The author of the story “All is not well in ‘Land of the Lion King’” seemed to have really misunderstood the children’s movie. The main point in her story is that Disney purposefully made it so that certain animals would have a certain status in the story. For example, hyenas with their dark fur and “ghetto” habitat are seen as the “bad guys” in the movie. Lazarus is proposing that the “Lion King” has a negative underlying message of stereotypes. I am saying that Margaret Lazarus looked too far into detail in this children’s movie.
First of all, Lazarus makes reference to the hyenas as being “dark-mostly black” she says. She also points out the fact that the voice for one of the hyenas is played by Whoopie Goldberg with inner-city dialect. Lazarus refers to the place where the hyenas live as “clearly the ghetto.” When you think of hyenas you don’t think of sunshine, happiness and bright colors. Hyenas are not pretty animals; they don’t live in nice looking territories so why would “The Lion King” producers make them that way. They made them exactly as they should be represented. She also states the fact that in the movie they are black or else really dark. I looked at pictures on the internet of hyenas and no, most of them are not black. However, I think that Disney pictured them this way because they are like the “bad guys” in the movie. Typically when a person thinks of bad or evil they picture darker colors. I don’t think it has anything to do with underlying stereotypes of people.
She also mentions that Scar has a seemingly gay caricature; to who? I have not once noticed him and being gay. I think Margaret looked too deep into this children’s story and tried to make it something that it is not. I don’t think I have ever heard one black person mention the fact that they were offended by the hyenas in the movie “The Lion King.” I still see “The Lion King” as a good, worth-watching movie.
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I totally agree. I think her whole writing was based off her opinions, which were irrelevant. She took a simple character or storyline and misinterpreted the motive behind it. I am pretty sure Disney employees aren't all members of the KKK or some other racist group.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well. Black is classic symbol of evil, just as white is a classic symbol of good. It is just symbolism, not racism. And looking into the biology aspect of it, hyenas and lions are natural enemies. Therfore, in a movie about lions, it would make sense to include hyenas. And making happy, sunshine yellow and orange hyenas would just be ridiculous. So yes, I completely agree with you. Disney is not some racist organization, it is an organization dedicated to making entertaining movies for children. So this authour should simply leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteIt appears to me that Lazarus is attempting to make a "mountain out of a molehill" as the popular idiom says. Because the Lion King displays friction between its characters and doesn't portray everyone as being good does not mean that they are sexist or racist, they're simply telling a story. Lazarus goes to the extreme and seems to delight in causing her readers to become appalled at a children's movie. Also, to comment on the hyenas, if Disney's intent was to portray hyenas as black and in "the ghetto" (to degrade black people) does Lazarus honestly believe that Whoopi Goldberg would agree to be one of the voices?
ReplyDeleteDisney is in fact implying things by making the color of the hyenas black. The hyenas are the bad guys in the movie and the color black best portrays this image. When I watch the Lion King there is nothing about it that makes me think that they are mostly black to become a racial dig. I agree that Margaret is trying to make a big deal out of the little things.
ReplyDeleteI like your response, Margaret was most definitely overreacting. The fact that you stated that it was symbolism is perfect, I don't think anyone could have said it better.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of Whoopi as one of the Hyenas, she most definitely would not agree to a part that shows any bit or piece of rascism.
We're going to have so much fun discussing literature...
ReplyDeleteOf course black traditionally symbolizes evil. But there is a serious case to be made that the Lion King plays into people's expectations about the disenfranchised--the hyenas live in the bad section, and their speech patterns reflect origins as members of the underclass. Now what that means and if children pick up on it and form opinions about it...I can't tell you that.
And notice that all of you who are agreeing are white--wonder what other people might say.
As to Scar and the gay subtext--he's as gay as C3PO. And my gay friends are the ones who say so!