"Mowgli" USA and the USSR: What kind of children brings ideology through cartoons
Recently I watched the Soviet cartoon "Mowgli" - to be honest, it’s straight. He drew attention to a number of important points that can be called "programming of values." It became interesting, and found in the network the American equivalent of "Mowgli". It's amazing how different these pictures are! And how much different people they bring up!
Players
In the Soviet version (SV), all the characters are charismatic and have their own charisma, unique dynamics, way, while in the American version (AV) all the characters are the same - they move the same, they say the same, they are all jesters.
Due to this, the idea of realizing its own strengths is well traced in the NE.
SV is generally a very deep and emotionally strong cartoon. Here lucidly it is said about friendship, mutual assistance, and everyone in the team plays on its strong side: Kaa does not get involved in a fight, but he is wise and offers strategic solutions (to find a blade, to defeat red dogs); Bagheera is just an ideal of femininity, I would even add - alpha women: she is strong and dangerous and at the same time graceful and gentle, playful and spontaneous, but at the same time savvy and wise (it was she who “settled” the topic with saving Mowgli by giving a mob of a bull in a pack meeting); Balu is a great teacher; Akella is a wise and fair leader; A wolf mother is ready to give her life for a foster child; Sherkhan is strong, fierce and cunning, he does not play by the rules and as a result receives what he deserves for it; The jackal is full of fear and, perhaps, the most disgusting character in the cartoon. All characters are mature, charismatic and clearly see their place in the jungle.
In AV, there is simply no such thing. All characters are equally silly and “funny”. Despite the different plastics, everyone has the same grimaces and emotions. The concept of his path is turned upside down - the monkey wants to become a man, the elephants go about the system, and Mowgli himself can not decide in any way what he should be, whom to imitate. And Bagheera, in general, man!
Atmosphere and concept
In SV, of course, everything is not so colorful ... and harmonious. Severe Soviet realism is perhaps a minus. But this is symbolic in its own way, for it makes it easier to mentally distract and see the essence of the cartoon:
Look for your strengths and find your place in society. The power of friendship, team, the famous “we are with you of the same blood”, cooperation in solving the problem.
Together you can achieve much more than alone. The team is important and useful. Again, respect for individuality. Everyone does what he does best.
Good ultimately triumphs over evil. The cartoon teaches to be honest and strong and play on the light side. For darkness will be defeated necessarily. Often, the characters went to their deaths and were ready to fight to the end for being dear to them, and fate rewarded them for their bravery - the situation was solved either peacefully (as at the council) or in their favor (as at the end of the cartoon).
Bravery and honor are rewarded. Disgrace, cunning and cowardice - punished.
Everyone works: porcupines roll pumpkins, wolves hunt and learn (!), The bear teaches, the leader directs and so on. Conclusion: work - and you will get the result.
In the American cartoon, everyone “lupas” and “steb” each other, and this is like “fun”: the general concept (idea) of a cartoon is just entertaining. The atmosphere of contention, there is no consensus, egoism, everyone acts in his own interests. Idea: sing, dance, “die your needs” - and everything will be fine. At first glance, it is also a good message, a positive one, but this very much looks like agitation for entertainment, not creative work.
The theme of friendship is also in AB. However, there each character wants to get something from Mowgli or impose his point of view. The battle with the tiger at the end is also fun and simple. And Mowgli behaves there very peculiar, but more on that later.
And now the most important thing: the character and his relationship
In the NE Mowgli develops over several series. He more and more reveals his strengths, more and more he understands who he is. He becomes stronger, smarter, faster. He becomes the leader of the pack, and defeats the invasion of enemies, and gets a dagger, and he defeats the tiger with his bare hands.
First, he learns, as befits a child, but soon becomes independent, he makes decisions, he is active, enterprising and savvy. He behaves bravely and holds on with dignity.
In AV Mowgli - the consumer. He is moody and lonely. He cannot find his place in life. Either trying to be a bear, or an elephant, or a neck. The moral seems to be obvious - be a man, who you should be, however, the general emotional background creates precisely the sensation of search and even despair, fueling conflict. And how is it solved? In the end, Mowgli does not make the decision to go to the people himself, but the “sexy girl” is “being led” for not-for-years ...
The whole cartoon is directed, taken care of, controlled by him: the feeling that Mowgli’s choice is who to join, who to trust himself with. Mowgli himself doesn’t decide anything, always decides for him from the very beginning to the very end. Those. set the image of the slave consumer, not an independent person.
In SV Mowgli is sincerely friendly with the characters, helps them, and together they solve some problems. If they are fooling around, they are somehow very kind. All positive characters get along and work in a team, set specific goals and achieve them.
In AV, characters quarrel among themselves, divide Mowgli as if he has no choice (and the truth is simply not there), and everyone wants to satisfy his ego through him. Characters are cowardly, like Mowgli himself. And all the characters are neurotic, hysterical and excessively emotional - they have no essence, a rod, they often change their decisions, inconsistent, in a word rather chaotic and lost.
Mawli himself in the NE respects his brothers, protects them, listens to their wisdom, they support each other and act together.
In AV Mowgli is always lonely, pushes away other characters; the conflict is based on the fact that no one can be trusted.
