Introduction

Hey everybody! I'm Nathan and I am enrolled as a student in a course at Duke University named "Writing 101: Decoding Disney." To be honest, I am not very knowledgeable about Disney movies. Although, this does not mean that I do not watch any Disney movies. From the small pool of movies that I have watched, Aladdin is easily my favorite movie. How could you not fall in love with Robin Williams as Genie? The first time I watched Aladdin, I deemed it necessary to sit down and watch the two sequels immediately. It was so worth it! Nonetheless, as a child, I took little interest in watching movies and often tried to spend more time outside exploring. I have only recently realized that movies are an essential part of exploring today's society. With this epiphany, I now understand that movie companies, like Disney, have a wealth of influence on the population. A vast majority of people believe that Disney movies teach valuable life lessons to the children who view them, as well as to the adults who enjoy the numerous subliminal jokes that appear in the films. However, as I previously mentioned, Disney holds power influence throughout the world, resulting in skepticism from those who believe that Disney is simply a mechanism for brainwashing the target audience of children. I am interested in exploring how the positive messages that Disney provides weighs against the possible negative subliminal messages that accompany the films. In this class, I am not just trying to experience the bliss of childhood innocence. I hope to investigate questions about how Disney could be promoting poor behavior through their programming. For example, many people believe that Walt Disney was racist and that Disney subliminally promotes racism through its films. Critics have heavily noted that typically the villain in a Disney movie has a noticeably darker complexion, as evidenced by Aladdin, the Lion King, and many more titles. In addition, many of the most popular Disney movies were produced in eras before the Civil Rights Movement. As a result, the children who watch these Disney classics are exposed to the raw discriminatory attitude of the past. To think that these subtle messages found in Disney movies could completely change the outlook of an entire audience is mind-blowing. I believe that due to my lack of experience and nostalgia associated with Disney films, I can provide a fresh and fair prospective when analyzing the messages of Disney films. I do not possess as much bias because I have no reason to fear that my childhood will be ruined or that the happy memories of my past will become tainted. This may be one of the only advantages that come with entering a Disney class with minimal background knowledge. I’m beyond excited to begin this path to discovery! I hope that this class will be my carpet ride to see a whole new world!! (Pardon my cheesy reference)