Gehlaway Reading Summary and Response

In his critical essay titled “The Strange Case of The Princess and the Frog: Passing and the Elision of Race”, Ajay Gehlawat explores the various dialogs that can be interpreted regarding race within the context of the setting and release of the film. Within these dialogs, Gehlawat focuses on a central hypothesis that in Disney’s attempt to fulfill numerous competing agendas, the company inadvertently generates racial stereotypes while simultaneously ignoring race altogether. Within this context, Gehlawat focuses primarily on the significance of Tiana’s blackness in the film and the meaning of her role as a frog for much of the film. Gehlawat examines the role of setting in the film as one of his main points, pointing out the contrast between the segregated New Orleans location and the transition to the natural bayou setting, where Tiana and Prince Naveen exist as frogs in a “safe space” (Gehlawat 425) where the two can allow their love to burgeon while also cleverly omitting race as an influential factor in their relationship. 

The other major topic that Gehlawat investigates is the question of Princess Tiana’s so-called “place” throughout the film. Citing Disney’s focus on Tiana’s “active dedication to economic self-betterment” (427), Gehlawat argues that this major characterization of Tiana stems from the status distinction between Tiana and Naveen that is further polarized by their race within the time and setting of the film. To conclude his argument, Gehlawat states that in Disney’s attempt to create a hyper-sensitive racial film, the company created “a particular context in which to situate the film which it has simultaneously attempted to elide” (429). Consequently, the film becomes “a strange mixture of fantasy and reality that seems to fulfill neither” (429).

I know, stressful right?

            Although I found Gehlawat’s discussion of Tiana’s so-called “place” in the film to be somewhat ambiguous, his analysis of the film’s contradictory representations of race accurately describes one of the glaring flaws within the narrative. In his examination of Tiana’s “place”, or standing throughout the film, Gehlawat fails to hold a definitive stance on his meaning behind the term “place”. For example, Gehlawat makes the vague statement that “place- even more than race- is its greatest source of narrative conflict” (426). Gehlawat’s words make the disctinction between Tiana’s “place” and her race, but he does not go further to specifically elaborate on whether Tiana’s “place” is a physical place or metaphorical and represents her social standing. Moreover, in his conclusion Gehlawat answers his own question and asserts that ultimately Tiana’s place is “Disney’s land, a place where, as the famous pitch, everyone is happy” (429) which suggests that Gehlawat views “place” as an abstract concept, however he never explicitly states this. Despite this one confusing portion of his paper, the rest of Gehlawat’s argument that focuses on Disney’s inconsistent portrayal of race in the film resonated with me. More specifically, I found that Gehlawat’s discussion of the racially segregated setting that is undercut by the elision of race in the film to be particularly powerful. I thought that Gehlawat’s discussion of the dichotomy between the setting of New Orleans and the bayou to be a particularly strong example of racial obfuscation in the film when Tiana and Prince Naveen are transformed into frogs which provides a “safe” identity for the two to fall in love. While one might see this as Disney playing it safe, I agree with Gehlawat that this muddling of racial representation in the film is a “paradoxical attempt by Disney to invoke an air of ‘authenticity’” (426). In other words, in Disney’s effort to be racially perceptive, Disney offers a narrative that provides no specific perception of race whatsoever, which has the potential to be just as dangerous.

FINDING DORY TRAILER

That is all.

Film Response: Representation of Race in The Princess and the Frog

After watching Disney's The Princess and The Frog, I'm really torn about how I feel about the way race is represented in the film. While in many ways it's really refreshing to see a Disney film with an African American princess that on the surface shows how far Disney has progressed. While Disney does many good things about representing race, such as having Prince Naveen being a different race from Tiana which sends positive messages regarding interracial relationships. With a setting in New Orleans, a city deeply rooted in African American culture, the film often uses the location as both a tool to enhance it's themes as well as a crutch at times. Moreover, despite the many forward-thinking and progressive ideas presented in The Princess and the Frog, there are undoubtedly issues that lie beneath the surface that are unavoidable. 

