Disneyfication
Walt Disney, the creator and founder of Disney is a man who has created something that almost every American can relate to. Walt Disney first introduced the character Mickey Mouse in 1928 in the movie, Steamboat Willie (Palestini 60). The character Mickey Mouse became a hit among audience members and helped Disney's career progress. In 1937, he released his first full length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Palestini 60). Since the successful release of the first full length Disney film there have been hundreds of other Disney movies released.
Through television shows, movies, books, music, stores, amusement parks and so much more, the Disney Corporation has found its way into the lives of almost every American. The Disney name is a popular one in the American culture and its one that so many of us have grown up knowing. Disney has established a corporation that American's value and support. This is proven by how successful the Disney business has been and continues to be today.Walt Disney is noted to have been a "workaholic" (Palestini 64) and it is obvious that his hard work paid off. As mentioned in Robert Palestini's book, Going Back to The Future, A Leadership Journey for Educators, "Walt Disney dedicated his life to show business, which by its very nature is the institutionalization of symbolic behavior, and he was magnificent at it" (Palestini 66). But this world known as "Disneyfication"(Palestini 66) represented in Disney's work does not represent the world in which we live in for what it truly is, but instead a fake or symbolic world where all our "dreams come true" (Palestini 66). Disneyfication uses symbols and characters to send messages to audience members. These messages influence children and their view of the world.
From my research I have gained more knowledge about the different messages, educational lessons, and life lessons that Disney movies teach young audience members. To help myself (a future teacher), other aspiring teachers, current teachers, parents and future parents I am going to take a closer look at the messages being sent out to audience members through the Disney movies. I feel that it is important for people to know how Disney movies influence children's beliefs, understanding of themselves and view of the world. Although it is hard not to let outside influences influence our perceptions parents and teachers do have the ability to sensor what their children watch. So as a future parent and teacher I feel it is only proper to closely read what it is I could potentially show my children and students. In this piece I hope to share what I have learned about the Disney movies and what parents and teachers should expect their children to learn from watching Disney movies.
Through television shows, movies, books, music, stores, amusement parks and so much more, the Disney Corporation has found its way into the lives of almost every American. The Disney name is a popular one in the American culture and its one that so many of us have grown up knowing. Disney has established a corporation that American's value and support. This is proven by how successful the Disney business has been and continues to be today.Walt Disney is noted to have been a "workaholic" (Palestini 64) and it is obvious that his hard work paid off. As mentioned in Robert Palestini's book, Going Back to The Future, A Leadership Journey for Educators, "Walt Disney dedicated his life to show business, which by its very nature is the institutionalization of symbolic behavior, and he was magnificent at it" (Palestini 66). But this world known as "Disneyfication"(Palestini 66) represented in Disney's work does not represent the world in which we live in for what it truly is, but instead a fake or symbolic world where all our "dreams come true" (Palestini 66). Disneyfication uses symbols and characters to send messages to audience members. These messages influence children and their view of the world.
From my research I have gained more knowledge about the different messages, educational lessons, and life lessons that Disney movies teach young audience members. To help myself (a future teacher), other aspiring teachers, current teachers, parents and future parents I am going to take a closer look at the messages being sent out to audience members through the Disney movies. I feel that it is important for people to know how Disney movies influence children's beliefs, understanding of themselves and view of the world. Although it is hard not to let outside influences influence our perceptions parents and teachers do have the ability to sensor what their children watch. So as a future parent and teacher I feel it is only proper to closely read what it is I could potentially show my children and students. In this piece I hope to share what I have learned about the Disney movies and what parents and teachers should expect their children to learn from watching Disney movies.