The Film Mulan

Throughout the years Walt Disney's films have always been closely related to children and childhood. Walt Disney movies have been part of the childhood of many children in all parts of the world for the teachings and values contained in all their films in general. At present and despite the years the Walt Disney pellets continue to create new cartoons and all with the aim that children can through their movies communicate, learn other languages and have those fantasies that are always important when you are a child. The films of Walt Disney have created a positive feeling in the children that's why in my research paper I want to mention the films that have been a positive example for the children of yesterday, today and the future.

In this paper I am going to critique the movie “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.” I will focus on the different gender roles, family structure, gender identity, interracial relationships, sexual content, prejudices, and the violence that are presented by the producers and directors, Soria, Swift, Darnell, and McGrath (2008). Furthermore, I will discuss about the main characters presented in this film; characters like Zuba the lion, the lion mother, and Alakay the baby lion known as Alex. Other characters that are presented in this film in which I will discuss are: the raccoon known as King Julian, Marty the zebra who is presented as a good friend, Gloria the hippo girl, Melman the giraffe, Moto Moto the character that likes to flirt, and the lion Makunga who is the mean and selfish character. In addition, I will explain how movies like the “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” can impact how children view life. Lastly, I will also discuss about how appropriate the movie Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is for children.

Mulan is a Disney animated film that takes place in ancient China during Han Dynasty War. Mulan is a young girl in China, the only child of her honored family who struggles to find her identity and meaning in society. While Mulan is a lovable, spirited girl who doesn’t fit in with Chinese tradition because she speaks her mind and follow her heart. Being a girl who experience culture, gender role, and self-image demonstrated what a non- tradition person will do to bring honor to her love one’s and the family.

Mulan is an animated film that was released in 1998 from Disney during third wave feminism, which features an Asian woman protagonist. She is a Disney princess, but at first glance you wouldn’t think so. Mulan is introduced as a clumsy tomboy who did not think she would ever bring honor to her family. In order to accomplish said honor, she would have to by being the perfect bride, in accordance with the matchmaker. The film has a great amount of feminist ideals, however, it doesn’t leave out stereotypical gender roles and several examples of overdetermined ideologies. Patriarchy is very prevalent in this film, from the woman characters positions, down to the songs they sing throughout the film, patriarchy is a theme that cannot be missed. This paper will discuss how feminine and masculine stereotypes are conveyed in the film, how gender stereotypes are portrayed, and of the patriarchal themes included in the film.

For young children it is easy to be carefree about your future. It is not until you are an adolescent that you begin to see what is important and what is expected of you. In the Walt Disney motion picture Mulan the title character is being tested by what her traditions and society expects of her. The film touches on numerous concepts on childhood and what society expects of children in China. She has to exist in a community where her gender has expectations set for young females. She has strict traditional expectations set by her family for her age, in which she is to be prepared to seek out a husband. War begins to threaten the community and her father who is aging and ill is expected to go and serve. Her instinct to protect her aging father leads her to make a decision and to begin the journey to find out who she is on inside. Mulan embarks in a self quest to find out who she really is and goes against all the social construction that society has set out for her.

In 1942, Walt Disney and his crew created the animated film, Bambi. Although the movie was not a success at first the popularity of picture has certainly grown over time. In all of Disney’s works he was not only able to attract the eye of the children, but also attract the compassion of adults. Essentially, he used animation, featuring appealing characters and clever events, to symbolize the issues that were around the world. In essence, while children were in awe of the story that they believed was cute and fun to watch, adults could relate to the symbolism and stereotypes throughout the film.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), by Ang Lee tell a story of some of the most magical warriors that lived during the Qing Dynasty, in Qing China.

Mulan made a very brave decision to join the army and much of what she later has to do is completely opposite of gender norms.

