And here we are… the last entry. It is frightening how time flies, but it is also an indication of the fact that we have enjoyed what we were doing during this term. In fact, I would like to say that this has been one of those subjects in which, honestly, I have not just learned a lot but also took pleasure in.

I have to confess that at the beginning I was a little bit scared about it, because during my scholar life I had never been really fond of literature. I loved reading and knowing by myself, but I struggled with the academic aspect. It is true that during the degree, we had other subjects about children’s literature; however, this one has been the key to change my mind completely (imagine how much it affected on me that I am going to take my Final Dissertation about one of its contents! ). Thanks to this subject I have discovered that there are not complex content, but wrong ways to approach or teach them.

Another of the most valuable things that I have learnt from this subject, apart from myriad of resources, materials and great techniques, is that we must teach how to love and enjoy literature instead of how to memorise thousands of data. Doing so, our pupils will achieve a much more meaningful learning.

Maybe this last entry should be devoted to reflect about everything we have learnt along the subject (which is not little) as I was doing a few lines above. However I could not leave without sharing with you one last thing I met a few weeks ago and found it very interesting, especially after what has been occurring recently:  Racist overtones in Disney’s stories.

In words of Rebecca Rabison (2008) “most of the Disney story lines are about people who are white” (p.71). This fact, as Morawski or Harris (cited by Rabison, 2008) explained, has a clear connection with “United states’ political and representational systems that implicate ‘white’ as the national American identity and normalize white people and their behaviour” (pp. 71-72). In fact, taking into account the explanations of Fine (cited by Rabison, 2008) this situation has gone beyond, transmitting as a result a clear connection between the Whiteness concept with others such as objectivity, normality, truth, knowledge, merit…

In the case of the stories which are based just in a “white world” with only white characters, without any choice criminals are also white. That can then lead us to think that “crime is represented as largely unrelated to race” (Rabison, 2008, p. 73).

However, although they are just a few, there are also some exceptions in which non-white characters are included. When it happens, as Rabison (2008) describes, this exceptions to Disney prototypes (people of colour) “are portrayed using racial [and negative] stereotypes” (p. 73); whereas white ones are glorified (2008). Bearing in mind that information, everyone can deduce what it actually ensues: “the criminals in these Disney films are the people from non-white races”, which are commonly chastised by the white ones. (Rabison, 2008, p.73).

Furthermore Giroux (cited by Rabison, 2008) argues that as a result of it, representations and codes which taught that “cultural differences [which differ from] the imprint of white (…) are deviant, inferior, unintelligent, and a threat to be overcome”, are been given to children (p.74). In other words it “suggests to children that people of colour are inherently criminal” (Rabison, 2008, p.78).

Different and clear examples of this situation which are provided by the same author (2008) are the following ones:

In lots of Disney stories, as it happen in Pinocchio (1940), villains are represented with darker skin and hair, as well as with a strong accent (Stromboli, in the previously mentioned story), whereas good characters (Geppetto) are characterised by light skin and hair and softer face features.

http://es.disney.wikia.com

Similarly occurs in Aladdin (1992), in which although all the characters belong to the Arabian culture, Jafar is strongly characterised with Arabic features (almond-shaped and ripped eyes, bulbous noses, long beards, and a strong accent) while Aladdin “appears ‘Americanized’” (Giroux, cited by Rabison, 2008, p.75) with lighter skin, small nose, no accent…

http://www.destructoid.com

Finally another example appeared in the Lady and the Tramp (1955). In this case is the Asian culture the one that is racially portrait through two cruel, sly, greedy and criminal Siamese cats, completely different from the other animals which belong to high class, have good morals, and speak with Western, British and American accents. (Rabison, 2008)

http://www.filmwerk.co.uk

I would like to conclude by saying that my purpose devoting the last entry to this topic, was simply to transmit you the importance and necessity of carrying out an extremely carefully analysis, not only of those stories that have been part of us since our infancy, but of every single story we will offer to our future pupils, paying special attention to those messages related with stereotypes that can have such a big influence on them.

I am sure you will do your best bilingual teachers

Sincerelly,

Azu

P.S: Good luck for all the experiences that we will soon begin to live

Rabison, R. C. (2008). Deviance in Disney: Representations of Crime in Disney Films, A Qualitative Analysis. Honors Theses, 148.