Disney's Spectacular Mind
by Lilian Duong
Walt Disney was a man whose intellect was defined by his integrative creativity. Instead of being deterred by his poor background, Disney propelled himself forward with his inventive genius. He was a man able to innovatively merge a variety of disciplines into a delightful children’s animation. While his animations seem simple and pleasing to the audience, the messages behind them are much more serious. Disney’s animations broached subjects regarding child abuse, religious traditions, cartoon violence, etc. His gradual incorporation of these subjects was almost innocuous but undoubtedly there. For example, Cinderella is, in its most fundamental form, a story of a girl suffering from abuse. Bambi relays the horror of a species being hunted, much like the Jews during the Holocaust. Yet, there is a happy ending to Disney’s animations that reflect childhood dreams. Cinderella is able to rise from her abuse, and Bambi is able to survive and rise as a prince. His ability to weave together an animation that is filled with the dreams of children as well as the reality of the outside world demonstrates his unique intelligence. This novel integration attracts both children and adults alike. At one end, there is the pure, sweetness of a fantasy world, and, at the other end, there is the hope of an auspicious future. Walt Disney’s juxtaposition of these two ideals in his attractive animations makes him one of the intellectual wonders of the century. Sources: "American National Biography Online: Disney, Walt." American National Biography Online: Disney, Walt. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. <http://www.anb.org/articles/18/18-00309.html> "Walt Disney Biography. Children's Films and the Psychology of Children's Cartoons." Walt Disney Biography. Children's Films and the Psychology of Children's Cartoons. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. <http://www.winmentalhealth.com/Walt_Disney_Biography.php> |
The Magic of Disneyby Tiffany Louie
Known as the dreamer and doer, Walt Disney created a massive entertainment empire for both children and adults. One day, as Walt sat on a bench and watched his daughters as they played at a small, untidy amusement park, he couldn’t help but notice the expressions on the other children’s parents. Their expressions clearly showed that they were anxious to leave while their children were still playing. Disturbed by this scene, Walt was inspired to create a magical place where both children and adults would actually enjoy spending their leisure time. This imagination to create such a magical place led Walt to create Disneyland, a place where dreams come true. Indeed, his dreams did come true with good planning and perseverance. With less than a sufficient amount of money in hand, Walt managed to put together Disneyland, one of the greatest architectural feats. Although Walt did not live to see the great progress that Disney had gone through throughout the years, his exciting concepts are still alive in the theme park. For example, there are many diverse, yet interesting parts to Disneyland. For example, the Haunted Mansion building was created to give off an illusion of a deserted antebellum built in the Victorian era, with overgrown weeds and twine surrounding the exterior. Tomorrow land was created with a more futuristic approach, making guests feel as if they’ve just traveled into the future. Guests are drawn to Walt’s amazing architectural designs which take them to a magical land away from home. Sources: Peter, Tommy. "Biography for Walt Disney." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012. <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000370/bio> Rosenberg, Jennifer. "1955 - Disneyland Opens." About.com 20th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/disneyland.htm> |
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