Even in today's globalized world, racist elements can be found in films, not only for adults but also for children. In 1995 Ron Disney published the movie "Pocahontas", which deals with the first English settlements in the New World North America. Describing the first meeting of white English settlers and Native American tribe members, it tells the love story of Princess Pocahontas, the daughter of Chief Powhatan, who falls in love with the Captain John Smith, a white English settler.
The aim of this paper is to analyze whether there can be found racist or stereotypical elements in Disney’s movie "Pocahontas". To start with, basic theoretical concepts will be introduced. The subchapter 2.1. focuses on the definition of race. Since the goal of this work is to find out whether there are racist elements in "Pocahontas", it is necessary to define race. It will become clear that race is a constructed characterization of people and that it is not a biologically inherent, but created in the people’s minds. This will form the basis for the next subchapter 2.2. which deals with the concept of racism. It will be emphasized that the concept of racism is severe complex and can have different definitions due to personal appraisals. Furthermore, it will be pointed out that racism as well is a constructed phenomenon which does not arise because of characteristic features but because of social and cultural structures.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Concepts
2.1 Race
2.2 Racism
2.2.1. The history of Racism – a summary
2.3 Othering
2.4 Stereo Types
2.4.1. The Stereotype Content Model by Fiske et al. 2002
3. Disney’s Pocahontas – A short summary
4. Pocahontas’ real life
5. Differences between the real and the fictive story
6. Racism and Stereotypes in Pocohontas (1995)
7. Conclusion
8. Reference list
9. Appendix
Objectives & Topics
This paper aims to investigate the presence of racist and stereotypical elements within the 1995 Disney film "Pocahontas". By contrasting the film's narrative with historical records and applying theoretical frameworks regarding racism, Othering, and stereotyping, the study explores how the depiction of Native Americans and the romanticized historical narrative serve to reinforce exclusionary ideologies.
- Theoretical definitions of race, racism, and Othering.
- The psychological and social functions of stereotypes, specifically the Stereotype Content Model.
- A comparative analysis of the historical life of Pocahontas versus her cinematic portrayal.
- Critical analysis of racist language and imagery in the film's screenplay and lyrics.
- The impact of Disney’s "happy ending" on the representation of colonial history.
Excerpt from the Book
6. Racism and Stereotypes in Pocohontas (1995)
What can you expect
from filthy little heathens?
Their whole disgusting race is like a curse
Their skin's a hellish red
They're only good when dead
They're vermin, as I said
And worse.
They're savages! Savages!
Barely even human. Savages! Savages!
Drive them from our shore!
They're not like you and me
Which means they must be evil.
We must sound the drums of war!
(Taken from http://www.disneyclips.com/lyrics/lyrics69.html, retrieved 2015/08/12)
These are the lyrics of a song called “Savages, savages” taken from the Disney movie Pocahontas. Governor Ratcliff and his English crew sing it while they are preparing to fight against the Indians. It is only one example of the racist language used in the movie.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the global relevance of racism and introduces the specific research objective of analyzing stereotypical elements in the Disney film "Pocahontas".
2. Theoretical Concepts: Outlines core definitions of race, racism, Othering, and stereotyping, including the historical context of racism and the Stereotype Content Model.
3. Disney’s Pocahontas – A short summary: Provides a brief overview of the plot of the 1995 film to establish the narrative basis for the subsequent analysis.
4. Pocahontas’ real life: Examines the historical figure Matoaka (Pocahontas), questioning the accuracy of her romanticized legend and her relationship with John Smith.
5. Differences between the real and the fictive story: Compares historical reality with the film's narrative, highlighting how the movie distorts historical facts regarding colonial violence and Pocahontas' life.
6. Racism and Stereotypes in Pocohontas (1995): Analyzes specific scenes, dialogue, and song lyrics from the film to identify explicit instances of racist language and stereotypical depictions.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s findings, confirming that the film contains significant racist elements and recommending that viewers critically engage with the distorted historical representation.
8. Reference list: Lists the academic literature and online resources cited throughout the study.
9. Appendix: Provides visual primary sources, including historical portraits and illustrations referenced in the analysis.
Keywords
Racism, Stereotypes, Pocahontas, Disney, Othering, Colonialism, Native Americans, Stereotype Content Model, Historical Accuracy, Representation, Prejudice, Discrimination, Cultural Construction, Media Analysis, Ideology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic paper?
The paper investigates the presence and manifestation of racist language and stereotypical depictions of Native Americans within the 1995 Disney animated film "Pocahontas".
What are the primary theoretical themes explored?
The work explores concepts such as the social construction of race, the historical evolution of racism, the sociological process of "Othering", and the mechanics of stereotype formation.
What is the central research question?
The study asks whether racist or stereotypical elements can be identified within Disney’s "Pocahontas" and how these elements potentially influence the audience's perception of Native American culture and colonial history.
Which scientific methodology is applied here?
The author employs a qualitative analysis of film content, comparing the narrative and dialogue against historical facts and applying established sociopsychological theories to evaluate media representations.
What does the main body of the work address?
It includes a comprehensive theoretical framework, a summary of the film's plot, a critical look at the real history of Pocahontas, and a detailed analysis of the film's linguistic and visual choices.
How are the key findings characterized?
The work concludes that the film relies on racist tropes and idealizes colonial history, potentially fostering negative perceptions of indigenous groups through simplification and stereotypical "Othering".
How does the film’s depiction of Pocahontas differ from historical accounts?
The paper highlights that while the film presents a romantic, age-appropriate relationship between an adult John Smith and a young woman, history suggests Pocahontas was a child when she met Smith and that the "rescue" narrative is highly questionable.
What is the significance of the "Savages" song in the analysis?
The analysis points to the song as a primary example of how the film's lyrics explicitly dehumanize the Native American population, reinforcing a "us vs. them" binary that justifies the colonizers' actions.
Does the author suggest banning the film?
No, the author suggests that because it is a successful film, parents and teachers should use it as an educational tool to make children aware of the negative stereotypical features presented on screen.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2015, Racism and stereo types in Walt Disney movies. An analysis of "Pocahontas" (1995), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/336692
