Mickey Mouse and Friends Characterization

I. Introduction

I.1. Background

Mickey Mouse and Friends can be considered as Walt Disney’s most influential series. Its presence have become a part of people’s childhood. It is presented with easy plot and mild joke which is able to attract not only children but also adults. I found that Mickey Mouse and Friends is closely related to the American Dream. The topic that becomes main point of Mickey Mouse and Friends story surely is close to American daily life and may represents the people.

Mickey Mouse and Friends has developed to the popular cartoon which is presented as many kinds of series. There are movie animation series, comic series, and etc. As my research source, I use the comic series which is for the bigger child because the theme isn’t as simple as the other series.

The comic series of Mickey Mouse and Friends first found in Italy and United Kingdom (Wikipedia). The drawing is done by John Stanley, meanwhile, the story itself is written by Irving Brecher. However, the publishing is done under the name of Walt Disney, considered the original idea is from him. The story emphasizes the adventure that happens on Mickey Mouse and other characters life. Usually, it tells about capturing bandits or trapping in unlucky event. Nowadays, this comic series are still ongoing. I use the 2001’s comic for my research. The number of series is 277 until 295.

As I mentioned it before, Mickey Mouse and Friends is considered as a very American story. This is why I’m interested in this story. My paper is limited to the characterization of Mickey Mouse and Friends. I will discuss about how each character represents the real character in real life.

I.2. History and Development

Mickey Mouse made his debut on November 18^th 1928. Its first appearance was in the first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie. Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse on a trip by train from New York to Los Angeles. At first, Disney named this little mouse with red pants as ‘Mortimer’, but then he changed it into ‘Mickey’. This was the process of the birth of Mickey Mouse. Helped by his head animator, Ub Iwerks, Mickey Mouse was prepared to be filmed.

With an extra work, Walt Disney succeeded to broadcast Mickey Mouse cartoon. The Colony Theatre decided to take a chance on the film. Steamboat Willie became a success cartoon. Later, Disney not only created Mickey, he also added other characters, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and etc. The popularity of Mickey Mouse rose. In 1940, the popularity of Mickey Mouse reached the peak when Mickey became the Sorcerer’s Apprentice in the feature Fantasia. But, the World War II stopped Disney activities and also Mickey Mouse. However, Mickey Mouse could survive after the war had been over.

In early 1950s, Mickey’s friends had their own part in film. Meanwhile, Mickey Mouse had been an icon for Disney. In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland was opened, and continued with the opening of Paris Disneyland in 1992. Until now, Mickey Mouse and Friends has become the most famous and influential cartoon in the world.

I.3. Theory

The content of children literature is limited by the experience and understanding of children. Children’s books are books that have the child’s eye at the center (Hickman 1989). The limitation of the bad and the good must be seen clearly because children will recognize the good thing from seeing the bad thing. Every children literature has value that can teach them and also has interesting aspect which can attract children to read it.

For this reason, children literature usually uses the easy theme to be discussed in the story. Besides that, imagination of children also becomes the target of children literature. By developing their imagination, children can increase the creativity. Fantasy is a favourite genre of children literature. Fantasy is contrast with the reality, but in children literature impossibility becomes possibility (Pavlik 2010). Mickey Mouse and Friends’ character is animal but they act like human being. Besides that, picture also becomes attraction to the children. Comic, as we know, will be easily impressed children to read the book.

Children literature usually has two different characters, the hero and the villain (May 1995). They are created to show the values of life easily. Like what has mentioned before, children will easily know and distinguish the bad thing and the good thing. In Mickey Mouse and Friends comic, there are many stories which make the same term like a usual children literature. But there is some story which doesn’t have obvious distinction. However, it has the way to deliver the lesson by showing the regret of the good character. It may also teach that the good one can make some mistakes too.

Based on age, children literature is divided into three parts which are for younger children, children in transition, and older children (Hickman 1989). Mickey Mouse and Friends Comic is intended for the third type of children literature. It’s because it’s for personal reading, the language is in the skillful level, and sometimes has theme which is not simple. So, the middle grades until middle class children are appropriate with this comic.

II. Discussion

II.1. Mickey Mouse

This cartoon character is the main character and the main icon of Walt Disney, a famous animation company. First appear in 1928 in Steamboat Willie, this mouse later becomes the legend in cartoon.

The first drawing of Mickey like picture on the left has a different form with Mickey nowadays. But Disney didn’t change the image of Mickey Mouse too much. Physically, Mickey is a black mouse with a long tail. He usually wears a red pants and no top. His shoes are yellow. This becomes the fixed style of Mickey Mouse. However, sometimes he wears something else like in Mickey and Friends Comic 277, Mickey wears a brown coat. The style can change based on the story. In Comic 277, Mickey becomes member of criminal gang. The coat in this story represents his position in the gang which is the ideas poster. The coat gives him the smart characteristic.

In comic series, the style which is attached with Mickey’s character is often changing. Not only in 277, but also in 295, Mickey wears tidy clothes which matched with the holiday condition that becomes the setting of the story. He also wants to meet Minnie, his girlfriend, in a little formal way.

The main character usually becomes a hero of the story. So does Mickey Mouse. In the comic series that I’ve read, Mickey is playing a role as the hero. He may not have strong power like another hero character, but the writer described Mickey is always able to solve the problem. In comic 295, Mickey takes an important role to stop the monopoly of toy’s trade.

Mickey Mouse presence becomes the problem solver in the story, even in another character’s story like Goofy’s. He has a kind heart and also good brain. From the others characters, Mickey is the one who can be called as the perfect character. Nevertheless, Mickey has his own character and sometimes can do a dummy thing too.

Mickey Mouse character is connected to American dream. This mouse represents a great dream which is inside an ordinary creature. Mickey is always optimism in face any problem. Without some supernatural power, strong body, and genius brain, Mickey Mouse is still able to present a good role model for American, especially for children.

II.2. Minnie Mouse

Minnie Mouse is Mickey’s girlfriend. She also makes the debut in Steamboat Willie. Minnie is a sweet character. She is rich. I said so because in comic 295, Mickey was confused when tried to decide a Christmas present for Minnie. He wanted something special that Minnie hasn’t had it before. But the problem was Minnie seems like has everything. It shows that Minnie is from the high class.

In comic 291, Minnie had a conflict with Mickey. Minnie likes dancing, and beautiful performance of magic, music, and etc. Meanwhile, Mickey considers those activities as boring things to do. Then, Minnie who was annoyed with Mickey’s word asked the magician to change Mickey into her ideal. But something’s bad happened. Bandits came and stole the magician’s tools. As the result, Mickey couldn’t be back as the one who enjoyed the detective role. Minnie was regret, but then, she tried to force Mickey to use his brain to capture the bandits.

From this story, the conclusion will come that Minnie is appropriate with the concept of girl. She likes affection, entertainment, shopping, dancing, and other things that many girls will like it too. However, she’s not a selfish one because although Mickey has changed into his ideal type, she prefers to capture the bandit than accept the ‘ideal’ Mickey invitation to go to restaurant or dance or shopping.

About the clothes, Minnie doesn’t have fixed style like Mickey does. The colour and model of her clothes often changes in every series. However, she always wears a big ribbon on her head and dress or skirt. It may to differentiate her from Mickey. Looking on the physical characteristic, Mickey and Minnie actually have the same form, a black and long-tailed mouse. Disney uses the eyelashes and dress to make the different gender. Minnie also wears high-heels. Those features make the concept of female in Mickey Mouse and Friends.

II.3. Donald Duck

The friend of Mickey is Donald Duck. He is a very famous character besides Mickey Mouse. Some people agree that Donald is the funniest character in Mickey Mouse and Friends. First, he appeared in Silly Symphony cartoon in 1934 and could grab attention from the people. As the result, Donald had his own story in 1938. Even, he surpassed Mickey Mouse in the number of cartoons reaching the theatre.

Donald Duck, like his name, psychically, is a white duck. In my opinion, duck is the best living creature to represents a talkative character. This opinion comes by looking the mouth’s form of duck. It has long beak. Moreover, the quacking sound emphasizes it. Donald’s trait is appropriate with this opinion. Besides that, he has a bad temper. Every single thing can make him angry.

He usually wears a blue sailor top and blue cap. In the comic, Donald is usually drawn wearing black top. Different with Mickey, Donald doesn’t wear pants, meanwhile Mickey doesn’t wear top.

In the comic series, Donald is always paired with his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. The problem that must be faced by Donald is around his relation with his nephews. Donald is not smart as Mickey. However, he is lucky. If in cartoon film series, Donald always have the problem with such a little thing and end up with his lost in solving the problem. But in comic, the conflict appears when he meets an unfortunate thing such as in comic 280. This temperament duck was trapped into the bad plan of the realtors which sell an island. In fact the island isn’t same as the picture that was shown before. Donald got the problem because of his impatience.

Luckily, the island was full of rare worms. In addition, the project of new bridge would bring Donald’s new island as the strategic place. Then, his nephews reported the worms to the scientists. That island was decided into a research area. Meanwhile, the realtor heard about the bridge project. They wanted the island back. Donald used his luckiness to take revenge. He asked the realtor five times from the price that he must paid for the island. In fact, the island cannot be occupied because of the rare worms. Finally, Donald had his money back, even five times from the amount that he paid before.

In comparison with Mickey’s story, Donald, actually, doesn’t think nor do something heroic like Mickey does. His luckiness always saved him. In comic 277, he, inadvertently, helped a professor to find the theory of the floating frog. After that event, Donald became a famous duck.

II.4. Daisy Duck

The second woman character in Mickey Mouse and Friends series is Daisy Duck. She is the girlfriend of Donald Duck. Like Minnie Mouse, from the physical, people can acknowledge her by big ribbon on her head and eyelashes. She also always wears high-heels. However, although she was a female character, she never wears skirt. Disney decided duck character for not wearing any bottom cloth.

