MOTHER FIGURE REPRESENTATION IN DISNEY MOVIES OR THE LACK OF – A PSYCHOANALYTIC POINT OF VIEW

This is part of an internship I am doing under Krsh Welfare Foundation

Abstract

?While binge watching the Disney movies I found a very common threat which connects many Disney princes and princesses. Other than coming from very disturbing, repulsive households the characters of Disney movies have little to no mother figures.

Out of the 51 movies aired until 2016, 6 included a dead mother of the protagonist (with one movie being a repeat in a series). While this may not seem like many movies, 6 movies out of 51 are a little over 11 per cent. This is more than double the statistics that put the number of children in the U.S. who lose either or both parents at about 5 per cent. And because this figure of 5 per cent accounts for children who have lost a mother or father or both parents, the percentage of children who have specifically lost their mother’s like in the movies are less likely.

This report shows the psychology behind the representation of mother figure in old Disney movies or the lack of representation. The role of Walt Disney’s traumatic past regarding his mother’s death, the Jungian archetype of a mother figure, Freudian Oedipus and Electra complex.

Keywords: Mother figure, Disney, Disney movies, Jungian Archetype, Psychology, Oedipus complex, Electra complex.

Introduction

Right off the batch who is Disney? For the people who lived under a rock for more than a century, Walt Disney, in full Walter Elias Disney, (born December 5, 1901, Chicago, Illinois U.S.—died December 15, 1966, Los Angeles, California), American motion-picture Pathfinder, television producer and the greatest showman of all times, creator of Mickey mouse and Donald duck. In 1955, the planned and build the first Disneyland, and before his death he had begun building a second such park, Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. The Disney company, his life’s work has now turned into the world’s largest entertainment conglomerate.

Disney single-handedly changed the face of cartoons, starting with a T-shirt-wearing mouse. He continued his journey to change the point of view of millions and billions of children about fairies and the land far far away where the princess waits for the price-cum- saviour heroically shows up and saves the day.

There has been a lot of criticism for Disney lately for portraying female and male characters in stereotypical ways, specifically around gender roles. Society is largely based on these stereotypes and this affects how people view themselves. Media already has a considerable influence when it comes to portraying what society expects from you, and social norms.

Garnder (2015) expands on this by stating-

?Disney has always portrayed gender biases in its films which puts a mirror in front of the cultural and social norms and expectations of gender roles and identity. ?Disney is the best trademark to compare social trends and cultures; along with that Disney also is a great parameter to measure how the social expectations of men and women have changed throughout.

Depiction of absent, dead or evil mother

?Disney movies tend to portray mothers in various ways, mostly unfavourable. They are either absent or dead while fathers are present and caring. This feeds into the stereotype that mothers don't care and fathers take care of their children, which is often untrue in reality. The mothers always presented with eccentric clothing, exposed dressing style, heavy-duty make-up and striking persona. Eg- Ursula in The Little Mermaid, and Cruella in 101 Dalmatians.

The animation studio is partial to portraying “good” and “bad” mothers.

?Most traditional parents are trying to be good mothers. They care about their children and do what they can for them. Giving a child a life without limitations is not what any sensible mother would want. Allowing a child to explore dangerous situations without supervision and company goes against the natural instincts of most mothers.

?But, for Disney, her help and company prevent an interesting story and emotional growth.

Of course, the production company removed her character.

A good example of a mother's removal, which has scarred many generations, would be Bambi. The unnamed mother in the movie displays all the characteristics one would expect in a 1942 movie. After her death, he learns the dangers of his world and falls in love again.

Bambi’s mother teaches the audience that good motherhood is difficult to attain- children should never come first. Furthermore, the death of Bambi's mother seems to symbolize how female characters are often only metaphors for a male lead.

King Triton Ariel's father in Little Mermaid. Though the movie does not have a villain, he is predominantly seen as good and not evil. When these characteristics are found in a female character, she is usually seen as bad or evil.

This is the case in Tangled. Mother Gothel is portrayed as the big bad mother, whom Rapunzel has to overcome before completing a hero's journey. While analysing the two movies simultaneously, the message is: that when fathers attempt to control their daughters, it's only out of love and care. However, when mothers try to control their daughters, it is out of jealousy and ego.

Society has taught women that their worth comes from their physical appearance, yet it can't wait to condemn those women who admire how they look. This is precisely what Disney media portrays as true mothers who are expected to abandon self-care in favour of caring for others.

Gender roles are perceived as behavioural “norms” that are usually associated with males and females in a social group or structure (Yerby, Baron, and Lee). Certain characteristics and behaviours are associated with specific identities or stereotypes.

