they want. During the song, they are seen knocking over vases and destroying their home when their owner is not there. The entire song is incredibly stereotypical of Asians and their culture. The song, titled “The Siamese Cat Song”, starts with a boom of a gong and followed with the entire song mimicking a typical Japanese folk song with flutes and chimes. Not only are Si and Am animated to look Asian with big slanted eyes and no uniqueness between the two—which implies all Asians look the same—but they also speak in extremely broken English. This is most dominant in their song where they slur the lyrics “Do you seeing that thing swimming round and round” referencing the pet goldfish in its bowl. In an article written by Isaac Weishaupt he states “the cats often

cannot pronounce the letters “R” and “L,” which can be typically heard in Asian’s who are learning the English language”.
Referenced next in the movie are two human characters, Joe and Toni. Although they are not animals like the main characters, they are no less stereotyped for their Italian nationality. They are both characterized with over-exaggerated hand gestures and heavy Italian accents. Their accents are so thick, Tramp even accidentally mimics them. Joe and Toni serve them dinner filled with breadsticks and spaghetti. (Yes, this is the scene where two dogs kiss as if they were humans). Next, Joe begins to play the accordion and sings opera to both the dogs. These are all some of the most common stereotypes to depict Italian culture.
Nearly every main character is stereotyped in one way or another in Lady and the Tramp. This is because children of a young age cannot relate to talking animals. Disney’s fix for that was to stereotype them in such a way that children could more easily relate to them.