Teaching Machines
What is the real issue with animated films and toys today? Well, I can tell you that Henry Giroux thinks they are “teaching machines”. I have to say that he’s really right. The way animated films and toys are represented shows us things that we may never notice until it’s right in front of us. For example, Disney films portray a dreamlike world of security, coherence, and childlike innocence(Giroux). By doing this children see this perfect world, when really reality is a lot harder than it looks. Films, television and toys are meant to be entertaining and to keep people happy so you continue to purchase the product. Now, not every toy or movie is bad for kids, they may not even catch on to it, but as kids get older they are going to start to pick up racial suggestions and inappropriate behavior. Even the shows that you think are completely good for your children and have no harm to them, probably aren’t so good if you just read between the lines a little bit. Every day it seems that the toys and movies get worse for children, and Disney goes under the table to make sure we don’t see the criticism that Disney really gets. Children are innocent, but being around things that are too adult like, may cause them to grow up way too fast.
What is the real answer though? Are we really going to ban our children from ever watching TV? Are we going to take away every toy that we think symbolizes something bad? Well, we can try, but it’s probably not going to last for very long before they see it at a friends house and want to see it at home as well. We need to improve the shows that are being played and the toys on the shelves, parents need to be heard if they disapprove of what there children are watching/playing with. Kids learn so many things from watching TV that I have to agree with Giroux and say that animated films are a “teaching machine”. Giroux seems to feel that Disney is trying to use symbolism in their films and make you think of other ideas while watching it, so any discrimination of inappropriate parts go right over your head. For example in the movie Shrek, there is a lot of adult humor that children will never pick up on. I believe Disney does this because they know how many parents go to the movies with their kids and they are trying to appeal to everyone. Disney tries to promote to all age groups in toys and children’s television shows and movies.
Think about the rush of excitement you get when you got to the children’s toy section, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by all of the big, bright, loud toys around you. Even as an adult you get excited because there are so many things to play with and all you think about is what you used to play with when you were young. Now think about it though, do you ever really look at all the toys and see what is out on the shelves? Some of those toys I can tell you right now I wouldn’t want my kids playing with or even purchasing. For example, in the 1990’s a pair of funny children’s eye glasses came out by the name of “Chop Suey Specs.” Now you probably know already that they were making fun of Chinese people. These spectacles manage to both make people laugh and offend them at the same time(ToyZone). You don’t want to show your children that it’s good to make fun of other people. By doing so, they think it’s okay and end up hurting someone else's feelings. Then there was the “Golliwog” doll, that in fact still haunts African Americans today. It was a doll specifically in children’s books and was known as a rag doll. It was most popular in the U.S., United Kingdom, Europe and Australia in the 1960’s. It seemed to be a harmless stuffed doll, but to an African American it was very racist and hurtful when seen. Although it was taken off the shelves soon after it’s debut, it still happens to appear in some antique store windows. It’s disappointing to hear that because it’s 2011 and people are still pulling this racist crap on people. Why not just let it go? We are all equal and it doesn’t matter what skin color we are. This all goes back to getting these types of toys off the shelves, so there is no reason for any sort of racism accusations. I don’t want children to be racist at all, but they need to be taught right and having toys that are racist is not a good start.
Now on to some of the Disney movies that have sparked interest in today’s critics. When kids think of cartoon characters and their favorite television shows, it’s supposed to always have a happy ending. Well that is very true, but some critics just like to crush all the dreams and analyze every detail about Disney. One of Disney’s most recent films, The Princess and The Frog, is being said to be one of Disney’s closest examples to an African Americans old fable. Giroux discusses some racism from Aladdin, because he was a street tramp he would not be able to be with princess Jasmine(Inquiry581). This is telling kids that because your not of royalty you can’t be with that person. Well, in The Princess and The Frog, a few very noticeable things are pointed out. Throughout all of Disney’s princess movies there has never been an African American princess, so that gives people reason to believe that Disney is “racist.” Tiana says when she was young she would never kiss a frog. But when she is older she is asked by Naveen to kiss him to break the spell so he isn’t a frog anymore. She agrees and in return will get the money she needs to outbid the other buyer. She doesn’t get what she asks though and turns into a frog herself. There are many things that are analyzed in the movie and maybe are blown out of proportion. Tiana wears a perm because they don’t want to show natural African American women’s hair. The prince is lighter skin toned than the princess and the firefly has a raspy voice. All of these things are taken into context when a review for a movie is being written. These things are all true, but do you really believe Disney is being racist? Tiana was Disney’s first African American princess. Other Disney movies showed portrayals of White, Arabic and Native American princesses. “We’ve been making movies since Steamboat Willie in 1929. After 80 years we felt it was finally OK to do something that focused on black people,” said Disney executive Kristin McMurphy. Sadly because of such an uproar with The Princess and The Frog, it will probably be one of the last Disney movies with an African American princess.
As you can see there have been plenty of “racist like” movies throughout the years. But do these movies really make kids think to be racist or is it just critics thinking to much and trying to get people to turn on Disney. The whole idea of a “teaching machine” is quite correct because we are shaping the lives of children and they believe almost anything they see on TV. If we want our children to have the best education, what they see on TV or in stores needs to be limited. It’s the decision of the parent as well and some won’t do a thing about it. I believe until we have a significant number of people complaining about the issue of Disney movies and television shows not much can be done. All we can do is observe and review things to see where racial judgements are being made.
Works Cited
Ben. "10 of The Most Racist Toys Ever Made | The Toy Zone." Cheap Kids Toys | Top Kids Toys For Christmas | Best Kids Toys | The Toy Zone. 15 July 2008. Web. 03 Mar. 2011. <http://www.thetoyzone.com/2008/10-of-the-most-racist-toys-ever-made/>.
Giroux A. Henry. “Children’s Culture and Disney’s Animated Films” From Inquiry to Academic Wring: a Text and Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. Print
Greene, Stuart, and April Lidinsky. From Inquiry to Academic Writing: a Text and Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. Print.
Matthews, Bill. "Disney’s Black Princess Is the Most Racist Thing Ever « The Peoples News." The Peoples News. 2 June 2009. Web. 03 Mar. 2011. <http://thepeoplesnewsonline.com/2009/06/02/disneys-black-princess-is-the-most-racist-thing-ever/>.