?Our society tends to outline what it means to be a male or female and then define what depictions and traits of normal behaviour they are each to portray (Gardner, 2015). These depictions and qualities then get reinforced through products, clothing, and even media for what is considered appropriate (Gardner, 2015). Gender roles are constructed for males and females are supposed to present themselves very early in a child’s life ?(Palmer, 2013). These expectations and social norms that society offers children have an impact and influence. In today’s society, girls are pictured in bright colours, dresses, and playing with dolls and having tea parties.

?On the other hand, boys are expected to play constructive, “masculine” games, which should be related to cars, sports etc. The children face difficult consequences when they do not match their social expectations. ?Those children risk getting harassed, discriminated against, and even abused by their peers and adults. (Gardner 2015).

Discussion

Electra Complex: Electra Complex is a psychoanalysis term used to describe a girl's romantic feelings towards her father and jealousy toward her mother. As in Cinderella's Movie where Mother's Role is excluded, the representation of the role of a mother in this movie is replaced by the presence of an evil and cruel stepmother. In this animated movie, Cinderella detests her stepmother because of the deep-rooted Electra complex, as the stepmother has seized the love of her father, it made Cinderella feel rivalled by her stepmother. After the father's role was eliminated, Cinderella found a substitute for the prince's role, who gave love and affection like her father.

?Oedipus Complex: Based on Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalysis school, Oedipus Complex is a stage of psychosexual development in childhood when a child has sexual desire for the opposite-sex parent and hatred for the same-sex parent (eg. A boy attracted to his mother and considers his father as a rival). Unlike Disney's animated movie Cinderella, in Disney animated movie's Aladdin, Aladdin is looking for a mother figure in the story. There is no mother's role in Disney's animated movie Aladdin, Aladdin is portrayed as the figure of a homeless kid who loves the king's daughter. Father's role in Disney's animated movie Aladdin doesn't get a lot of attention, this is related to the Oedipus Complex, Aladdin tries to find a replacement for mother's role in Jasmine, the king's daughter. Aladdin can feel affection like a mother figure from Jasmine.

?Conclusion

?There could be multiple conclusions from the above-presented details. But above all to conclude my point of view I would like to acknowledge the traumatic past of Walt Disney regarding his mother’s death.

?Recently "Maleficent" executive producer Don Hahn, gave two explanations about “the lion king” and “the nightmare before Christmas ” which he had worked on.

?He mentioned that Disney movies are mostly 80-90 minutes long because they are generally about a person’s life and growing up. "They're about that day in your life when you have to accept responsibility. Simba ran off from home but had to come back. Bambi grows up because of his mother’s death.”

He also explains another reason which is a lot darker.

?

According to the biography " How to be like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic every day of Your Life" Walt and his brother Ray both purchased a home for his parents in Los Angeles in 1937. After about a year, Walt's mother called up one morning in November asking if the gas furnace leaking in the house could be fixed.

He asked a few people from his studio to fix the furnace, but it didn’t help, the furnace leaked killing Disney’s mother. The next day when the housekeeper came, they dragged out his parents, his mother died and his father was severely injured and was sent to the hospital. This incident left him traumatized and he would never speak of it.

He never spoke about this accident ever again, maybe because deep down he blamed himself for his mother’s death. Walt's mother Flora took her last breath on November 26, 1938, right after the success of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" and while "Pinocchio," was still in production.

?Hahn mentioned that Disney was haunted by his mother’s death to the extent that it projected itself as films and cartoon characters. "It's not a secret within their family, but it's just a tragedy that is so difficult to even talk about. It makes sense how the person turned out as he.”

?

?

References:

1.???? Afianti1,ini, huluq 2*,dhi Satrio 3*, Nadya, Nur’,husnul ,llan. “THE ABSENCE OF MOTHER FIGURE FOUND IN DISNEY’S MOVIE.” In 1stNational Seminar of PBI (English Language Education), n.d. https://proceeding.unikal.ac.id/index.php/nspbi/article/view/285/220.

?

?

2.???? ACUNA, KIRSTEN. “There Are 2 Sad Reasons Why Disney Characters Usually Don’t Have Moms,” September 17, 2014. https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/there-are-2-sad- reasons-why-disney-characters-usually-dont-have-moms/articleshow/42724851.cms.

?

3.???? Barber, McKenzie. “Disney’s Female Gender Roles: The Change of Modern Culture.” Indiana State University, 2015. https://scholars.indstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10484/12132/Barber_McKenzie_2015_H T.pdf?sequence=1.

?

4.???? George, Antonia. “The Overrepresentation of Dead Mothers in Disney Channel Original Movies,” June 1, 2016. https://cosgrrrl.com/the-overrepresentation-of-dead-mothers-in-disney- channel-original-movies-9f46f53d5ac8.

?

5.???? Klash, Veronica Klash, Veronica, and Jun 21, 2018. “Evil, Absent, or Dead: Disney’s Problematic Depiction of Mothers,” June 21, 2018. https://www.fandom.com/articles/evil-absent-or- dead-disneys-problematic-depiction-of-mothers.