Last week, I watched Zootopia at my home and I instantly fell in love with the movie. For those of you who have never seen the movie, here is a brief summary: Before I dive into the summary, I should explain what Zootopia is: it is basically your ordinary city except for the fact that no humans live there, only animals. Judy Hopps is the first rabbit who joins the police force. She decides to solve a mysterious case with the help of Nick Wilde, a red fox con. Throughout the movie, Judy faces obstacles regarding her identity as a “dumb bunny”. Nick admits also being ridiculed for being a “sly fox”.
This reminds me of all the discrimination problems that have been happening. Therefore, I thought I’d write about how three quotes from American history can definitely be applied to Zootopia.
1. “And so, my fellow Americans (or Zootopians, should I say): ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” - John F. Kennedy
JFK is saying during his inaugural speech that people themselves should be taking initiatives rather than just waiting around.
Since her childhood, Judy wanted to be a police. She is deeply passionate about helping people in need and making the world a better place. While there are people who tend to associate police with brutality, they deep down do make the world a better place and have only good intentions. They arrest criminals to save the world from more civil disorder. Anyways, Judy’s attitude about wanting to change the world for the better would have done John F. Kennedy proud.
Towards the end of the movie, Judy makes a speech to some soon-to-be police officers and one of her lines has the exact same idea as JFK’s quotes. That line is, “I implore you: try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you.” Zootopia tells me that people who want to do something for their country go much farther than people who wait around for initiatives to be taken.
Livin' that cop life
2. “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
This is one of the lines from MLK’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. He is basically conveying the idea that he wishes that race will have no impact on reputation at all. Everyone, if not most, people know that his famous speech is about wanting to eliminate racism.
Like I said before, both Judy and Nick are ridiculed because of the animals they are. When Judy was a child, she was bullied for wanting to be a police officer just because she was a bunny. Her parents also doubted her potential. But this did not stop her from chasing her dreams. Despite being the valedictorian of her class at police academy, the chief of the police department Chief Bogo assigns her to parking duty not believing she can possibly be a real cop. When Nick was a child, he wanted to be part of the Junior Ranger Scouts but was excluded and beaten by the other animals just because he was a fox.
Nick is a con artist which teaches him to get out of sticky situations. Judy and Nick both try to admit they are not “dumb” and “sly”, respectively, throughout the film but it is not easy. From his quote, MLK is dead against what Judy and Nick had to tolerate. I believe Judy and Nick truly deserve no less than any other animal regardless of identity based on the “content of their character(s)”. After all, character speaks way louder than color.
The "sly bunny, dumb fox" scene
