Racism in Disney's Aladdin
Racism: discrimination which exemplifies stereotypical differences between the ethnic groups to which people belong. While Disney animated films are the ideal family movies, it is undisclosed to many that such racism is being portrayed. Disney’s movie Aladdin (1992), “was a high-profile release, the winner of two Academy Awards, and one of the most successful Disney films ever produced” (Giroux, 104); however, what is often disregarded is the obvious depiction of careless racism towards Arabs seen in the illustrations of the characters, the statuses into which they are placed and the lyrics of the opening song near beginning of the film. Furthermore, with the movie disguising itself as innocent and wholesome, children are exposed to these stereotypes at a young age.
Henry Giroux and Jack Zipes give some important information in their essays to further append on this notion.
The opening song “Arabian Nights” at the beginning of Aladdin is one of the most contentious messages found in the film and begins the movies “depiction of Arab culture with a decidedly racist tone” (Giroux, 104). An Arab merchant sings the lyrics: "Oh I come from a land/From a faraway place/Where the caravan camels roam./Where they cut off your ears/If they don’t like your face./It’s barbaric, but hey, its home" (Giroux, 104). The message that is given right at the beginning of the film is that the Middle East is a desolate wasteland where the justice system runs on a simple limb-removal policy. These words caused an uproar in Arab countries and the lyrics were later changed to: “Where it’s flat and immense/ And the heat is intense” which replaced the original verse, “Where they cut of your ear/ If they don’t like your face” (Giroux, 105). Not only were these lyrics violent but they were truly an example of the worst kind of racism.
Aladdin depicts the Arabic world and its people as exotic, humorous, and violent. The American cartoon portrays all Arab men as either street thugs,
Henry Giroux and Jack Zipes give some important information in their essays to further append on this notion.
The opening song “Arabian Nights” at the beginning of Aladdin is one of the most contentious messages found in the film and begins the movies “depiction of Arab culture with a decidedly racist tone” (Giroux, 104). An Arab merchant sings the lyrics: "Oh I come from a land/From a faraway place/Where the caravan camels roam./Where they cut off your ears/If they don’t like your face./It’s barbaric, but hey, its home" (Giroux, 104). The message that is given right at the beginning of the film is that the Middle East is a desolate wasteland where the justice system runs on a simple limb-removal policy. These words caused an uproar in Arab countries and the lyrics were later changed to: “Where it’s flat and immense/ And the heat is intense” which replaced the original verse, “Where they cut of your ear/ If they don’t like your face” (Giroux, 105). Not only were these lyrics violent but they were truly an example of the worst kind of racism.
Aladdin depicts the Arabic world and its people as exotic, humorous, and violent. The American cartoon portrays all Arab men as either street thugs,
Cited: Disney, Walt. Aladdin. Dir. Ron Clements and John Musker. Prod. Ron Clements and John Musker. VHS. Buena Vista Home Video,1992. Giroux, Henry. “Children’s Culture and Disney’s Animated Films.” The Mouse that Roared: Disney and the end of Innocence. Ne. Np. Rowman and Littlefield, 1999. 86-105. Zipes, Jack. “Breaking The Disney Spell.” Folks and Fairy Tales. Ed. Martin and Karasek. Np. Broadview Press, 2001. 443. This was an in-class essay for English that I recieved the low grade of c- for not citing Giroux 's points and ideas correctly. If an online tutor could please assist me in learning how to go abouts citing his statements correctly and not getting confused where his ideas end and mine begin that would be great! Thanks!