THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DISNEY IN THE CLASSROOM 1

The Positive and Negative Effects of Disney in the Classroom

By Abigail J. Griffith
Ivy Tech Community College

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What positive and negative messages are hidden in Disney movies and how does this affect
the students in our classroom? Ask a student to list the presidents of the United States or
memorize a famous quote and you get answers like, I do not know or That is hard but how
many are able to say names of Disney characters or quote a line or sing a song?
Throughout this paper we will look at good messages and negative messages that Disney relays
to students. As future educators it is important to realize these issues will affect your class. Today
in the classrooms we see bullying, racism, body images and so many more problems. Are these
the result of films that students see and take to heart? On the other hand, according to Monique
Wonderly (2009), Some films can engage children, emotionally and cognitively, presenting
them with ethical problems that stimulate critical thinking and thoughtful reflection (p. 6-7).
Perseverance and Confidence
Two of the most common positive messages shown in Disney films are perseverance and
confidence. People are constantly encouraged to never give up and to believe in themselves. In
most every Disney film the characters face a problem. Most of the time they battle this problem;
just when things seem dark and hopeless they realize giving up is not the answer. They can rise
up and be stronger than their problem.
This is where confidence comes in. In Disney movies the main focus tends to be on the main
character and showing themselves how they are capable of great things. It doesnt matter their
background, ethnicity, gender or any of that, what matters is who they are as a person and being
satisfied and confident in themselves.
Family

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Another positive message that Disney movies show students is the importance of family. In
these movies we see families of different kinds. There is the traditional family and other views of
family include the following:
Of the 23 alternative families represented, 3 (13%) were stepfamilies (Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Aristocats), 10
(43.5%) were single parents (Pinocchio, Dumbo, Stone, Aristocats, Fox, Mermaid, Rescuers, Beauty, Aladdin, and
Pocahontas), 7 (30.4%) were adoptive families (Pinocchio, Dalmatians, Stone, Jungle, Fox, Hercules, and Tarzan),
and 3 (13%) depicted community as family (Peter, Robin, and Tarzan) (Haddock, Zimmerman, Lund, & Tanner,
2003, p. 360).

Throughout these movies characters learn many important lessons about family such as
teamwork and working together as one despite your differences,(The Incredibles) families come
in all kind of different styles and as a family no one should get left behind (Lilo and Stitch,
Finding Nemo).
Growing Up
Children do not stay young forever and as they get older they start to learn valuable and
important life lessons. Disney movies help to introduce some of these lessons. In the movies like
the Lion King students are taught about responsibility. Life is more than avoiding worries
and responsibilities. Simba wanted to believe he could--and live the easy life--but he found he
had to accept who he was and his responsibility (Ward, 1996, p. 171).
Movies such as Bridge to Terabithia, Up Big Hero 6 deal with more difficult subjects
such as death. These types of movies introduce younger viewers to the concept and also the ways
we handle it. The common idea is to ignore death but these movies focus on continuing forward
and never forgetting but remembering who they were.

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Movies like Inside Out and Toy Story deal with subjects about emotions and stages of
growing up. From young children to the teen years, to adult years these movies deal with issues
and introductions to different stages of life.
True Love
There may be a lot of good found in a Disney film but there are also many deep hidden
messages and harmful ideas that are relayed. One of the biggest negative messages sent in
Disney movies especially older princess movies is the idea of love at first sight. Cinderella,
Aurora and Snow White were all three princesses who married their princes after first seeing
them. This sends a dangerous message. Also we see in the movie The Little Mermaid how
Ariel gives up her one talent just to be with the man she loved. She had only met him once yet
she was willing to give up the one thing she held dear. Are we really telling young girls that as
long as they feel good inside they should give up everything they are to be with that person?
Stereotypes and Body Image
In schools today many students are bullied and looked down on because of gender, disabilities
or body image. Disney movies teach us to be confident and happy with who we are but do
movies students watch really teach that?
A big stereotype in Disney movies deals with gender. Throughout Disney films especially
older princess movies we see specific stereotypes that male and female characters are given. For
example the women are quiet, kind and sweet; the men charming and heroic.
According to one source looking at every princess Disney movie from Snow White to
Princess and the Frog we see a list of characteristics that each gender tends to have. Masculine

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characteristics are, curiosity about the princess, exploration, strength, assertive, unemotional,
Independent and athletic, inspires fear, engages in intellectual thought, brave, physically
attractive, gives advice and is a leader. Feminine characteristics shown are, tends to physical
appearance, physically weak, submissive, emotional, affectionate, nurturing, sensitive, tentative,
helpful, troublesome, fearful, ashamed, collapses crying, physically attractive, ask for help, and
is a victim (England, Descartes, & Collier-Meek, 2011, p. 558-560).
These viewpoints are showing students that males should be strong, assertive brave leaders
while females should be submissive, sensitive, helpful, and nurturing. These ideas stereotype and
give students impressions about how they should act based on their gender. When one student
does not identify with this image this can lead to bullying because of differences.
Bulling and harassment are often gendered in nature, directed at students who are gay or perceived to be gay and
student who do not conform to the heterosexual behavioral expectations associated with their biological sex,
including boys who are effeminate and girls who are tomboys (Gollnick & Chinn, 2013, p. 161).

