Celina Huang
There is a lot of material on the internet that vilifies Disney for its depiction of female characters. This can be traced back to Snow White (1937), and Cinderella (1950), in which the title character is mostly shown doing housework, falling in love with a prince, and generally just being obedient and delightful. However, the Disney Renaissance (1989-1999) was a time of revival and change, not just in regard to Disney’s fortunes, but the roles of females… right? The Disney Renaissance was kick-started by The Little Mermaid (1989), but Ariel represents little improvement in traditional female roles. She ignores her father, gives up her voice for a chance at true love, and is saved by the prince. However, Aladdin tackles these issues about female representation more explicitly than its predecessors. Although Jasmine appearance is sexualized and doesn’t majorly contribute to the resolution of the conflict with Jafar, her struggles against her society’s constraints in her pursuit of freedom are indicative of many of the problems faced by women. This isn’t a complete turnaround in female roles in Disney movies, but Jasmine’s character is a pivotal moment that led to the creation of later strong females in films like Mulan (1998), Tangled (2010), Brave (2012), Frozen (2013). These later females clearly subvert gender roles (Mulan), are proficient with a frying pan (Rapunzel), and a bow and arrow (Merida), and rely on sisterly love rather than romantic love (Elsa and Anna). This all stems from Jasmine and her quest for freedom.
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Emma Barron
Let’s compare two Disney females whose fathers restrict their choices: Jasmine and Ariel. On the surface, these two may seem to teach similar lessons - one of following one’s heart and finding freedom - however, with a closer look, that is not the case. How do these Disney princesses differ, and how do their lessons apply to modern life? First of all - motivation. Ariel wants to explore the world, but her father stifles innate curiosity. For example, he forbids her from going to the surface. He is trying to keep her safe, but when he lays down those restrictions on her, she only becomes more desperate. She wants to experience the human world, and she wants to get to know the handsome human prince she rescued earlier. Therefore, because of both her desire to be free and her desire for Eric, Ariel dares go to Ursula, the sea witch, her father’s enemy, and beg for help. On the other hand, Jasmine wishes for the freedom to make her own decisions. She is tired of living in a gilded cage, and she wants to be free of her father’s well-meaning yet irritating rules. As a prime example, consider the decree that the princess must marry a prince. He doubtless implemented that rule because he wanted Jasmine to marry someone from a similar background in hopes of them having more in common, and thus being happier together - however, Jasmine did not appreciate that restriction. However, there were no rules about Jasmine leaving the palace; it simply wasn’t done. Jasmine leaves solely because she wishes to see Agrabah, and she does not ask for help - she only climbs over the wall and is free. Now, we must compare the fathers of each movie. After all, these father-daughter relationships cannot be characterized by looking only at the daughter! In both movies, King Triton and the Sultan only want the best for their daughters. Both rely on their authority to control her life, because they do not believe that their daughters know what is best for themselves. However, King Triton is powerful and imposing, and he uses his power to frighten Ariel. (Think the scene where he discovers her trove of human “treasures” and destroys it). Meanwhile, the Sultan is bumbling and ineffectual, a fool who blindly follows tradition. He is only able to control Jasmine’s future by laws and decrees - he is never physically intimidating. The end result, though, is that both Ariel and Jasmine flee, although Jasmine returns willingly, and Ariel does not. Because of these differences, while both Jasmine and Ariel emphasize following one’s heart to freedom, Ariel serves as a role model for young girls searching for love and new experiences, while Jasmine symbolizes leaving behind a comfortable, ornate cage and discovering just how the rest of the world lives. Jasmine and Ariel also further the message of not being afraid to leave one’s families, especially when said family is controlling, whether it be by rules or by fear. Samuel Peasah
For the savvier audience, you've probably realized that the title came straight from my video description. But if you happen to be of the less savvy audience...then forget I said anything. The title is entirely original and has everything to do with my conversational topic. Let's consider the prior two movie analyses. One considered Iago as a character, then extrapolated the discussion to metacommentary about comedy in Disney movies. We found that Iago serves a subtle but necessary role in externalizing the oft unvoiced thoughts of Jafar. Fun. The second analysis considered the extent of autonomy enjoyed in determining one's future, for three separate characters. Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie of the Lamp each experienced limitations in some form, but still gained freedom and fulfillment by the end of the movie. Now it's time to turn up the snark and poke holes in Aladdin. And by holes, I mean plot holes! Here, I'll focus on the three wishes, as granted by the Genie of the Lamp. This was an interesting narrative mechanic that was only somewhat explored in the film. Even Aladdin's very first "wish" turns out to be mere trickery, as he and his trusty monkey buddy, Abu, are stuck in the Cave of Wonders and need a means of escaping it. By deceitfully employing the Genie's magic to escape the cave, Aladdin exposes a fundamental untruth in the Genie's limitations - that the magician is unable to use his "phenomenal, cosmic powers" of his own free will. Well, un-check that box, since the Genie has helped Aladdin of his own free will. If the Genie had been truly bound to his "provisos," or ancient, magic law, he would have been prevented from assisting Aladdin without using a wish. Instead, he lightly chides Aladdin afterwards, telling him, "No more freebies." Were Aladdin to deceive him again - or, even better, had Aladdin refrained from telling him in the first place - it is uncertain that Aladdin would have ever run out of wishes. The point of all this is to state that, one, lying is bad for you (I was supposed to throw in a moral lesson, so I did), and two, that such inconsistency could fundamentally break the movie - were Aladdin less of a good ol' Disney protagonist and more of a greedy, ruthless, enigmatically principled, self-obsessed street urchin. Uh...sorry. That wasn't, like, pent-up emotion or anything...maybe... I'll probably just...end the post here and go to bed now. Emma Barron
Aladdin often receives criticism for its representation of Middle Eastern culture. However, it is important to note that Disney must not have been predominantly concerned with accuracy while creating this film. Instead, the company focused on staying within the genre. Agrabah is set in a Middle Eastern-influenced environment, and the decision is intentional. As a fairy tale, Aladdin inherently posses a mystical, timeless aura. If the movie had drawn from actual history, it would not have lost the magic that is characteristic of the longstanding film-making company. Therefore, viewers should not worry overly much about Aladdin’s representation of Middle Eastern culture; instead, they ought to be more concerned with how the movie represents people. Just as children learn about different cultures, places, and types of people in other books, they can also learn about different kinds of people from movies. For example, through Jasmine, children meet the mostly helpless and protesting princess whose only useful contribution to the plot is distracting Jafar with a kiss. Through the sultan, children discover the useless adult - a bumbling, well-meaning, naive fool who tries to help his daughter, but only ends up hurting her. With Jafar, children are met with a two-faced villain. He flatters the sultan, and manipulates the man to his own ends; children learn to distrust flattery and come to realize that silence doesn't necessarily indicate innocence. Finally, through Iago, children learn that being complicit towards wrongdoing won't pay off in the end. Of course, Disney gains another benefit from choosing the aloof abode of Agrabah: Disney cannot be accused of teaching explicit lessons about the Middle East. Children may rather draw their lessons from more historical, factual sources; Disney is no longer the sole ambassador of Arabic culture. After all, events such as 9/11 and ongoing intelligence operations make the Middle East a more sensitive subject for modern discourse. The purpose of Aladdin is not to teach children geography; it must rather inform readers of the psychology behind various ways of life. Celina Huang
First and foremost, Walt Disney Pictures is concerned with money. It would be unfair to judge Disney as a kind of moral guide in the lives of children, because ultimately, the responsibility doesn’t fall to them. Are animated films a reasonable medium through which to instruct about morality? Doesn’t the entertaining nature of an animation detract from didactic capabilities? On the other hand, corporations with the power to influence young minds, such as Disney, should carry some burden of influencing positively. Therefore, it is fair to reflect upon messages within Disney films. There are important lessons that can be gleaned from its 1992 film Aladdin. Essentially, this is a movie about having the ability to determine one's future. Making and committing to decisions is one of the most important skills for any person. Evasiveness doesn’t accomplish anything, and it’s vital to be able to have a clear sense of purpose in life. This concept is explored extensively in Aladdin through the contrasting socioeconomic statuses of Aladdin and Jasmine, as well as the circumstance of the Genie of the Lamp. Jafar also presents an interesting perspective, as, despite being a villain, he draws much admiration by his being a villain. He is the Sultan’s adviser, capable of exercising considerable influence over him by manipulating and exploiting the Sultan’s pacifist personality and lack of will. Thus, Jafar posits a moral dilemma, as he is one of the characters who is most efficiently able to use his power to advance his social standing, albeit in a nefarious manner. Ultimately, complex characters with complex motives help children to understand that the real world isn’t painted in moralizing, black-and-white strokes. There might be a hero who makes questionable choices, and a villain with determination and potential. Essentially, both of these characters demonstrate the importance of teaching children that they have the power to make their own decisions and think for themselves. Leadership, perseverance, innovation, and decisiveness are some of the most important character traits that closely correlate with success in the modern world. The cast of Aladdin represents this spectrum of traits in different ways, which boils down to the ability to make decisions to influence the path of one’s life. |
From the AuthorsWe hope you'll look at Aladdin as a little more than just a quirky, Arabic tune. Or a street urchin who's "one step ahead" of his critics. Even a prince and princess exploring a "whole new world." There's background and there's context, and we're here to give you just that. |