Oxford’s Dictionary defines a stereotype as “A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing (Webster’s 2016).” These stereotypes are commonly used to embellish characteristics of a society that we do not understand. Stereotypes can, however, be used to help people connect with a lifestyle that is foreign to them. The most important things is how people act on what they observe about cultures that are different than their own. Stereotypes are often used with ill-intent, but that is not always the case. We, as a culture, grow up and come to experience things in a somewhat similar manner. While cultures vary within a nation, often times their values are loosely aligned. When we are exposed to
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This movie presents the “bad” guys as mostly having accents of some sort, or very harsh voices. The “good” guys tended to have very American accents, and in the genie’s case, very American impressions. The “good” guys in Aladdin had very western manners of speaking and even the main character, Aladdin, began to use “Al” as his name. This was a very Western name. These stereotypes can have negative effects in that what we know, American culture, is portrayed as good. The “other” culture is portrayed as bad. Disney’s Aladdin is not the only movie to use negative stereotypes about Arabs. The guards with heavy accents are seen as aggressors, and Jafar terrorizes the whole city. Many movies feature Arabs as either the “bad” guy or a terrorist, while the Western individual fights to protect the …show more content…
They were used to tell a story, and highlight the timeframe when it had taken place. We can look back and say some stereotypes are harmful, such as the attempted cutting off of Jasmine’s hand for theft. What is most important is that people understand that the movie is a fictional story. We should not use fictional stories to define our beliefs of life lessons. That is why it is imperative for the parents of children to help them process what they view. We should speak to our children about the shows they watch, or the films they view. Have them “talk” it out. We can then take the broad moral lessons that the filmmakers are trying to convey, and weed out any negative stereotypes that had or had not intended to be
This movie presents the “bad” guys as mostly having accents of some sort, or very harsh voices. The “good” guys tended to have very American accents, and in the genie’s case, very American impressions. The “good” guys in Aladdin had very western manners of speaking and even the main character, Aladdin, began to use “Al” as his name. This was a very Western name. These stereotypes can have negative effects in that what we know, American culture, is portrayed as good. The “other” culture is portrayed as bad. Disney’s Aladdin is not the only movie to use negative stereotypes about Arabs. The guards with heavy accents are seen as aggressors, and Jafar terrorizes the whole city. Many movies feature Arabs as either the “bad” guy or a terrorist, while the Western individual fights to protect the …show more content…
They were used to tell a story, and highlight the timeframe when it had taken place. We can look back and say some stereotypes are harmful, such as the attempted cutting off of Jasmine’s hand for theft. What is most important is that people understand that the movie is a fictional story. We should not use fictional stories to define our beliefs of life lessons. That is why it is imperative for the parents of children to help them process what they view. We should speak to our children about the shows they watch, or the films they view. Have them “talk” it out. We can then take the broad moral lessons that the filmmakers are trying to convey, and weed out any negative stereotypes that had or had not intended to be