2. The antagonist in this film is jade fox, and the protagonists are Jen (even though she is at first a villain), and Yu Shu Lien. The setting is china during the 19th century Qing dynasty. The most basic summary of the plot it that the story revolves around Jen, a governors daughter, that wishes to be free, more than anything. Jen steals the sword of the warrior (Li Mu Bai) and is soon pursued. She comes to find out that her master is not quite who she says she is, and ends up being Jade Fox, a woman who murdered the master of Li Mu Bai. Jen runs away after being forced to marry, and Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai follow her to retrieve the sword.

In 2009, Disney launched their first black princess ever in the movie “The Princess and the Frog”. The black princess, however, spends most of the movie as a frog. She was a poor princess and her mother worked for white people. This enforces the stereotypes that African-Americans are majority poor or part of the lower class. There was also a gender stereotype since the princess was still helpless alone and needed a man to help her launch her dream of opening up a restaurant. “While some critics and audiences may argue that disney made good on eliminating the most overt representations of sexism and racism in the princess and the frog, others may argue that the company likewise failed to counter Micheal claim that disney films and theme parks tender as a norman rockwell painting.” In this article Breaux concentrates on the representations of the historical crossing of race and gender in Disney's The Princess and the Frog and black women in animated film in the USA. It explains more on how Disney and Pixar studio executives and animators to use The Princess and the Frog to respond to its critics claims about the perpetuation of sexism and racism in its animated features. It has three important sections which explains how Disney attempted to answer criticism about the absence of African Americans and mothers in its films, the presence of physically over-sexualized and emotionally prince-dependent, and the representations of animated black women in the history of film and Disney's rewriting or sanitizing of African American history and denial of its and our nation's racist past. In Mulan (1998), she is struggling with the image that her family and society have established on her. She must be presentable as a bride to uphold her family honor. However, when her aging father is called upon to military service when the huns invade, Mulan takes it upon herself to act like a man and take her father’s place. Mulan is trying to make something of herself without obtaining male companionship. Mulan doesn’t adjust with traditional views of feminine behavior. Rather, she challenges these views. Mulan cares more about justifying her duty and saving her father than romantic connections. Mulan definitely had the greatest

Mulan goes off on her own, knowing the consequences she will have to face if she is caught attending the war as a woman. The ancestors awaken and they all argue about the situation that Mulan is in and how she has went off alone. They explain how Mulan, going to the war, will dishonor the Fa family, even further than she has done when she was meeting the matchmaker. The very scene of them discussing has a very dark and gray color to it, representing the despair that the ancestors all feel about Mulan participating in the war. They do not agree with the attitude and decisions of Mulan. One of the ancestors even said that she did not like Mulan from the moment she was born and told the other that she was a child full of trouble. This depicts

The Disney version of Mulan, naturally imposes decades old gender stereotypes which are popular in the American culture. The story begins with Mulan on her way to the matchmaker. While, getting ready there is a list of qualities that a respectable woman is expected to be in order to find a man. These qualities are both physical, such as having a small waist and a gorgeous face, as well as personality based, because they are expected to be disciplined and respectful. In addition, the woman’s makeup and dress are completed so the women look like little porcelain dolls, perfectly beautiful but quiet. On multiple occasions, Mulan is reprimanded for speaking when not spoken to, for example, when she defends her father in front of the whole town,

Disney brings back a historical and political perspective portrayed in the film by facts, events and figures from China’s historical contexts.

The legend of Mulan, the Chinese woman warrior, was first presented in an annonomous poem called “the Ballad of Mulan” which dated back the 6th sentury Tang Dynansty. The poem was written in five segments; each one represents Mulan’s origin, experience in the battlefield, and also sense of obedience to her family. The legend lives on as it is passed from one generation to other generation through diverse versions such as storytelling, poem, and movies. Ultimately, the ballad takes on a new form when it was adapted into a 1998 Disney animated feature. This is the first time Disney has drawn on an Asian

Mulan is regarded as a heroine and given two trophies that symbolize her achievements. She has regained her family’s honor.