The Lion King

The Lion King (1994) American animated musical-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. The story takes place in a kingdom of lions in Africa. 

Children might be observing and influenced by the dark lion in the film Scar. Children might be associating dark skin color with “bad” and apply it in real life by thinking dark skinned people are bad. Critics discuss the facial difference between Mufasa and Scar. “Don’t know if I’m overreacting but it seems like to me, Scar has Saracen like facial features and Mufasa has a more Frankish looking face/mane.” I can somehow relate to this. I believe that the facial difference between the two lions is extremely noticeable. I believe that children can associate the dark color of Scar with evil and that can be represented as racist stereotyping. I believe that can be extreme issue for children watching this movie, because once again they will be focused on the bad lion, with dark skin and black beard. The good lion is light skin, expected to represent white race and is associated with good behavior, he is the keeper, and he is the one all other animals cherish. This can be a potential danger to children; since they might believe it is okay for dark skinned people to be bad.

In the scene where Simba and Nala lie to their parents about going to the waterfall, they get in danger with the hyenas; which are represented as the evil in the film. This may be absorbed that lying to parents always leads to bad situations and never turns out positive. Mufasa shares with Simba: “Simba, being brave does not mean get into trouble.”

When the King is killed by his own brother, children might assume that family is not always there to protect, instead it might harm. 

I remember crying on this movie, asking why the King had to die. I remember thinking that when something bad happens, something good turns up. In the movie Simba finds two friends, which make him feel better. I also remember thinking that friends always come together sooner or later. I remember Simba being scared to go back home because he was afraid everyone will hate him. Simba’s friends help him gain his kingdom back, because they believed its fair for him to go back home. 

I think my child would be able to learn how bad behavior can ruin nature and its beauty. The impact of bad decisions can harm others, and lying does not bring anything positive; it brings mistrust and hate. I think my child would be able to appreciate the struggle Simba fought against his uncle, in order to gain his life and family back; as well as bring the Kingdom back to its life and beauty. I believe the lesson my child can learn is bad behavior should always be punished. Accepting responsibilities and taking important steps in order to learn from mistakes.   

Critics share their view: “The characters are animals, but their voices show racist stereotypes. Even though The Lion King takes place in Africa, two white American actors are used for the voice of Simba, the hero. However, the hyenas who are bad characters in the film, speak non-standard English.” I do not agree with this statement because I do not think the fact that the movie takes place in Africa matters as much, and also the voices are simply voices that do not show racism.

When talking about stereotyping existing in the film Lion King, a viewer shared: “I was dismayed at the use of ethically identifiable voices to characterize the hyenas, clearly the undesirables in the film. The Spanish-accented voices clearly marked the hyenas racially.” Again, this comment shows how important voices are in the movie, I believe they are simply chosen; they do not discriminate against or use stereotyping. Yes the hyenas did represent Spanish-accented voices, but it is not what makes them bad; it is the animal type that writers are trying to put a face on, not the language used. Hyenas are extremely dangerous animals that are known for their bad characteristics.

Research

http://www.newint.org/easier-english/Disney/diswomen.html

http://www.quora.com/The-Lion-King-1994-movie/Is-The-Lion-King-racist

http://www.intervarsitylafe.org/barrioprophets/blog/?p=49

Picture Book Analysis

“We Are One”-Author: Jenifer Black, Illustrator: Jenifer Black, Year of Publication: October 2010

“We Are One” is a rhythmic tale in which illustrations represent and speak to children, as well as adults. It is a gentle written book witch shows children, that no matter we make different sounds and see things individually, or what our nationality, gender, faith, species, shape, size, color is, we are all the same. The book shows children in a very easy, simple way that life on the planet is different, it also shows children how all the people and animals on the planet share one sun, and they all live on planet Earth. The story in the book is very well written, it provides an easy language to follow, and understand its main point. In this book, children have the power in the story, the nature of children’s power is to understand how different the world they live in is, how every living organism is different, and yet the same. The children have the power to judge based on what they hear and see in the book, and they have the power to understand how the world is created. The author represents animals in the book as part of life, she describes those animals as “fluffy, tall, small, and some animals have feathers”. The behavior as being different is rewarded because the author wishes to show children that every person is different by size. The author also states: “We all have different feelings, we all make different sounds. We all see things individually, like what makes the world go around”. Jenifer is proving to children that although we sometimes speak different language, or feel different, or have different opinion, that is okay, because "we are all one, but different, different but the same”. The author had put together animals, people, flowers, boys and girls, in her illustrations, because she wants to show children that it is okay to be different, it is okay to see those differences, but it is also okay to live together, to understand each other, and to respect our differences. The pictures in the book present different race, by explaining that some people live where it is cold and those others live where it is hot. With her illustrations, there is a chocolate skin boy, as well as pink skin girl. Author presents her story well, with the help of those pictures. The story line in the book is presented by the issue that children and people tend to see each other differently, and treat each other unequally. The problem is solved by the author’s brining in animals, insects, trees and people and comparing them, showing children that whether a person or an animal, we still all are different, different but the same. Jenifer Black has taken under consideration race, culture, gender and age, and has created a lovely book that clearly presents the different world, and in a gentle way, the author has brought the world closer to one another. I loved the way the book was written as well as illustrated. I would definitely recommend that every preschool has this book in their library. I would suggest schools have this book because it teaches children about race, culture and being one in this big universe. The pictures combined with the clear word choice of the author, shows children how happy everyone needs to be, by holding hands, loving each other, loving our nature, being kind to one another, and most importantly, see that we are different, but all still the same. The message that the author shows is more than a perfect explanation for preschoolers about race, difference and culture.