Saturday, October 24, 2009

Do you see what your children are seeing?

In the past I have been a big fan of children's movies. In more recent years I've been disappointed by the quality on several levels. But there is one thing I didn't see and it took Sean to show me that what some people have been saying for years is really true.
He enjoys movies. He loves Peter Pan, and has for a while now. We recently found the old movie, "Hook," at a thrift store and he watched it for a few days. It's the story of Peter Pan all grown up, who has to go back to Neverland and fight Captain Hook again to save his children. But really it's about a dad who is way too focused on work and worldly things instead of being present for his kids. It's cute.
For years people have been saying that Disney movies are produced in a racist way. The good guys are always white. Bad guys are black, and sometimes the black animated characters (such as the crows in Dumbo) are portrayed with a Southern accent and obvious black dialect.
I could see it, but also always said people can take anything and pick it apart and make it into something to support their agenda.
Sean is a brown child, with brown eyes and very dark brown- almost black hair.
Recently he started saying things like, "I wish I had white skin." We talk about that and how God made him brown, and God believes he is wonderful just the way he is, and I do too. I love his brown skin and think it is beautiful.
Another night as I put him to bed he said, "I wish I had blue eyes." I asked why, and he said because in the movies, the one the movie is about always has blue eyes and they're the good guys."
He has noticed it in other films too, and cartoons.
Now my job is to subtly replace those with more healthy options, if I can FIND ANY! I could do away with movies and cartoons all together, but I don't think that is realistic.

1 comment:

The Never Fairy said...

I didn't like Hook because it completely contradicts the original stories by J.M. Barrie. If we're concerned what our children are exposed to, shouldn't we show them stories that respect the original authors?

There is one like that, about Peter Pan. It's faithful and based on his idea for more!

Click my name to see.

BELIEVE!