Stereotypes In Zootopia

Stereotypes are a form of prejudice everyone will once experience in their lifetime. Stereotypes are centered around an individual's race, gender, social class, religion, and age. They have been known to be elements people use to make judgments and subjectify people to one key feature. As Gordon Allport states, “ To state the matter technically, a noun abstracts from a concrete reality some one features and assembles different concrete realities only with respect to this one feature”(364). Mr.Allport’s words can be summed up to say stereotypes have been used as key fundamentals to associate one feature or aspect of a person with a group that represents it, typically in an unfavorable way.

“No matter what kind of person you are, I implore you: try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you” - Judy Hopps. The Disney movie, Zootopia, explains a society of animals where all the prey and predators get along together nicely. Judy Hopps, a rabbit, has always wanted to be a cop her whole life, but her parents want her to stay on the carrot farm to become a carrot farmer just like all of the other bunnies. After a lot of determination, Judy becomes the first prey/rabbit cop and moves to the city of Zootopia. The head officer explains that nine animals, prey and predators, throughout the four Zootopia zones had gone missing. Determined to prove her spot as a cop, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve the mysterious cases. Judy went out trying to solve the cases with a mischievous fox to figure out what happened to the missing animals. Zootopia is a great modern day example of transcendentalism as it displays examples of nonconformity and confidence.

A Disney film, Zootopia was released on March of 2016, it is not only a kid animated movie but a movie that exposes many social issues that we face in today’s society. This film is set in a city named Zootopia, where animals all sizes big and small come together to live a peaceful and civilized life. They “have abandoned traditional predator/prey roles in favor of civilized coexistence” (Rovi). In this film, there is a rabbit named Judy Hopps who has always dreamed of becoming a police officer, she lives in a town called Bunny Burrow. Where she lives with both parents and about two-hundred brothers and sisters. Judy leaves her parents and siblings behind to pursue her dream of becoming the first rabbit police officer, despite being told she will never be a police officer due to gender inequality. On her first day of work, she is assigned to be a traffic officer or as others referred to her a “meter maid.” She is determined that this will not stop her from being a real police officer. On her first day of duty, she gives out two hundred and two parking tickets and meets a con artist that happens to be a fox named Nick Wilde. In Zootopia, foxes are untrustworthy and discriminated for being foxes. This con artist will later help officer Hopps solve a mysterious crime. In Zootopia, a total of fifteen mammals go missing, and Judy puts her career on the line, for offering to help resolve this case. She is given forty-eight hours to crack this case if

This quote is a great example of a stereotype. Judy made an incorrect statement about a sloth just because of what type of animal he was. This statement was later proven not true, as the sloth was speeding throughout the streets of Zootopia.

“Zootopia” is about a bunny, Judy Hopps, who struggles to fit into the police force. She quickly discovers that “Zootopia” is not quite what she has imagined. Ironically, she partners up with a fox, Nick Wilde, who stubbornly creates conflict between the two of them. Judy Hopps dream was to become a cop one day. Usually, predators are the only animals that become cops, but she firmly believes that she can be just as good of any copy or predator because they are all equal. Judy Hopps ends up being valedictorian of her class where she also got a job in the heart of Zootopia, but it's not quite what she expects. This film's main message addresses stereotyping of all kinds.

Zootopia is one of Disney’s most successful films in recent years. Its main goal at the time was to use animals as metaphors for humans in order to help kids understand racial tensions in the police and with the public. Disney achieved this, as well as incorporating underlying psychological themes that could be interpreted by audience members both big and small. They were harder to uncover, but some that I noted are how the characters are unique depending on how they were born and raised, the effects of isolation, and how they build relationships. I believe it’s important to look at the behavior of these animals since this film can be used as a tool to help children, and even adults, deal with their own behavior.

Who would have thought that another Disney animation focused on the lives of animals would be such a hit? If you want to laugh, cry, be uplifted, and experience a myriad of emotions then Zootopia is the movie for you. Kids will love the cute animals depicted throughout the movie, as well as childish humor that kids will giggle hysterically at. Moreover, adults will not struggle with keeping their attention focused on the movie, like most “Kid” movies, because of the amazing artistry and captivating plot. An astounding feat that the film accomplished is the teaching opportunity it took to discuss, for all ages, real world issues that we struggle with around the world today.

“We the Animals” by Justin Torres, takes place in an upstate New York town with three half breed brothers, their Puerto Rican father along with their white mother. Their parents were overworked and absent from the kid’s lives’ most of time and lack to provide food, companionship and safety. Throughout the book, Torres uses brief, evocative descriptions to create a picture that can interpret hidden meanings from a child’s perspective. Not to mention he describes his characters with animal-like qualities, animals such as, raccoons, geese, and wolfs.

