Roles of mothers in Disney media

Last updated

The heroes and heroines of most Disney movies come from unstable family backgrounds; [1] most are either orphaned or have no mothers. [2] Few, if any, have only single-parent mothers. In other instances, mothers are presented as "bad surrogates," eventually "punished for their misdeeds." [3] There is much debate about the reasoning behind this phenomenon. [4]

Contents

A prevalent urban legend explains the phenomenon resulted from the death of Flora Disney, mother of Walt and Roy Disney, who perished in 1938 due to a gas leak in the house the two brothers had recently purchased for her. This, however, is demonstrably false. The so-called phenomenon had been present in Disney canon from before Flora's 1938 death, with the presence of the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , which released in 1937. Further, the prevalence of absent mothers, or even evil step-mothers, were not creative choices made by the Disney brothers themselves, but were plot points present in the source material that were adapted into later animated films, such as the original Cinderella tale, the 1923 novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods , and Helen Aberson-Mayer's Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Some feminists (such as Amy Richards) believe it is to create dramatic interest in the main characters; if mothers were present to guide them, they argue, there would not be much of a plot. [5] Some entertainment journalists (such as G. Shearer) believe that it is to show that a happy family does not have to consist of a mother, father and a child and that a family can be one parent and one child, or one parent and many siblings. [6] Below is a list of some notable examples of this aspect of Disney films and television series. [7]

