G-rated Films Lead to G-rated History

 

Many Disney critics have pointed out that Disney films and other entertainment products that are based on true stories contain many historical inaccuracies.  For example, in his article "The Strange Case of The Princess and the Frog: Passing and the Elision of Race," Ajay Gehlawat notes that the film portrays much less racial segregation than was actually present during the 1920s, the time period in which the film is set.  The article "10 Historically Inaccurate Movies" by Jane McGrath mentions many disparities between the true story of Pocahontas and the Disney film.  In the article "Mickey Mouse History: Portraying the Past at Disney World," Mike Wallace criticizes the Disney park Epcot, a park supposedly built to educate the public, for failing to teach about many significant events in U.S. history and portraying others with an inaccurate positive spin.  

While I agree that these Disney products are not historically accurate, I don't agree that it makes them flawed.  Due to the age range of Disney's primary audience, many historical details must be omitted from Disney films because they are not appropriate for young children, as mentioned briefly by Gehlawat.  On the other hand, McGrath claims that the audience of young children is the very reason that it is a flaw, because the film "misleads children and interferes with the events they'll later learn about."  However, as McGrath points out, children do learn about these historical events later in their schooling and from other sources.  If Disney was the only mode through which children learned about history, then the inaccuracies would certainly be a problem.  But this is not the case.  Instead, Disney provides a great way for children to learn about some parts of history early on, and learn about it in a fun and enjoyable way.  Disney's portray of history, although not completely accurate, is a positive way to teach children a little about history while providing enjoyable entertainment at the same time.