Everyone knows the mouse. The guy behind the whole operation -- red pants, yellow shoes, white gloves; you probably dressed up as him for Halloween one time -- Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse is undeniably cute, and you probably watched him on television as a child. "Beauty and the Beast," sure, you’ve seen that too, but not in years. "Princess and the Frog"? Maybe you saw that too, but I’m sure you are hesitant to admit this if not in relation to babysitting or a younger sibling. But I have a question to ask: What is so embarrassing about enjoying Disney?
Walt Disney is so much more than talking forest creatures and beautiful princesses (To be fair, though, talking animals and princesses aren’t anything to scoff at either). Disney movies are full of hope and excitement. They characterize that enigmatic “dream” everyone likes to talk about, and much fewer people act on. This dream is the thing that makes you wake up in the morning and want to do your best, to not give up. This dream is something everyone aspires to achieve, something Disney movies wholeheartedly aim for. Why is it that when this emotion is captured in the throes of princesses, princes, epic journeys and expertly crafted watercolor backgrounds, the idea of “dreaming” loses its merit?
Although today it seems every self-proclaimed and established artist sneers at Disney -- a characterization of ‘big, bad capitalism’ -- what we cannot forget is that Walt Disney was not born a millionaire. He was not born wealthy or into an endless web of connections. What he was born with was hope. Walt Disney had talent, but as all great artists know, talent alone does not breed success. Talent must be reared by perseverance and hope, a fact he made sure would never be lost in his success.
This hope, this reminder to dream big and dream hard, is evident in all Disney movies. All of his characters yearn for something more than the lot they’ve been given, and while their goals may seem lighthearted (say, a husband to care for), the core of each film is based in the ability to dream, to hope and to take matters into your own hands. To laugh at their messages, to write off "The Lion King," "The Jungle Book," "Beauty and the Beast" and countless other Disney movies as elementary is to deny all those above the age of ten to dream. What is so unconscionably bad about these movies that makes anyone who enjoys them naive? The art is beautiful, the songs unparalleled and the message hopeful.
What is our aversion to dreaming and hope? Why is it that once you graduate middle school, to enjoy anything with a happy ending is to be uncultured? And, even if it is unrealistic, it’s a movie! It is meant for enjoyment and relaxation. To stamp on Disney is to stamp on dreaming and hope, and that is unacceptable in my book. A dream is a wish your heart makes, and I don’t plan on telling my heart to screw off anytime soon.