Depending on who you ask; the Xoloitzcuintli (pronounced “sho-low-itz-queent-li”) is either the ugliest or cutest breed of dog in the world. Also known as the “Mexican Hairless” or “Xolos” for short, they are considered a national treasure in Mexico and have developed cult status due to their unique look and history. Ceramic effigies of Xolos and their remains have been found in the tombs of several ancient civilizations dating as far back as 3,000 years ago- making them one of the oldest known dog breeds in the world. Although their presence has been found in the tombs of the Colima, Mayan, and Toltec tribes they are most commonly associated with the Aztec. Their name is a combination of the words “Xolotl” the Aztec god of lightning and death,

Zootopia is Disney’s New York City, the city of opportunities, where “anyone can be anything” (Zootopia). A female bunny can even be the first police officer in Zootopia history. Despite being constantly discouraged from persuading her dream, Judy Hopps proves her doubters wrong and becomes Zootopia’s first bunny police officer. Once at the male dominant Zootopian Police Department, the hopeful Judy is placed on parking duty and is outsmarted by the fox, Nick Wilde. On her second day, she is almost fired for insubordination, but Judy is given one last chance to prove herself by finding one of the missing predators. With the help of Nick Wilde, she begins her investigation, where she is constantly disrespected by the male characters. However, her feminine and masculine qualities allow her to eventually gain their respect. With Judy in the lead of the investigation, it is discovered that the once innocent Mayor Bellwether was behind the disappearances and she is arrested. Zootopia is once again peaceful and is under the protection of the respected Officer Judy Hopps. By comparing Judy Hopps to the other gender roles present in the film, Zootopia shows that moving between the masculine-feminine spectrum should be accepted and encouraged.

On the surface, Zootopia might appear like a fun, silly Disney movie, but the film actually touches on powerful messages about stereotypes, prejudices, and power in today’s society, especially regarding racial relationships. Zootopia is a film about a world where prey and predators live together in supposed harmony. Judy Hopps, a bunny aspiring to become a police officer, faces resistance from other animals. Similarly, Nick Wilde, a con artist fox, faces social stereotypes that harm his self-image. These two characters work together to solve a missing mammal case, and end up discovering a darker secret: the mayor’s assistant, Bellwether, hatched a plot to turn predators into savages so that prey would finally get recognition in government. The prey, however, are the majority, making up ninety percent of Zootopia’s population, and the predators are the minority, making up ten percent of the population. (Zootopia) Throughout the movie, the viewers are exposed to the stereotypes and discrimination that the prey impose on the predators. Ultimately, this film is a message about the relationships between the dominant and minority groups. Through this prey-predator relationship, Zootopia reveals how the power of language and the dominant narrative results in both harmful stereotypes and unconscious biases.

Hybridization doesn’t always mean harmony though. Nick Wilde, a con artist fox, another main character in the film states that “We don’t always get along” (Zootopia). This exemplifies that hybridization has issues and stereotypes. In Zootopia, the most prevalent ones are dumb bunny and sly fox. While predators and prey might live together or mammals as a whole, the stereotypical classifications will still be a part of their society. It was a pleasant surprise in the end to see that Judi and Nick were able to tear down some of these stereotypes by becoming cops like no one thought a bunny or fox could ever do. Judi and Nick were able to achieve their dreams and create a platform for their fellow mammals. While it didn’t solve all the problems, it was able to produce a more unified environment and a more peaceful example of hybridization.

The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers

Is this for the simple minded or for the people that see past appearances? Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Rich Moore came up with a movie called Zootopia, which goes into detail on how everyone without thinking is being simple minded. Instead of using people, animals were used to create an allusion of how life is and how things are misinterpreted in everyday life. The movie is addressed to child to show them that it is not okay to think that someone is bad or good based on what that person looks like or that person comes from. The use of a cute little bunny that has book smarts and a sneaky fox that is street smart is one of the many ways that the movie Zootopia is portraying a deeper meaning. In the movie Zootopia a deeper meaning is demonstrated by the use of imagery, juxtaposition and metaphor.

Imagine yourself as a little bunny in a world where you can be anything you dream of being, and the thing you dream to be is a cop. But there has never been a bunny cop before so most people are against you fulfilling your dream. This is the beginning of a very important scene in Zootopia. Judy is at a fair telling her parents how she will become the first bunny cop. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she sees her friends getting bullied by a fox, a predator. Judy runs over to help stand up for her friends but whenever she steps in to help, Gideon, the fox, continues to put her down. He says, “What crazy world are you living in where you think a bunny could be a cop?” Gideon tells her to come get the tickets he stole from her friends, but she needs to be careful because predator use to eat prey and that killer instinct is still in their DNA. Judy tells him she isn’t scared so he pushes her down to the ground and scratches her face. At the end of the scene, Judy got up and said she doesn’t know when to give up, and she put her cop hat back on. At first glance, this scene seems to be about an animal getting put down by another but instead of letting it hurt her, it became a motivation for her to achieve her dreams in the next scene. After looking at this scene through the filmic elements of shots and camera angle, we can see how this scene is really speaking to the fear of going outside of social norms which is something Cohen discusses. Using DiAngelo we can use the idea of