Journal Analysis

Journal Article Analysis

Disney’s Cajun Firefly: Shedding Light on Disney and Americanization, provides a critique of the Disney movie “The Princess and The Frog” by author Maria Hebert-Leiter. The journal discusses how Disney reflected the assimilation of the Louisianan Cajuns into the American norms, by leaving out racism and not addressing vitals parts of history. The journal also, brings up the effect American music had on the Cajun music, and how Disney decided that the only Cajun music there was or is, is zydeco music. This whole story portrayed in “The Princess and The Frog,” is told by “Disney’s Cajun firefly,” Raymond or Ray who sets the way for Princess Tiana’s happily ever after.

Disney’s “The Princess and The Frog,” most people thought was a progressive step paving the way for multicultural relationships, but Disney did not address a few things along the way. “While created for an early twenty-first century audience, the film takes place in New Orleans during the Jazz age, a time in Louisiana during which the 1984 anti-miscegenation statue still held, making it illegal for Naveen to marry Tianna,” (Hebert-Leiter, 2014, p. 969). This was one thing Disney did not address, since Naveen and Tianna were two different races they never would have even been allowed to get married. They instead made them frogs to get around it.

Hebert-Leiter also critiqued Disney’s combining of musical stereotypes for Cajun’s. Disney made Cajun music out to be zydeco music, however zydeco is not Cajun music. “Although both are French-based, include fiddles as a main instrument, and have interconnected histories, they represent the stories of different ethnic groups living in close proximity,” (Hebert-Leiter, 2014, p. 974). Cajun music is typically French folk songs mixed with black creole rhythms and the accordion, it is smoother and more lifting than zydeco. By identifying Cajun music as zydeco, Disney allows forced conformity of cultures.

            I agree with Hebert-Leiter’s article and her critique of Disney’s “The Princess and The Frog.” I think the author does a great job at going in depth and explaining how Disney does not address racism or southern prejudices experienced at this time in Louisiana. I also, agree that while Disney does not address the racism, they make it by conforming the cultures as one and not separate like they are, like the Cajun music and zydeco music. Reviews for the movie vary, while some think “The Princess and The Frog” made headways with Disney having its first African American Princess, some think it fueled racism. “For example, Naveen’s white identification became a point of contention because, as Cheryl Lynn argues, ‘it was insulting to every black person watching that movie that Disney did not have the courage to place a real black man in this regal position,” (Hebert-Leiter, 2014, p. 696). People found it negative that there could be a black princess who had predominantly white characteristics and they could not even have a black prince.

            I think this article is very important. Disney’s Cajun Firefly, addresses how media and companies like Disney make things appear as they are fighting prejudices and racism and we are at a point where this no longer exists but that is not true. Disney is really ignoring it, by not addressing the issues at hand. With Disney just forcing conformity and not showing different cultures they are allowing the problem to continue, and making it okay for others to do. I think this article can bring new issues to light, so they can be properly addressed. I also, think this will also help send a better message to young people. So they do not let patterns like this continue and they can see what is right and wrong.

                                                                        References

HEBERT-LEITER, M. (2014). Disney's Cajun Firefly: Shedding Light on Disney and Americanization. Journal Of Popular Culture, 47(5), 968-977. doi:10.1111/jpcu.12182