Categories of mothers

No (or 'absent') mother

Stepmothers and mother figures

Mother killed, died and/or captured

Present mothers

Biological mothers

  • Dumbo : Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo (Jumbo Jr.)'s mother – single.
  • Bambi / Bambi II : Faline – mother of twins Geno and Gurri; Mrs. Hare – mother of Thumper and his sisters; Flower's mother (name not mentioned).
  • Cinderella : Lady Tremaine – mother of Drizella and Anastasia.
  • Peter Pan franchise: Mary Darling – mother of Wendy, John, and Michael; Wendy Darling – mother of Jane and Danny; Mama Hook, Captain Hook's mother.
  • Lady and the Tramp / Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure : Lady – mother of Scamp and triplets Annette, Collette, and Danielle; Jane Brown, James Brown Junior's mother.
  • Sleeping Beauty : Queen Leah, Aurora's mother.
  • One Hundred and One Dalmatians : Perdita – only to the original litter of 15 puppies.
  • The Parent Trap franchise: Margaret McKendrick – mother of twins Sharon and Susan; Elizabeth James – mother of twins Hallie and Annie.
  • Winnie the Pooh franchise: Kanga, Roo's mother; Christopher Robin's mother (name not mentioned); Mama Heffalump, Lumpy's mother.
  • The Ugly Dachshund : Danke, mother of Wilhelmina, Heidi, and Chloe; Duchess, Brutus' mother.
  • The Jungle Book franchise: Winifred, Haithi Jr.'s mother; Messua, Ranjan's mother; Shanti's mother (name not mentioned).
  • The Aristocats : Duchess – mother of Toulouse, Marie, and Berlioz.
  • Freaky Friday franchise: Ellen Andrews – mother of Annabel and Ben; Tess Coleman – mother of Anna and Harry; Katherine Blake – mother of Ellie and Fletcher.
  • The Brave Little Toaster / The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars : Rob McGroarty's mother (only her voice is heard); Chris McGroarty - Robbie McGroarty's mother.
  • Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise: Diane Szalinski – mother of Amy, Nick, and Adam.
  • DuckTales : M'Ma Crackshell, Fenton's mother; Ma Beagle – mother of the Beagle Boys.
  • TaleSpin : Rebecca Cunningham, Molly's mother.
  • The Rescuers Down Under : Cody's mother (name not mentioned) – single.
  • Darkwing Duck : Binkie Muddlefoot – mother of Honker and Tank.
  • Beauty and the Beast : Mrs. Potts – single mother of 12 children, including Chip.
  • Goof Troop : Peg Pete – mother of P.J. and Pistol.
  • The Lion King franchise: Sarabi, Simba's mother; Sarafina, Nala's mother; Nala – mother of Kiara and Kion; Ma, Timon's mother.
  • Gargoyles : Demona, Angela's mother; Diane Maza – mother of Elisa, Derek, and Beth.
  • The Santa Clause franchise: Laura Miller – mother of Charlie and Lucy; Carol Newman-Calvin, Buddy's mother.
  • Toy Story franchise: Andy and Molly's mother – single; Sid and Hannah's mother (only her voice is heard); Bonnie's mother.
  • Hercules : Hera, Hercules' mother.
  • Recess : Ellie Detweiler – mother of T.J. and Becky; Flo Spinelli – mother of Spinelli, Vito, and Joey; Vince and Chad's mother; Mikey's mother; Doris Grundler, Gretchen's mother; Madge Griswald, Gus's mother.
  • Pepper Ann : Lydia Pearson – single mother of Pepper Ann and Moose.
  • PB&J Otter : Opal Otter - mother of Peanut, Baby Butter and Jelly; Wanda Raccoon - mother of Pinch and Scootch; Betty-Lou Beaver, Munchy’s mother; Shirley Duck, Flick’s mother; Georgina Snootie, mother of Ootsie and Bootsie.
  • Mulan : Fa Li, Mulan's mother; Grandmother Fa, Fa Zhou's mother and Mulan's paternal grandmother.
  • Rolie Polie Olie : Mrs. Polina Polie, Olie and Zowie mother; Bonita Jaquita Bevel, Billy and Binky mother.
  • The Weekenders : Tino's mother; Lor and his brothers' mother; Carver, Penny, and Todd's mother; Tish's mother.
  • Dinosaur : Plio, Suri's mother.
  • The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea : Ariel, Melody's mother.
  • The Emperor's New Groove : Chicha – mother of Chaca, Tipo, and Yupi.
  • Lloyd in Space : Nora Lee Nebulon – single mother of Lloyd and Francine.
  • The Proud Family : Trudy Proud – mother of Penny and twins BeBe and CeCe; Sugar Mama Proud, Penny's maternal grandmother and the mother of Oscar and Bobby.
  • Monsters, Inc. franchise: Mike's mother (only shown in the outtakes); Sheri Squibbles, Squishy's mother; Millie Tuskmon, Tylor's mother.
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame II : Esmeralda, Zephyr's mother.
  • Kingdom Hearts : Sora's mother (only her voice is heard).
  • Kim Possible : Dr. Ann Possible – mother of Kim and twins Jim and Tim; Ron's mother (name not mentioned).
  • Treasure Planet : Sarah Hawkins, Jim's mother (his father left the family).
  • Lilo & Stitch: The Series : Mertle's mother (name not mentioned) – single; Pleakley's mother (name not mentioned).
  • The Incredibles franchise: Helen Parr/Elastigirl – mother of Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack.
  • American Dragon: Jake Long : Susan Shi Long – mother of Jake and Haley.
  • The Buzz on Maggie : Frieda Pesky – mother of Maggie, Aldrin, Pupert, and Bella.
  • Meet the Robinsons : Lewis' mother (name not mentioned) – single; Franny Robinson, Wilbur's mother; Petunia Robinson – mother of Laszlo and Tallulah.
  • Phineas and Ferb : Linda Flynn-Fletcher – mother of Phineas and Candace; Vivian Garcia-Shapiro, Isabella's mother; Ballet's mother; Biffany Van Stomm, Buford's mother; Jeremy and Suzy's mother; Stacy and Ginger's mother; Charlene Doofenshmirtz, Vanessa's mother; Heinz and Roger's mother.
  • Bolt : Penny's mother (name not mentioned) – single.
  • Up : Russell's mother (name not mentioned) – single.
  • The Princess and the Frog : Eudora, Tiana's mother (her father James was killed in the war); Queen of Maldonia – mother of Prince Naveen and Prince Ralphie.
  • Alice in Wonderland (2010): Helen Kingsleigh – mother of Alice and Margaret.
  • Tangled : Queen Arianna, Rapunzel's mother.
  • Gravity Falls : Priscilla Northwest, Pacifica's mother; Janice Valentino, Robbie's mother.
  • Brave : Queen Elinor – mother of Merida and triplets Harris, Hubert, and Hamish.
  • Sofia the First : Queen Miranda, Sofia's mother; Helen Hanshaw, Ruby's mother; Winifred the Wise – mother of Cedric and Cordelia; Queen Emmaline – mother of Oona and Cora.
  • Star vs. the Forces of Evil : Moon Butterfly, Star's mother; Angie Diaz, Marco's mother.
  • Inside Out : Jill Andersen, Riley's mother.
  • Descendants franchise: Maleficent, Mal's mother; Queen Grimhilde, Evie's mother; Cruella de Vil, Carlos' mother; Belle, Ben's mother; The Fairy Godmother, Jane's mother; Aurora, Audrey's mother; Cinderella, Chad's mother; Fa Mulan, Lonnie's mother; Ursula, Uma's mother (only her voice is heard).
  • The Good Dinosaur : Momma Ida – mother of Arlo and twins Buck and Libby.
  • Zootopia : Bonnie Hopps – mother of 276 children, including Judy; Nick's mother (only shown in flashback).
  • Finding Dory : Jenny, Dory's mother.
  • Elena of Avalor : Captain Scarlett Turner, Naomi's mother; Rafa, Mateo's mother; Blanca Núñez, Gabe's mother.
  • Milo Murphy's Law : Brigette Murphy – mother of Milo and Sara.
  • Moana : Sina, Moana's mother.
  • DuckTales (2017–21): Della Duck – mother of triplets Huey, Dewey, and Louie; Downy McDuck – mother of Scrooge. Hortense, and Matilda; Officer Cabrera, Fenton's mother.
  • Coco : Mamá Imelda, Coco's mother and Miguel's late paternal great-great-grandmother; Elena Rivera, Miguel's paternal grandmother and the mother of Berto, Carmen, and Enrique; Luisa Rivera – mother of Miguel and Socorro; Gloria Rivera – mother of Abel, Rosa, and twins Benny and Manny.
  • Big City Greens : Nancy Green – mother of Cricket and Tilly; Alice Green, Bill's mother.
  • Amphibia : Anne Boonchuy's mother (name not mentioned).
  • The Owl House : Camila Noceda, Luz's mother.
  • Onward : Laurel Lightfoot – mother of Ian and Barley.
  • Soul : Libba Gardner, Joe's mother.
  • Raya and the Last Dragon : Virana, Namaari's mother.
  • Cruella : The Baroness, Estella/Cruella's mother.
  • Luca : Daniela Paguro, Luca's mother; Grandma Paguro, Daniela's mother and Luca's maternal grandmother.
  • The Ghost and Molly McGee : Sharon McGee, Molly's mother.
  • Encanto : Julieta Madrigal – mother of Mirabel, Isabela, and Luisa; Pepa Madrigal – mother of Dolores, Camilo, and Antonio; Alma Madrigal, Mirabel's maternal grandmother and the mother of triplets Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno.
  • Turning Red : Ming Lee, Mei's mother; Ping, Lily's mother; Grandma Wu, Mei's maternal grandmother and the mother of Ming, Ping, and Chen.
  • Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (film): Chip's mother (name not mentioned, shown in a flashback)
  • Disenchanted : Giselle Philip, Sofia's mother; Malvina Monroe, Tyson's mother.
  • Strange World : Meridian Clade, Ethan's mother; Penelope Clade, Searcher's mother and Ethan's paternal grandmother.
  • Elemental : Cinder Lumen, Ember's mother; Brook Ripple – mother of Wade, Alan, and Lake; Eddy Ripple – mother of Marco and Polo.
  • Wish : Sakina, Asha's mother.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Lilo & Stitch</i> 2002 American animated science fiction comedy-drama film

Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 American animated science fiction comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois and produced by Clark Spencer, based on an original story created by Sanders. It features Daveigh Chase and Sanders as the voices of the title characters, and also features the voices of Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Jason Scott Lee, and Kevin Michael Richardson. It was the second of three Disney animated feature films produced primarily at the Florida animation studio in Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida.

Disney Time is a television series that ran in the UK on the BBC, and also ITV at one point between 1961 and 1998. It was a regular holiday schedule filler. Clips of Disney films were introduced by celebrity hosts, which over the years included Paul and Linda McCartney, Noel Edmonds, Sarah Greene, Doctor Who's Tom Baker, The Goodies and Phillip Schofield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sanders</span> American filmmaker and animator (born 1962)

Christopher Michael Sanders is an American filmmaker, animator, and voice actor. His credits include Lilo & Stitch (2002) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010), both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with Dean DeBlois, The Croods (2013) with Kirk DeMicco, and The Call of the Wild (2020). He is also known for creating the story behind Lilo & Stitch and for creating and voicing its latter title character in the film and its franchise.

<i>Disney in the Stars</i> Defunct fireworks show at Hong Kong Disneyland

Disney in the Stars was the nightly fireworks performance at the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park in Lantau, Hong Kong.

<i>Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic</i> 1995 box set by Various Artists

Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic is a five-volume compilation series, each containing 25 songs compiled from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, various Disney films in animation and live-action, and the Walt Disney anthology television series. Each volume was released individually on CD and cassette between 1995 and 1998. Volume One was released on March 28, 1995, Volume Two on September 12, 1995, Volume Three on July 2, 1996, Volume Four on July 15, 1997 and Volume Five on September 22, 1998. In 2000, a box set was released containing volumes 1 - 3, followed by a box set containing volumes 1 - 4 in 2001, Finally, a box set containing all five volumes packaged in a slipcase was released by Walt Disney Records in Australia, Japan, North America and Europe in 2003.