For instance, from the very start of the film one can clearly see the class divide between African American's and white's in New Orleans when Tiana is sitting wither her white friend, Charlotte, and both are listening to Tiana’s mother about the story of the princess and the frog. Her friend is in an extravagant dress while Tiana herself is dressed in a much simpler fashion. Then when Charlotte’s father comes into the room, Charlotte demands to have another dress made for her. This contrast is further demonstrated by the visual transition from extravagant mansions to small and single-story shacks as Tiana is taking the bus home with her mother. 

In addition to class comparisons made between white and blacks in the film, the film has many anthropomorphized animal characters with obvious racial comparisons drawn. One of the most obvious examples is Louis, the trumpet-playing alligator that draws parallels to the legendary African American jazz trumpeter, Louis Armstrong.

 The other major example is Ray, the self-proclaimed firefly of Cajun descent that most accurately stereotypes an old and unintelligent African American cajun man. While entertaining and a hilarious character, it's hard to deny the connotations of Ray's character that sends a negative image of African Americans of Cajun descent. Despite this, I have to say I loved Ray's love for Evangeline the star and thought that it was a really endearing part of the story.

In spite of the negative depictions of African Americans and their distinctions from white individuals in the film, the one overwhelmingly positive message in the film is the symbolic notion of Tiana and Naveen falling in love with one another as frogs. While some could criticize Tiana's transformation into a frog that could be seen as Disney finding a way to make the audience forget that she is African American, I thought that the fact that they fall in love with frogs is Disney's way of saying that love is independent of race. Moreover, the fact that Tiana and Naveen fall in love with one another as frogs highlights the triviality of race as an influence in whether one falls in love or not. This, by far, is the best message that Disney sends about race in the film.   

Sweeney Reading Response: Timon and Pumba in The Lion King

Within the text of Gael Sweeney's “’What Do You Want Me to Do? Dress in Drag and Do the Hula?’ Timon and Pumbaa’s Alternative Lifestyle Dilemma in The Lion King,” the main argument proposed is that Timon and Pumbaa are Disney’s first representation of non-heteronormative partners. She bases this conclusion with their exaggerated, “flamboyant” behavior, their statuses as outcasts, and specifically Timon’s affinity for the Broadway spotlight.

Unlike other arguments that some scholars make about Disney, I actually agreed with much of what Sweeney has to say about the role of heteronormativity in Disney. According to Sweeney, much of Timon and Pumbaa’s characteristics and mannerisms reflect the persona of their respective voice actors, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella. Because the two were Broadway actors, Sweeney suggests that Timon and Pumbaa’s exaggerated actions are given a deeper meaning by those who voice them. Due to that fact that Nathan Lane was openly gay, I found it logical for Sweeney to draw the conclusion that Disney animators purposefully created Timon with homosexual characteristics as demonstrated by their decision of who to voice Timon. But who knows, everyone love a 'lil hula dancing every once in awhile. 

In addition, I thought that Sweeney's point about Timon and Pumbaa's home at the oasis paradise representing  an "alternative lifestyle" to that of order and hierarchy within the boundaries of Pride Rock. One could certainly extrapolate from this idea of Timon and Pumbaa's Hakuna Matata-like "alternative lifestyle" that Disney is surreptitiously portraying Timon and Pumbaa has a homosexual couple that contrast the heterosexual pairings that exist outside of the Oasis. Living in an excluded environment with a no-worries attitude that starkly contrasts the themes of responsibility and tradition that persist within Pride Rock, Timon and Pumbaa effectually serve as surrogate parents to Simba from a young age. Although Sweeney believes that Disney leaves contradictory messages about the tug-of-war between the philosophies of Hakuna Matata and responsibility to family and tradition, I think that Disney ultimately makes the statement that both hold value and that Simba is ultimately able to defeat Scar because he has been intensely exposed to both ideologies. Ultimately, whether or not Timon and Pumbaa represent a homosexual couple, their sexual identities, or lack thereof, have a negligible affect on the messages that their actions and philosophies send to the viewer. 