Final scene
In SV Mowgli grew and turned from a funny full energy boy frog into a handsome, handsome man, decent, strong, experienced. The apogee of his maturity becomes his epic and rather cruel victory over Sher Khan. Mowgli and his brothers come up with a plan and embody it, fight one-on-one with Sher Khan, and even losing a blade in battle, he still triumphs with his bare hands. The final victory, as evidenced by the skin on the stone. Then Mowgli falls in love and realizes that he cannot live forever in the jungle. Then he CAM makes a decision to leave the pack, leave “his high post” for the sake of a new life. The pack says goodbye to him and accepts his choice, finally saying that if something is needed, we are always with you.
Noteworthy is the scene of Mowgli with the girl. First, they are already “adults”. The girl, seeing the gorgeous Mowgli, drops the pitcher and runs off, turning around again and again. She is afraid of him and shows interest. Mowgli himself also runs away and cries on Balu’s chest because a sense of love awakens in him, and he realizes that it’s time to go to the people.
Those. having achieved the maximum in the jungle, the leader of the pack, the winner of the main very cunning enemy, is sent for the sake of love for new heights. Sure, and there he will succeed. Such here story progress and bold advance. The last frame - an adult, strong and strong-willed Mowgli says goodbye to his brothers against the backdrop of the village, moving to a new life.
Now let's see what happens in AB:
Mowgli was a thin boy, and he remained - he did not grow at all, did not evolve in any way. He is a child, just a child - capricious, confused, incredulous and lonely. He is looking for someone else to join - after all, all the “past friends” were deceiving him ...
Then he meets the vultures, and Sher Khan finds HIM. New friends cowardly run away, but Mowgli is not lost and as if not afraid of a fight. Sherkhan as a typical American villain does not immediately gobble up the hero, but decides to talk and play with him. The typical mistake of the villain.
At this point, Balu appears and throws himself into a fight, Mowgli runs away, but then he finds a stick and hits the tiger while he is immobilized, however, when the tiger is released, Mowgli runs away with a cry of “help”. Then RANDOMLY the lightning strikes a tree while Sherkhan distracts the vultures, Mowgli ties a stick to his tail, and Sher Khan cowardly runs away ...
Balu seems to be dying: a weeping scene where a bear listens to Bagheera’s posthumous speech and gets a face from him (!) When everyone finds out that Balu is alive. Then they go to the jungle. But Mowgli saw the girl and decided to consider her. Balu remarks: “Do not go there - all problems are from them” (attitudes towards the other sex). However, Mowgli is not being childish, the girl is hypnotizing with his beautiful eyes, and Mowgli as a result HOW IN TRANSE follows her. The girl drops the pitcher to let Mowgli carry him, and again he is being led and carried. Balu shouts: “Go ahead, go to the jungle!”, But Mowgli shrugs his shoulders and walks, stupefied, after the girl.
Characters sing a song, how cool to live in the jungle - the end.
Just a couple of comments.
In the CB, the basic plans are faces, and there is absolutely no “soft point” in the frame. While in AV it is this part of the body that plays an important role, constantly appearing in the foreground. In the CB, I did not notice frankly stupid characters. In AB - all characters are stupid. Also noteworthy are scenes with elephants - one is similar in behavior to a zombie and constantly eats; in another scene - “back view”, in the third - a hysterical wife yells at the arrogant husband.
Total
The Soviet cartoon brings up a strong, courageous, brave, sharp-witted independent person who sets goals and achieves them. Uses the power of the team. It takes into account the strengths of allies and enemies, and acts boldly and effectively. The model of relationships is a strong, confident male leader capable of deep passionate feelings. The boy’s role is to become a man.
American cartoon brings up a slave. A capricious suspicious consumer, prone to neurosis and loneliness, distrustful and deceived. Which is always led by someone. Who does not know his strengths, does not make plans, does not make decisions. They always decide for him, they lead him. In the end, it turns out that he is not the main character at all, but the main characters are a light-hearted bear and Bagheera the muzhik who rule the ball in the jungle.
And by the way, with regards to humor. Humor allows you to not perceive information is critical and expand the scope of what is permitted: this is a joke, this is normal. Therefore, to give installations and images very well precisely through humor.
When a child is watching a cartoon, he still has very little of his experience to decide what is normal and what is not. When he sees that in the cartoon the characters behave in some way, and no one condemns them - the child accepts this pattern of behavior as the norm. And he models in his life what he sees. A child watching a Soviet cartoon will think that courage and honor are normal, setting goals and achieving them is normal, fighting and winning is normal. To be the creator and author of your destiny is normal.
A child watching an American cartoon will think that when you are controlled, this is normal, betrayal and loneliness are normal, neurotic and capriciousness is normal. Being a consumer is normal.
And now think that you and your children (yours, nephews, brothers and sisters) are watching. What images do they see? What behaviors for them will become normal? What will they embody in their lives? And what do you embody yourself?
This is education, this is education. Today, they watch Disney cartoons, tomorrow they listen to pop music, and the day after tomorrow, their ideals and values acquire a selfish and consumer color characteristic of Western culture. Everything is more serious than it seems. Ignoring the problem, we do not leave it, but simply transfer power to those who do not refuse it, that's all. Through information - movies, cartoons, music, programs, games, and so on - imposing patterns of behavior desired by someone. This especially affects children. So beware. Create a bright, strong, brave, honest. Filter information flows for yourself and, above all, for your children.
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