Nadina González Nomi & Gisela Méndez
Discrimination has been one of the main sources of unfair treatment towards people. Factors such as social class, race, genre, religion and political ideology generate discrimination and, in consequence, inequality. This situation can be perceived in the result of a survey carried out by UNICEF dated 6th May 2011, where 66% of the students polled found themselves having suffered from discrimination.
Discrimination among children often comes from certain sources which are perceived as innocent and wholesome. At a very young age, many children are exposed to movies, whether at the theatre or on videos at home. One major producer of children’s movies is the Disney Corporation, which has great influence on children`s ideology. Therefore, it is imperative for parents, teachers, and other adults to understand how such films attract the attention and shape the values of the children who buy and view them. The films by Disney Corporation contain many instances of discrimination. A good example of this is ‘Cars’, which portrays certain races and cultures in a negative manner. Discrimination towards those cars that are non- American and those that belong to lower class is perceived all along the movie.
On the surface of ‘Cars’ there is an inclusiveness of different races. However, the truth is that this is just a thin cover. Foreign cars only act the roles of supporting characters and they receive little attention. This can be perceived in Luigi and Guido’s performances. They are Italian cars who have followed races their entire lives. They are portrayed as people who look up to those famous drivers of racing cars that belong to the high class. A clear example of this takes place when a fantastic, red Ferrari arrives at Luigi and Guido’s shop. Neither Luigi nor Guido can believe the arrival of such an important car. This is the moment when they are characterized as stupid people, as people that the only thing they do is to admire the high class, as people who wish they were like high class people.
Including cars from different countries, the film portrays the working class in a negative way. The main character looks down on those cars that do not belong to the high society. This can be noticed when Mc Queen makes fun of the rusty cars just because of their physical appearance. This can also be perceived when Tow Mater, which is a well-known stereotype of the working class, is underestimated by Mc Queen the moment this rusty car shows Mc Queen how he usually scares the tractors.
Although Mc Queen has a strong relationship with working class characters, the friendship gets stronger once Radiator Spring has recovered its popularity and its economy. It is worth taking into account the fact that the less popular, famous and luxurious the town was, the more Mc Queen looked down on her inhabitants.
The way Tow Mater, Luigi and Guido are portrayed shows the fact that the movie is discriminative. This is what children are exposed to and what they take to school. Therefore, discrimination among students occurs constantly.
Perhaps discrimination will never come to an end. What is important is to be able to be aware of it and to be critical as regards this situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment