Symbolism in Disney Movies

[meliss8599]

Like the green eyes of Scar in The Lion King and the Stepmother in Snow White to symbolize "green with envy."

Know of any others? I'd love to hear of them.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Snow White is supposed to have a bunch of symbolism. I remember having to do a paper on it in college, 1,000 years again

The number seven was used many times in the Bible for signifying perfection. The book of Revelation contains numerous groups of sevens such as angels, churches, trumpets, crowns, mountains, stars, and kings. It is one of the most significant numbers in Christianity in the sense that "God created the world in seven days", or rather he created the world in six days and on the seventh he rested.

7 ~ also references the 7 deadly sins in the bible

The apple symbolizing Adam & Eve

Snow White "dies" and comes back to life. This certainly parallels the death and resurrection of Jesus from the Bible.

 

[Sparx]

the stepsisters in cinderella are red with rage and green with envy.

the lion king is hamlet with fur.

there is a painting of mary magdelene in ariel's grotto.
a lot of people feel that ariel symbolizes mary, because of her sacred femine archetype. the book and mirror ariel hold are also references to her role as mary magdelene.

in snow white the colors red, white and black symbolize innocence, life and death, respectively. also, her poisoned apple references eve taking the apple in the garden of eden. the seven dwarfs is quite possibly referencing the book of revelations where groups of 7 were very common.

the reappearing mirrors in beauty and the beast represent our outer appearance, and the beast's horrible outsides, but unknown insides. beauty and the beast is also very paralleled to the story of cupid and psyche.

in pocahontas, "colors of the wind" is about racism and blending races.

 

[sunnyday123]

bumping this because it's a cool thread!!

 

[meliss8599]

The number seven was used many times in the Bible for signifying perfection. The book of Revelation contains numerous groups of sevens such as angels, churches, trumpets, crowns, mountains, stars, and kings. It is one of the most significant numbers in Christianity in the sense that "God created the world in seven days", or rather he created the world in six days and on the seventh he rested.

7 ~ also references the 7 deadly sins in the bible

The apple symbolizing Adam & Eve

Snow White "dies" and comes back to life. This certainly parallels the death and resurrection of Jesus from the Bible.

Wow! I did NOT know about the significance of 7 in the Bible. That's very interesting. Also, yes, the resurrection. We just watched Snow White on BluRay so it's neat to see all of these things again.

the stepsisters in cinderella are red with rage and green with envy.

there is a painting of mary magdelene in ariel's grotto.
a lot of people feel that ariel symbolizes mary, because of her sacred femine archetype. the book and mirror ariel hold are also references to her role as mary magdelene.

Now I remember the one stepsister had red hair. What did the other one have that was green, her eyes? I know it wasn't her hair LOL.

Can you elaborate more on the corelation between Ariel and Mary Magdalene? I'm familiar with both but am not clear on the book and mirror connection or how Ariel was sacred.

This is SO interesting! Thanks to everyone for sharing!

 

[yuffie]

Now I remember the one stepsister had red hair. What did the other one have that was green, her eyes? I know it wasn't her hair LOL.

Anastasia has a green dress ^_^ (with a blue bow - blegh!)

I need 10 posts in order to post images or links... but if you google image "Cinderella Anastasia" she'll be the first picture ^_^

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I do remember Ariel's red hair symbolizing Mary Magdalane her long, red hair as see in so many pieces of art.
In her cave is a painting by Georges de la Tour called "Magdalen with the Smoking Flame.
Also the mirror she collects & carries symbolizes vanity & the book she has carries symbolizes knowledge.


Alice in Wonderland is packed with symbolism but the one I remember the most was Alice's looking glass symbolizing God.....

The phrase "mad as a hatter" was symbolic to the use of laudanum ...an upper class "medication".

 

[Sparx]

Wow! I did NOT know about the significance of 7 in the Bible. That's very interesting. Also, yes, the resurrection. We just watched Snow White on BluRay so it's neat to see all of these things again.



Now I remember the one stepsister had red hair. What did the other one have that was green, her eyes? I know it wasn't her hair LOL.

Can you elaborate more on the corelation between Ariel and Mary Magdalene? I'm familiar with both but am not clear on the book and mirror connection or how Ariel was sacred.

This is SO interesting! Thanks to everyone for sharing!

their dresses were red and green.

here are some links that elaborate on the connection between ariel and mary. i don't wanna bog the thread down, lol.

http://ramon_k_jusino.tripod.com/littlemermaid.html

http://www.smp.org/voices/files/Activity-MaryMagMistakenIdentity.pdf

http://www.qondio.com/symbolism-in-the-little-mermaid

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38092182@N00/2512298455/

its a very researched topic. a google search pulls up hundreds of essays and articles about it.

 

[sunnyday123]

I do remember Ariel's red hair symbolizing Mary Magdalane her long, red hair as see in so many pieces of art.
In her cave is a painting by Georges de la Tour called "Magdalen with the Smoking Flame.
Also the mirror she collects & carries symbolizes vanity & the book she has carries symbolizes knowledge.


Alice in Wonderland is packed with symbolism but the one I remember the most was Alice's looking glass symbolizing God.....

The phrase "mad as a hatter" was symbolic to the use of laudanum ...an upper class "medication".

Where in Ariel's cave ( in the movie ) is the painting? I don't remember it. I do however, remember the COVER of my Little Mermaid tape!! We all know what that symbolizes!!!!

And I thought Alice in Wonderland had all sorts of different symbols....

 

[Sparx]

Where in Ariel's cave ( in the movie ) is the painting? I don't remember it. I do however, remember the COVER of my Little Mermaid tape!! We all know what that symbolizes!!!!

And I thought Alice in Wonderland had all sorts of different symbols....

when she sings about "what is fire and why does it, um, whats the word, oh, burn?" she touches the flame in the painting.

here's a picture of it:

 

[spacemountain]

the lion king is hamlet with fur.

I never thought about it before but the story is similar to Hamlet.