Anti-Semitism In Cartoons

Since the early 1900s’, cartoons have played a pivotal role in raising children within a society. They teach young people how their world functions, what is looked down upon and what actions are rewarded. Although children never notice these subtle behavioral hints, they are affected by them nonetheless. In her book Good Girls and Wicked Witches, Amy M. Davis says, “film [is] a cultural mirror” (17). Of all the different categories of film, animation is the best when it comes to reflecting a society’s way of life. The reason for this is simple. Animated characters, unlike real people, can be shaped and moulded in a variety of ways, allowing for certain features to be exaggerated - like a caricature. These exaggerations can be used to idolize what is seen as valuable to a community. While cartoons play an important role in …show more content…
All of these programs seeded propaganda, making it very easy to distinguish a Jew from the rest. The importance cartoons had on on a child's perception can be further proven by an eighth grade student and their essay. In it, a German writes an analyzation of Diehl's puppet animation on the story Tischlein Deck Dich. During his essay, the student writes, “the treacherous host... faced the fate of punishment. He resembles the eternal Jew, who wants to profit from the work of the diligent and capable. He is a Schmarotzer [parasite]... The evil Jew wants to rob the german people” (Storm, and Giesen 37). The student goes on further describing the “evil Jew” and how Germany can only succeed united with a strong army. The animation does not even mention that the villain is a Jew, yet children recognize the stereotypes placed within the program. Infact, none of what is quoted by the child mentions the villains real name. The villain is only referred to in a derogatory way or as