Awards

• Winner of Clifford G. Christians Ethics Research Award, sponsored by the Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research 2004 (United States)

Overview

""Through the worldview perspective, this book comes to grips with the incongruous moralities in Disney. It enables both parents and educators to gain a critical understanding of Disney content without being judgmental or promotional for the wrong reasons...Mouse Morality is a pleasure to read and discuss in itself, but shows the pathway to media criticism of the first order."" Nfrom the Foreword Kids around the world love Disney animated films, and many of their parents trust the Disney corporation to provide wholesome, moral entertainment for their children. Yet frequent protests and even boycotts of Disney products and practices reveal a widespread unease with the sometimes mixed and inconsistent moral values espoused in Disney films as the company attempts to appeal to the largest possible audience. In this book, Annalee R. Ward uses a variety of analytical tools based in rhetorical criticism to examine the moral messages taught in five recent Disney animated filmsNThe Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, and Mulan.Taking the films on their own terms, she uncovers the many mixed messages they purvey: for example, females can be leadersNbut male leadership ought to be the norm; stereotyping is wrongNbut black means evil; historical truth is valuedNbut only tell what one can sell, etc. Adding these messages together, Ward raises important questions about the moral ambiguity of DisneyOs overall worldview and demonstrates the need for parents to be discerning in letting their children learn moral values and life lessons from Disney films.

Full Product Details

Author:   Annalee R. Ward ,  Clifford Christians
Publisher:   University of Texas Press
Imprint:   University of Texas Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.286kg
ISBN:  

9780292791534

ISBN 10:   0292791534
Pages:   200
Publication Date:   01 December 2002
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Foreword Preface Acknowledgments 1. Disney, Film, and Morality: A Beginning Disney as Moral Educator Concern for Morality A Unique Audience Method of Research Definitions Reading the Texts 2. The Lion King: Moral Educator through Myth, Archetype, and Ritual Film Background Mythic Narrative Archetype Ritual Communication Tools The Lion King as Moral Educator 3. The Symbolic Boundaries of Moral Order in Pocahontas Film Background Disney and History Symbolic Boundaries of Moral Order Conclusion 4. Comically Framing Virtue and Vice in The Hunchback of Notre Dame Film Background Interpretive Frames Virtue Ethics Conclusion 5. Hercules: A Celebrity-Hero Film Background Identification through Narrative Strategies Conclusion 6. Mulan: East Meets West Film Background Interculturalism Moral Tensions Conclusion 7. A Disney Worldview: Mixed Moral Messages A Disney Worldview Implications of the Disney Worldview for Culture Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

"""Through the worldview perspective, this book comes to grips with the incongruous moralities in Disney. It enables both parents and educators to gain a critical understanding of Disney content without being judgmental or promotional for the wrong reasons.... Mouse Morality is a pleasure to read and discuss in itself, but shows the pathway to media criticism of the first order."" - from the Foreword"

Through the worldview perspective, this book comes to grips with the incongruous moralities in Disney. It enables both parents and educators to gain a critical understanding of Disney content without being judgmental or promotional for the wrong reasons.... Mouse Morality is a pleasure to read and discuss in itself, but shows the pathway to media criticism of the first order. - from the Foreword

Author Information

Annalee R. Ward is Chair and Associate Professor of Communication Arts at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois.

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