>From: Jason Mittell <[log in to unmask]> Wrote: > The racist representations are in the >plot (good society is thrown into chaos by a leader who decides to >integrate with another society which consists of a lazy clownish species >(hyenas) who mooch of the hard work of others and cannot fend for >themselves; integration is shown to be the problem which must be undone for >narrative closure), The Primary plot of Lion King dates from the Oral History/Storytelling era before Beowulf. King is good, and has power but also has a social consience and tries to make life better for all. Brother, cousin, other relation, desires that power, uses the disenfranchised populous to overthrow the power, and runs the Kingdom(village) into ground. Villagers revolt, or hero emerges and replaces bad king with good king and everybody rejoices. You will find these themes throughout both African Oral histories and the Indo-European histories. Compare the plot of Lion King with Macbeth, or Robin Hood and the similarities in theme and plot are clear. It is not racism, it is an issue of class struggle. Class, while sometimes related to race, is more related to relative wealth, or power. You may always change your class by acquiring enough wealth or power, as did Scar and the Hyenas, by usurping Mufasah. The human race at large, no matter what race, is driven by basic needs and instincts, food, shelter, and the need to procreate, hence the "Circle of Life". These needs, unfufilled, cause humans to seek to satisfy them by whatever means necessary. This is not racism, its human nature. It happens within races and between races. It's simply a case of the haves and have not's. I think the story treats all its subjects well and shows children that there are consequences to their actions, good and bad. It is far too easy to wield the racism banner and ignore other historical information. By looking at plot and theme only from today's perspective we neglect hard learned lessons from ages past. Don't blind yourself to those lessons. [log in to unmask] Rich Karten Promotions Producer/Director, website developer Penn State Public Broadcasting (http://www.cde.psu.edu/EdComm/) 118 Wagner Building University Park, PA 16802-3899 Ph. 814-865-3333 Fax: 814-865-3145 ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]