Aladdin Character Analysis

1760 Words8 Pages
The aim of this essay is to investigate the race, sexuality and gender stereotyping that is expressed through the Disney film ‘Aladdin’ and how these elements affect the characters. These elements will be represented within the characters personality and back story which is then visually represented in the characters design. In this Disney film there is a great importance to know the history in the world during the time that this film was established. The history during 1991 is shown through the characters. The filmmakers established Aladdin in 1991 Gulf War that lasted six months. Conflict was present between Iraq and 34 countries in the U.N. inclusive of the United States, trying to recover order to Kuwait. Within the film ‘Aladdin’ the stereotypes displayed are common stereotypes amongst the Arabs. The main character Aladdin is an impoverished orphan who lives with his monkey, Abu. Aladdin lives a life with no possessions and establishes shelter where any space may be available and is contrived to stealing food so that he will be able to survive. The quality of Aladdin’s life, riddled of poverty and forced to steal, represents a typical stereotype with Arabs, as Aladdin is shown as a thief. Arabs are expressed as cheap, deceitful thieves, only looking to benefit themselves. The character Jafar is designed to have over exaggerated features such as his aquiline (hooked) nose, stretched neck and enormous eyes. The size of Jafar’s eyes appear large and feminine. The