Susanne Blakeslee is an American actress. Her notable roles include the voices of Wanda, Anti-Wanda, and Mrs. Turner on The Fairly OddParents; and as the voices of Cruella de Vil, Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine and Maleficent for various Disney media.

<i>The Best Disney Album in the World ...Ever!</i> 2006 box set

The Best Disney Album in the World...Ever! is a three disc audio CD box set compiling popular Disney songs from films, theme park attractions, and television series, ranging from 1933 to 2006. It was released in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2006 by Walt Disney Records and EMI International.

Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade was a parade at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort, and Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris. The parade first premiered on October 1, 2001, as part of the Walt Disney World Resort's 100 Years of Magic Celebration. The parade is a procession of characters riding in highly themed cars down the streets of Disney's Hollywood Studios in true Hollywood style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Magic of Disney Animation</span> Former show and tour at Disneys MGM Studios

The Magic of Disney Animation was a show and tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Florida. A Disney animator would show guests how the characters in Disney animated films were chosen and designed. The attraction closed permanently on July 12, 2015. In December 2015, the building began to be used to house the Star Wars Launch Bay.

<i>Disney Magic</i> (album) 2004 compilation album by Various Artists

Disney Magic was released by Walt Disney Records on September 20, 2004. The album includes various pop stars like Christina Aguilera, Sting, Phil Collins, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams performing popular Disney songs. These tracks also appeared in Disney movie soundtracks. It is a two-disc album with 22 songs on each CD.

<i>Celebrate the Magic</i> Nighttime show at Magic Kingdom

Celebrate the Magic was a nighttime show at the Magic Kingdom park of Walt Disney World, that premiered on November 13, 2012. It replaced The Magic, the Memories and You display, a similar show that ran at the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland from January 2011 to September 4, 2012.

<i>Descendants</i> (2015 film) Disney Channel Original Movie

Descendants is an American musical fantasy television film directed and choreographed by Kenny Ortega. The film stars Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, and Cameron Boyce as the teenage children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella de Vil, respectively. The film follows these teenagers adjusting to life outside their island prison, while on a mission to steal the Fairy Godmother's wand and free their parents from captivity. It debuted on July 31, 2015, as a Disney Channel Original Movie, to positive reviews and 6.6 million viewers.

Once Upon a Mouse is a 1981 American theatrical featurette directed by Jerry Kramer and Gary Rocklen of Kramer/Rocklen Studios, produced in association with Walt Disney Productions. It was released on July 10, 1981 on a double bill with The Fox and the Hound.

<i>Disney Magic Kingdoms</i> 2016 video game

Disney Magic Kingdoms is a 2016 city-building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.

Wonderful World of Animation is a nighttime show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show is a celebration of all Disney animation, beginning with Mickey Mouse. It premiered on May 1, 2019, as part of the park's 30th anniversary celebration, replacing Disney Movie Magic.

Wondrous Journeys was a projection mapping and fireworks show at Disneyland that debuted on January 27, 2023. It premiered alongside World of Color: One as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration to commemorate the centennial of The Walt Disney Company. The show contains a large assortment of songs and characters from the entirety of the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature film canon.

References

  1. Henry A. Giroux, Fugitive Cultures: Race, Violence, and Youth (Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 1996).
  2. Lynn H. Collins, Joan C. Chrisler, and Michelle R. Dunlap, Charting a New Course for Feminist Psychology (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002), 94.
  3. Stephen M. Fjellman, Vinyl Leaves: Walt Disney World and America (Westview Press, 1992), 263.
  4. Snopes.com, Disney Movie Mothers – Walt Disney – My Mother The Scar .
  5. Ask Amy
  6. Geoff Shearer, "Disney keeps killing movie mothers: DISNEY is continuing its tradition of being G-rated entertainment's biggest mother flickers," Courier Mail (March 07, 2008).
  7. Paul Loukides and Linda K. Fuller, Beyond the Stars: Themes and Ideologies in American Popular Film (Popular Press, 1993), 8.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Sara Munson Deats and Lagretta Tallent Lenker, Aging and Identity: A Humanities Perspective (Greenwood Publishing Group), 210.
  9. Stock, Lorraine K. (2015-01-01). "Reinventing an Iconic Arthurian Moment: The Sword in the Stone in Films and Television". Arthuriana. 25 (4): 66–83. doi:10.1353/art.2015.0047. ISSN   1934-1539. S2CID   166891926.