Roles of mothers in Disney media

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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'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 (Ashley) 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, Jelly, and Baby Butter; 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 – mother of Olie and Zowie; Bonita 'Chiquita' Bevel – mother of Billy and Binky.
  • 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; Duncan's mother (name not mentioned).
  • 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 franchise: 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 franchise: 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 franchise: Sina – mother of Moana and Simea.
  • 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, only shown in 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.
  • Kiff : Beryl Chatterley, Kiff's mother; Mary Buns – mother of Barry, Harry, Terri, and Kristophe; Mrs. Fox, Candle's mother; Mrs. Angstrom, Trevor's mother.
  • Hailey's On It! : Patricia Banks – mother of Hailey, Dwayne, and Johnson; Sunny Denoga – mother of Scott and Becker.
  • Wish : Sakina, Asha's mother.
  • Primos : Bibi Ramirez Humphrey, mother of Tater, Nellie, and Bud.

See also

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