Disney and Race in Disney's "American Legends"

With Disney's The Princess and the Frog being our newest film to study, I thought it would be interesting to note that The Princess and the Frog was not the first Disney film with an African American protagonist. The first major African American Disney story centered on the tale of John Henry, a freed slave who's enormous strength made him a legendary role-model to other African Americans at the time. The short was released in 2002 as direct-to-video animated anthology film hosted by none other than Darth Vader/Mufasa, or James Earl Jones, that was featured on Disney’s American Legends DVD. The short can be seen on the link below

http://www.watchtheyard.com/video/john-henry-disney-watch/

Having never seen this short before until today, I was thoroughly impressed by how well Disney did on the short that effectively portrayed John Henry's story in a powerful way. The short truly sends a positive message about the strength and togetherness of African Americans to pick one another up and make a new life for their self following the Civil War. I thought that the short was amplified by the music played during the story that explains the importance of both hard work and perseverance to children out there. Having seen this short, I'm excited to see how Disney tackles the issue of race in The Princess and the Frog!

Disney and Halloween: Like Peas and Carrots

In honor of Halloween this past weekend, I think a belated Halloween-themed post is in order. I have to preface this post with the statement that Halloween is by and far away my favorite holiday of the year. While Christmas, Easter and Hanukkah get all the glory, Halloween is 100% what you make of it. One person can spend 1 week planning on a costume, while someone else can spend an entire year working on their masterpiece costume and I think that the openness of this is truly unique. The pervasiveness of Disney is never more obvious than over Halloween, where everyone and their mother wants to dress up as Carl and Russell or Elsa and Olaf or Timon and Pumba and roam the streets as their favorite animated characters. In the case of the picture seen above, some members of my family decided to dress up as the protagonists from Disney Pixar's Inside Out. While I'm sure many other families decided to do the same thing, I thought that this was hilarious because of how accurately each one of the individuals in the picture is summed up by the emotions that they're dressed up as, especially little Connor (Anger) and Zoe (disgust). While Disney gets a lot of flak for the messages that they may or may not send, it's impossible to deny Disney's ability to bring people of different backgrounds and personalities together in a totally awesome way.With many new Halloween experiences this year having been away from home and at Duke, I really appreciated this photo of my family that shows that the Cherches' strong Halloween roots have continued with little Connor and Zoe's generation, and I couldn't be more excited about it.

Morton Film Response: "Simba's Revolution: Revisiting History and Class in The Lion King"

In the midst of writing my own summary and response essay, I have a newfound appreciation for John Morton and  his ability to generate a thought provoking academic "conversation" in his summary and response essay, "Simba's Revolution: Revisiting History and Class in The Lion King." Most broadly, Morton's essay is a direct response to Robert Gooding-Williams' essay, "Disney in Africa and the Inner City: on Race and Space in The Lion King." In his original piece, Gooding-Williams made several argumentative points, including the notion that Disney's Africa in the Lion King is without history until Scar's revolution as well as the claim that the inclusion of the hyenas in the film signifies social inequality.

In my opinion, Morton successfully takes these questionable claims and not only qualifies but expands upon them, as a summary and response essay is supposed to do. By including a mixture of agreeing and then expanding and also disagreeing with Gooding-Williams throughout his essay, Morton establishes a balanced tone that is effective at preventing the reading from feeling lost or overwhelmed by bias.

In direct response to Gooding-Williams' claim that Disney's version of Africa, with its "Circle of Life" anthem, is completely lacking history, Morton points out the fact that even after Scar's revolution, Africa still remains a place that lacks history. Instead of being an oasis, Pride Rock transforms into a wasteland, or in other words a place living in "The Circle of Death."

I especially enjoyed Morton's point that instead of analyzing the struggle between Simba and Scar/the Hyenas in racial terms,  he suggests that the struggle may just represent the eternal power struggle between classic symbols of good and evil. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Morton's writing that expanded upon many of Gooding-Williams' arguments in respectful but effective ways, and ultimately adds many good points to the ongoing literary academic conversation.