If Minnie inscribes a sweet and nice girl, Daisy tends to be an elegant, sexy, and mature woman. These traits can be seen in her looking. Daisy Duck usually makes up. The innocence side of Minnie can be seen in her round eyes. On other hand, Daisy has glazed eyes with tapering eyelashes and purple eye shadow.

Daisy Duck doesn’t have many parts in the comic which I’ve read as the research source. She appears in comic 287 when she was in picnic with Donald. Donald Duck actually just wanted to take a shoot of bird for winning an award. Daisy considered this picnic as a romantic date. She forced Donald to serenade for her with a very flirty way. Because Donald ignored her, she disturbs Donald’s photo taking and whined to be serenaded. From this scene, Daisy seems to be a very flirty woman and also a selfish one. She will never stop nagging until she gets an attention.

II.5. Goofy

The very best friend of Mickey Mouse is Goofy. Literally, his name means stupid and it matches with Goofy’s trait. Goofy is a dog. He is the tallest character in Mickey Mouse and Friends. I remember the opinion ‘the big body usually has small brain’ when I see Goofy.

Goofy appears for the first time in Mickey’s Revue (1932). Since that, Goofy always accompany Mickey as his best friend. Although, his physical is a dog, he plays a role as a human. It contrasts with Pluto that is Mickey’s pet. I think it maybe the reason why Goofy wears complete clothes, from top to toe. By his clothes, people will sense that Goofy’s character is a human not a pet.

Like Donald Duck, Goofy also has his own part in the Mickey Mouse and Friends comic series. In comic 277, Goofy felt that every single life must be respected. He, then, decided to be an animal savior. Even he didn’t want to kill an ant. But he acted over by asking everyone he met to keep distance from anthills, beehives, and etc. He even set the barrier around those insect’s house. Mickey told him that he didn’t have to do that, but stupid Goofy mistakenly got what Mickey said. Instead of stopping to save the animal’s life, he decided to keep all animals in his own house. Then, a chaos happened. However, finally, Goofy understood that saving animals’ life doesn’t mean to keep an eye for them.

From this story, I concluded that although Goofy isn’t smart enough, he has a pure and kind heart. He is also an easy going. He do something easily without full of thoughts. It is so different with Donald’s characteristic which is care too much with his surroundings.

II.6. Pluto

Another dog’s character in Mickey Mouse and Friends is Pluto. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is a real dog. He is Mickey’s pet. Actually it is really strange that a mouse can pet a dog. But, in my opinion, dog is the most common pet, especially in America. As I said before, Mickey Mouse series is really American. It reflects the real life of the people in America and the environment. So this is Pluto is decided to be Mickey’s pet.

After doing research in this character, I found nothing special with this character. Pluto plays a role as a real dog. So, there’s no specific character that will symbolize some things in real life beside the fact that he is a dog. Pluto is curious like a common dog. He is also very faithful to his master, Mickey. Sometimes, he becomes so brave, but sometimes he is a coward. He appears not too much in the comic.

III. Conclusion

Mickey Mouse and Friends Comic Series can be categorized as a higher level of children literature. The theme that becomes topic of the story often doesn’t appropriate with children’s life. It brings out the love themes such as what I have elaborated in characterization of Daisy. Besides that, the plot isn’t simple. It often talks about robbery, fraud, relationship, and etc. Mickey Mouse and Friends Comic tends to be a realist story although the characters are fantasy because they are all animal. Each character symbolizes the real characteristic of human, either, a kind and smart one as Mickey, a nice and sweet girl like Minnie, a temperament and impatient man as Donald, a sexy, flirty, and selfish woman like Daisy, and a stupid but kind hearted like Goofy. They all really exist in real world.

However, Mickey Mouse and Friends Comic also has a good value to be taken as lesson for life. Through Mickey character, children are taught to be kind and always think before decide to do something. Minnie gives an example of a polite girl that is always well mannered. By reading Donald and Daisy story, sometimes it is difficult to decide a good value from it, but people can shown to children that ill-tempered and selfish can bring problem to their selves.

References

. "Disney Archives." Retrieved 29 December, 2010, from http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/characterstandard.html.

. "Mickey Mouse Analysis." Retrieved 29 December, 2010, from http://farrells.people.cofc.edu/Farrell/Mickey%20Mouse%20Analysis/MickeyMouseAnalysis.html?referrer=webcluster&.

. "Mickey Mouse and Friends (comic book)." Retrieved 12 December, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Mouse_and_Friends_%28comic_book%29.

Hickman, C. S. H. S. H. J. (1989). Children Literature in Elementary School. Orlando, Harcourt Brace & Company.

May, J. P. (1995). Children's Literature and Critical Theory. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Pavlik, D. R. a. A. (2010). The (Im)Possibility of Children's Fiction: Rose Twenty-Five Years On. Children's Literature Association: Quarterly. Maryland, The John Hopkins University Press.