How do cartoons affect
children?
Presentation by Jennifer, Erica, and Ariel
Racism In Cartoons
Much of what children learn in their early years
comes from what they see on television in
cartoons. If cartoons promote racism then
children will take on a racist attitude. While
there isn’t as much racism in cartoons today as
there used to be, older cartoons are aired on
Cartoon Network frequently!
What happens
when children are
taught that it is
okay to have a
racist attitude?
Bugs Bunny is
historically the
most racist cartoon
character. Cartoon
Network had to pull
twelve of his
cartoons due to
their racist content.
What should
should be
be done
doneabout
about
What
racist cartoons?
cartoons?
racist
•Is it the responsibility of the parents
Is it the
responsibility
of the or
to•teach
their
children better
parents
to teach
their children
monitor
what
they watch
on
better or monitor what they watch
television?
on television?
• What
role
do/shouldteachers
teachersplay
play
•What
role
do/should
in this
situation?
in this
situation?
Sources
• http://www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/cartoon
s/homepage.htm -- There are also some
video clips here of some racist cartoons
for those interested in seeing examples.
• http://www.mrcranky.com/movies/aknightst
ale/16.html
CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION
Warning:
Some material may not be
suitable for children!
CARTOON VIOLENCE
•
•
•
•
•
Tom and Jerry
Anime
Looney Tunes
Superheroes
Disney
CARTOON VIOLENCE
• Tom and Jerry
– Portrays images of
violence. Images show
beatings by hand as well
as the use of household
objects.
– Aggravated Assault
– By showing these images,
children receive the
message that irons and
shovels will only hurt for a
little while when you are hit
with them.
CARTOON VIOLENCE
• Anime
– Dragon Ball Z reveals
almost human characters
with exceptional ability.
– The Characters fight each
other in hopes of killing and
or reducing their opponents
ability to fight anymore
– Children act out these
gestures in real life, in
hopes of destroying their
opponents.
• Personal story
CARTOON VIOLENCE
• Looney Tunes
– Roadrunner is the most common example of
such violence
• Coyote is chasing the roadrunner, but is forever
doomed to never catch him.
» Through his attempts, he is smashed into an
accordion shape by an anvil, hurled into the air,
crushed by rocks, thrown into rocks with his skates,
and appears just fine in the next scene.
CARTOON VIOLENCE
• Superheroes
– Spiderman is able to fall off building, and with
a flick of the wrist, be just fine
– Superman is able of getting hit with bullets
and is almost indestructible
– Batman fights all the time, he fist fights
everyone
– Violence is marketed as fun and
entertainment
CARTOON VIOLENCE
• Disney
– Beauty and the Beast has
a fight scene between the
beast and Gaston, in which
the beast is stabbed with a
knife, dies, and is
resurrected
• This illustrates confusion
of death and that if you
are stabbed, everything
will be ok.
– In Pocahontas, there was a
violent storm, which may
cause confusion as the
make believe and reality
and cause children to be
scared of thunder, etc.
CARTOON VIOLENCE
• Questions:
– Is it the cartoons fault
that children are violent
themselves? Or a
failure on the part of
parents?
– Should we monitor
more closely the stuff
that our children
watch? Or should the
companies be more
mindful of the message
that they are giving
children?
Sources
• http://www.comicbookmovie.com/news/articles/900.asp
• http://www.christianity.com/partner/Article_Display_Page
/0,,PTID4820%7CCHID103348%7CCIID193390,00.html
• http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/v/violence_on_tel
evision.asp
• http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1007.htm