Another stereotype in Disney films is disability. Characters with disabilities are rarely seen in
these films. Sure there are some characters like Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dam,
and Dori from Finding Nemo but most of the characters we see with disabilities are not even
main characters. Why does Disney not tell more stories about those with disabilities? By not
incorporating them into their films Disney is saying that their lives are not as important or the
same as others without disabilities. This can make students with disabilities feel excluded and it
also does not give a good impression of people with disability to other students.
One of the biggest issues we see in schools today especially with younger girls is the issue
with body image. To be accepted you have to be pretty and fit the standards of others. Disney has
not helped with this image. With their movies and the princesses they create; they are giving girls

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ideas about how they should look. Every princess is skinny, young and beautiful. Beauty is in the
eye of the beholder but all these princesses and main characters are unrealistic with flawless skin
and unreasonably tiny waists.
There are no overweight main characters in these Disney films. Overweight women that are
mentioned are usually villains and even overweight men mentioned in these films are not main
characters.
Taking a look into stereotypes that boys face in these films we see boys shown as muscular,
strong and athletic. Once again there are no overweight men. They are tall, strong and athletic.
What kinds of messages do these give to boys who are overweight, shy, short and non athletic?
All of these stereotypes and body images are dangerous and give wrong impressions to
students. You are special the way you are may be Disneys main theme but is that what they are
really showing? According to them to be an important character you must not have any
imperfections. This leads students to believe that they have no value or to be more critical of
others around them.
Cultures and Race
How many main Disney characters are not white? How many main characters are African
American, Hispanic, Asian, or of a different nationality? We wonder why there is so much racism
in our schools today; perhaps these movies play a part? Through the early years of Disney we see
white princesses and white heroes. People of other races were considered evil, or animal like.
Repeatedly, non-White human characters appear as stereotypical representations of "the other," who are often
inferior, grotesque, violent, or unscrupulous. Dark skin usually signifies "dark" intentions. For example, in Aladdin,
the hero is light skinned with Anglo features and speaks standard American English, while other "Arabs"

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(evildoers?) have dark skin with exaggerated facial features and speak with thick accents (Tavin & Anderson, 2003,
p. 21).

In more recent years Disney has added more diversity to their characters. They show a variety
of cultures in different movies such as Mulan, Pocahontas, Princess and the Frog and others.
Education
Last but not least I want to address the issue of education in Disney films. What kind of
images does Disney give students about school? How many of these characters actually go to
school or mention it? Alice from Alice in Wonderland left her book reading to go on an
adventure, Peter Pan went to Never Land so he didnt have to grow up which means he didnt
attend school. Cinderella was a house slave who probably never had a good education and none
of the princesses are described as having been in school.
A good part about Disney is how they incorporate history into their movies. A problem with
this occurs when fiction and truth collide. While movies such as Pocahontas may be based on
truth, writers have taken the story and twisted it to fit what they want. Not everything that is
considered historical or education should be taken as fact in those movies. For example there are
so many historical inaccuracies in the movie Pocahontas. Tavin and Anderson (2003) say,
In reality, Pocahontas was a child when she first met Smith and never had a romantic connection with him. The
Disney version of history also largely ignores the horrors of genocide at the hands of the colonists and the real fate
of Pocahontas's people, the Powhatan Nation (p.21).

Another big issue in education is getting more girls to realize that they can be good with
sciences and math. Most Disney movies do not teach girls they can be strong in this area. In fact
minus reading and writing very few are involved in any type of educational pursuit.

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Conclusion
Fellow educators this is an important topic because it affects all students. As we discussed in
the beginning of this paper we do not realize how influential and impressionable these movies
can be to students. By addressing these issues we are giving the students new viewpoints they
may never have thought of before and addressing multicultural issues such as race, gender and
much more. As educators to address this issue we can point out the good and bad messages in
movies and discuss how we should not base who we are or others are based on these films.
At the same time it is important that we do not underestimate the values and brains that these
students have, There is a tendency among adults to view children as inept, shallow beings who
lack the capacity for moral deliberation (Wonderly, 2009, p. 1). They are not shallow and they
do not lack the capacity for moral deliberation. They understand more than we realize therefore it
is important not harmful to discuss these issues.

Reference Page
England, D., Descartes, L., & Collier-Meek, M. (2011). Gender Role Portrayal and the
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Gollnick, D. M., & Chinn, P. C. (2013). Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society.
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