Racial Stereotypes in The Lion King Disney Movie Essay Example

The study of ethnic and critical race theory has been a big turn point in learning the differences in cultural mode of expression even though there can be consequences for people of color that have to experience. It is the focus of seeing other perspectives from other people and living but also the power that can change that causes an impact. This can also be seen in children's animated movies where we as humans do not realize the demonstration of two different types of living. Additionally, characters are expressed as groups such as portraying powerful and stronger meanwhile, the other group is weaker and defeated. An animated film by Disney “Lion King” has a connection to the study of ethics and confronting the culture in the animal kingdom about how every animal has a different mode of living. This film had shown the colors and scenes of the good side and evil sides representing the power being compatible among each animal but it is more likely to yet be unsuccessful and belong to different living standards for its good. 

As a child, you may not understand the meaning of certain children's movies or connect to real-life society aside from just being entertainment. The film “Lion King” is known to be the setting of “Pride lands” where it is a happy and bright side in the savannah in which Lions as high on the food chart are being looked up to from other lower animals from the chart. In the way this relates to our reality, we would tend to look up to people that have more money and have more opportunities when being at a high level of the “Pride land”. The beginning of the movie starts with the song “Circle of life” meaning how their pride land is influenced by where Lions as predators and stronger and the prey are being ruled over them and yet show respect, cheering for the welcoming of Simba that will become king one day. The movie had shown symbolic representation to prove Lion being a high chain and what it is the living standards of a lower or middle class. Like Mufasa, Simba and Scar they would all tend to stand at a high rock while other animals would be at ground level and in different habitats. However, this relates to how society is viewed as only Men lions would tend to be leaders, only powerful men are the figure too and it’s inequality to gender that they tend to be respected, dominant, and more likely to have greater opportunities than women. 

Even though one side of the land was gleeful and light, we come to see another, a complete opposite to somber land scenes. This other side of land also known as the “elephant graveyard” would be considered like a low and poorer community in where the hyenas live in the movie. Although this movie is mainly about animals it relates to our society, the two different communities we see where the higher class would tend to have a better quality of life than lower-class inability to have the advantages. In addition to this no life and dark habitat hyenas lived in they were depicted as uneducated no life in their body language as clueless and dumb. Also, the color of the hyenas being gray, and black makes a mark on how Disney animated. This is important because in real life their colors are brown and this shows that animating them to darker colors is to express they belong to the lower class and cannot be above like lions in the kingdom. However, Scar may be darker than a lion but it is proved that only lighter lions would tend to have more power like Mufasa. Therefore, this connects to race theory in our society because of the racial injustice to people of color to have no power meanwhile lighter skins have better resources that impact an unbalanced power structure. Like Scar, though he has power as being a lion, he had promised hyenas to move up to take over the kingdom and become the new ruler. Scar has said, “I will be king. Stick with me, and you’ll never go hungry again!”. Disney has also added the song “Be prepared” sung by Scar and in his lyrics has been important to his idea to kill brother Mufasa and his nephew. Lastly, he has said “I never thought hyenas were essential. They're crude and unspeakably plain” which shows he will be taking advantage of them (lower class) to take control and be seen as a dictator villain lion.

Along the two sides of habitat livings, we had seen Simba no longer a cub and had found out the dark death of his father killed by his uncle and needing to come back to save the kingdom. Simba was told to run away and never come back by his evil uncle Scar because he would be accused and blamed for the death of his father. Ever since then Scar has become the ruler and became successful coming from a lower class, the pride land had become into darkness and destroyed similar to how the elephant graveyard looked. This means it is a stereotype that lower-class structures cannot ever compete with the upper class because they have insufficient education or leadership to bring a community together. The kingdom has resulted in starvation and sadness while being in control which is not a life anymore. Nonetheless, Simba has brought change with the experiences he went through such as meeting his friends he made along. He had valued and shown that though he can be part of a high class, meeting others from a lower class made him learn from other experiences and were friendly. This shows how society should think and not have critics that lower class are no good and upper class can also learn by them which involves working together. Despite the death of Simba's father, he had come back to the kingdom to battle against his uncle who had become a dictator that impacted the land of happiness to change the living of all animal habitats. The combat against the villains and Simba is important like how people of color are fighting for their rights and much better treatment for the better to bring everything in peace. Simba has become successful in removing the gloomy dark side of the land back into the happiness and pride land is known to be. 

This movie has brought many racial and ethnic scenes but many people do not see it as a family entertainment moment for children to enjoy animations. However, going deep into “Lion King” it has meaning to how our society relates to the lower class and upper class is not balanced and it's being an impact. Though there is a comparison of how lions and hyenas live brings back to how our society is separated we come to learn the stereotypes the film had portrayed like lighter skin can be much educated powerful and dark skin people cannot ever succeed to go above. This film can make conflicts with children watching because it can change their view of how characters were shown. This can bring a wrong message for children to think only powerful and stronger can take over while dark land cannot and have no living. We live in a society of inferiority and discrimination changes the lives of people viewed and opportunities be less. This film has taught us the meaning of stereotypical body language, ethics that can yet be a change to our world and make it better where equity can be for all humans of color and to any social class. Successions and power could be for anyone and can be proved if demonstrating any critics wrong.