Stereotypes Of Small Animals In The Children's Movie Zootopia

Most people think of small animals, such as sheep, as meek and submissive due to their frequent portrayal as innocent characters in children’s stories and folklore; in these same stories, antagonistic characters tend to be fiercer animals such as lions or wolves. However, the children’s movie Zootopia shows that this is not always the case. The characters in this film break the stereotypes that the audience have against them by being different from what is conventional. For instance, the "dumb bunny" Judy Hopps solves the case of the savage predators, and Nick Wilde turns from a sly con artist to the first fox cop. This includes a sheep by the name of Dawn Bellwether, who is the assistant mayor and mayor of Zootopia. However, much to the audience's surprise, she is also the main antagonist of the film. This seemingly helpless but kind lamb contradicts the stereotype of typical small animals because she is cunning, ruthless, and corrupt, proving that not all sweet characters are what they appear to be.
Throughout a majority of the film, Bellwether is shown only as the clumsy assistant mayor …show more content…
She is a sly, merciless, and unlawful character who hides behind her small physique and kindly persona. The physical qualities of animal characters typically dictate their personality or characteristics, so basic character traits are seen very often in the media. However, Zootopia manages to break these stereotypical character archetypes, surprising the audience at multiple moments throughout the film. Despite the constant reminder that people should not be judged solely by their looks, most individuals make assumptions about a person’s character based on stereotypes and stigmas. However, these are not always true. A person’s inner qualities cannot necessarily be seen from the outside, and assistant mayor Dawn Bellwether reflects this very