Does Disney have something against me.....or just Mom's in general?

Rating: 5 after 4 votes

OKay, so I have a question that has been on my mind for some time now. I'm just wondering, am I the only one who has noticed that in a majority of Disney movies the Mom is dead or nowhere to be found? It's hard to think of a Disney movie with a strong maternal presence. Think about some of the most popular movies:

1. Finding Nemo - Mom's dead
2. Ratatouille - Mom's not even mentioned
3. Beauty and the Beast - Again, Mom's never even mentioned
4. Cinderella - no Mom....as a matter of fact the maternal character is portrayed as evil
5. Snow White - same deal as Cinderella
6. The Little Mermaid - Dad only
7. Bambi - Mom's dead
8. Jasmine in the movie Alladin had no mother

I remember Dumbo had a loving mother...GREAT that's one! But really, how many Disney movies can you name that have a Mom only and no Dad, or a Dad that is evil? 101 Dalmatians has a positive maternal presence, but a positive father too, so that's a wash.

I'm just wondering, what's Disney got against Moms? Has anyone else noticed this and have a great reason as to why it is?

Thanks!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Libby on December 5, 2008 at 6:14am: It's not just Disney--as others have probably noticed. I wrote a column about this a while back: http://www.literarymama.com/columns/midlifemama/archives/001144.html

In lots of childrens' literature there are no parents. You need conflict for narrative--that's one way to build it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jens4him on December 5, 2008 at 10:36am: Huh! I never even thought of this. I do remember being at the movie theater with two of my kids, (pregnant with #3), to see Nemo and being horrified at how quickly they killed off the mom. I'll just chalk it up to this. If mom was in the picture, he never would've wanted to touch the boat! There wouldn't have been any drama, so boring movie!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kristina on December 5, 2008 at 12:12pm: Anyone watch Oobi on Noggin? Oobi and his sister (forgot her name) don't have a mom OR a dad. They live with "Grandpoo"

How about Max and Ruby? No parents there too. In fact, it seems as if they live alone, because it seems like Grandma's just always dropping by.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mary on December 5, 2008 at 2:29pm: I think it is b/c first, Walter Disney lost his and always thought he was somewhat responsible for her death. And second b/c mothers are so important that the lack of one and of the protection she means for any child creates the most sad n interesting stories :-); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by HIRH on December 5, 2008 at 2:30pm: Just goes to show how underappreciated we mothers are...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Judi on December 5, 2008 at 4:26pm: Thanks for the insight. At first, I thought of Disney animations as anti-mom, too, until I read your reply. I completely agree with your viewpoint, as I was addicted to Grimms fairy tales, and Tolkien fables in childhood -- the grimmer, the better. Now, let's study the Disney distortion of the female body -- whether young (Ariel) or old (the Queen witch in Sleeping Beauty). The sensual curvey poses and facial expressions defy the illustrations and photographs in the Kama Sutra!

Annette Holland said:
1. Keep in mind that a lot of Disney movies come from Fairy Tales (Grimm) that have no mother figure in them either. Usually the women in these tales were on their way to spinsterhood taking care of their fathers, or their fathers married "the evil stepmother" so that there would be a woman to take care of the maternally orphaned daughter. A girl needs her mom you know =)

Off the top of my head here a few with loving mother figures, not all are animated:
The Lion King
Freaky Friday (and subsequent remakes)
Toy Story 1 & 2
Princess Diaries
The Incredibles
Shaggy Dog (the remake with Tim Allen)
Bambi has a mom who he looks up to until she is shot so I don't think that counts. He had adventures with Thumper prior to her death
Meet The Robinsons (the orphanage lady and later his wife are quite maternal)
Lilo and Stitch (big sister is maternal figure)
Mulan (it's about the heroine, but her mother is supportive)
Lady and the Tramp (the human and Lady)
The Aristocats (no that's a homeschooling mama kitty)
Sleeping Beauty
Peter Pan (the mom is not prominent but she's there, and Wendy has a maternal role)
Swiss Family Robinson
Old Yeller
The Santa Clause movies

I am a huge fairy tale fan, so the lack of a maternal figure hasn't bothered me since the classic Disney movies are based on stories that are hundreds of years old. I have more a problem when Disney re-writes history/literature as in the case of The Jungle Book, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Danie Bell on December 5, 2008 at 5:06pm: I like Shrek. But yes, I noticed it after I started watching more of them. Now I am hooked.
Danie; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Meglyn on December 5, 2008 at 6:20pm: omg - never connected that either... perhaps Walt had a rough childhood and no true maternal figure to model his characters after.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Meglyn on December 5, 2008 at 6:28pm: omg - love the distorted bodies - kuma sutra line-- line those girls up right next to Barbie! What is it, I heard, that if Barbie were a real person, her dimensions would be about a 44-22-36 or something like that?

What about the numerous incidents of sexual inuendo being "hidden" in their animated films! WOW - until that was pointed out to me, I never believed it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by TheScrappyMama on December 6, 2008 at 6:25am: I have noticed, but like many mentioned a lot of the stories are fairy tales and there are no moms. I don't think about it that much, myself.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dana (The Homesteading Housewife) on December 8, 2008 at 4:04am: Oh I have said this for years! So much, that it is now a joke around out house! lol Poor Poor Moms; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Angeline Duran Piotrowski on December 8, 2008 at 5:18am: It has more to do with mythic structure than anti-momism. The answer lies in the dramatic arc and what plot devices will move the child (or the child in us) effectively through the drama of the story. Fear not. Disney knows what pulls the heart strings and makes us feel... (feel like buying tickets, that is).

Angeline
www.MomstyleNews.com
www.MommyMustybuster.com; ▶ Reply to This