Reflecting on Mulan

REFLECTING ON MULAN AN ETHNIC STUDIES FILM GUIDEBOOK

BY Tory Rose Full, William Chu and Juliana Chia PHOTO: DISNEY

table of contents Introduction Racial Formation Theory, Denotative & Connotative Meaning Race and intersectionality Race and the American Genre Film 07 Cinematic Apparatus and the American Social Structure 08 Neoliberal Multiculturalism 09 Orientalism / War 10 Queer Theory 01 02 04 06

REFLECTING ON MULAN

INTRODUCTION Boys and girls alike love watching animated Disney movies, both old and new. As these films are so pervasive in children’s everyday lives, the lessons and norms drawn from these films will have an impact on your child. Mulan has really been a fan favorite, with its songs and brave leading lady. By reading this guidebook, you will learn the importance of watching Disney movies, including Mulan, with a critical Ethnic Studies lens. Facilitating dialogue with your child about a Disney animated film is an effective and enjoyable way to introduce them to otherwise difficult concepts, such as racial formation and gender roles. Mulan is an inspirational film about a young girl fighting for her family’s honor, While this is a children's film, there are many layers to be explored, so introducing discussion with your child will empower them to think critically about the concepts presented in Mulan, rather than simply following and accepting the ideas intended by the filmmakers.

This guidebook will provide you with critical questions for your child in order to introduce ethnic studies concepts present in Mulan. Each section will revolve around a certain ethnic studies theme pervasive in Mulan, with multiple thoughtprovoking questions. These questions will be followed by an explanation elaborating on the theories which each discussion seeks to convey.

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

Theories are underlined and explained

Rainbow icons indicate questions for junior

These boxes explain the rationale behind asking these questions.

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REFLECTING ON MULAN

CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO START DIALOGUE WITH YOUR CHILD WHEN WATCHING MULAN A GUIDE TO DISCUSSING DISNEY'S MULAN THROUGH AN ETHNIC STUDIES LENS

Racial Formation Theory

The Racial Formation Theory is composed of three major elements: Racial Formation is simply the process by which we create the concept of race. This is something which is fluid and always changing through the course of history.

Racialization is the way in which we assign social meanings to bodies. For example, the assignment of character traits to a race or ethnicity, e.g. people from race X are lazy.

Racial Projects are the way in which resources are distributed based on racial meanings. For example, the exclusion of Chinese immigrants from the United States on the basis of racialized notions about their character.

Denotative & Connotative Meaning

In any critical study it is important to understand the surface meaning and the underlying meaning embedded within the film.

Denotative meaning: Refers to what we typically pay attention to, such as setting, dialogue and plot in a film.

It is the message to be taken at face value.

Connotative meaning: This refers to how you interpret the film based on your opinions, knowledge and life experiences. It is the underlying meaning that is discovered upon a deeper analysis of a work.

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REFLECTING ON MULAN

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QUESTIONS FOR JUNIOR Do you have any friends who are like Mulan?

If Mushu the dragon were a person, what would he look like?

Which character did you think was the silliest? Why?

Photos: princess.disney.com/gallery, disney.wiki

These questions are meant to engage your child with Mulan’s identity and consider how the notion of race influences the way one perceives people. For instance, with the first question, your child may respond by pointing out how many Asian or Chinese friends he or she has, but you could probably ask your child to identify a friend that has characteristics similar to Mulan. In the second instance, you can help your child understand how Mushu’s portrayal is coded to represent a stereotype of African Americans. The characterization of Mushu plays heavily upon a racial stereotype, even though as a spirit he does not technically have a race.

Helping your child understand the role that racialization plays even in the absence of actual humans will go a long way in encouraging critical thought, especially in Disney films, since they are often filled with anthropomorphic figures which often take on racial stereotypes. The aim of these questions should be to help your child understand their own racial biases and views, and how it may influence the way in which they see the world. Furthermore, by engaging with these questions, they may better understand the denotative and connotative meanings embedded in Mulan.

REFLECTING ON MULAN

Race and intersectionality

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When it comes to discussing race, it is important to understand also the concept of intersectionality. The theory of intersectionality emphasizes that people cannot be reduced to a sole part of their identity.

For example, a person cannot simply be defined by their race. Other factors such as class, gender, and sexuality intersect to form their unique life experience.

QUESTIONSÂ FORÂ JUNIOR How does Mulan change to join the army in place of her father?

Where Mulan lives, how are women expected to behave?

Is it the same in our community?

Why do you think Mulan wanted to be a soldier?

Photos: disneyscreencaps.com

REFLECTING ON MULAN

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Do you love the song "I’ll Make A Man Out of You"?

What do you think the people who made the movie was trying to tell you?

Would Mulan have gotten to be a good warrior without General Li Shang?

How did Mushu help Mulan become a warrior?

Photos: princess.disney.com/gallery, Disney, disneyscreencaps.com

As you discuss these questions with your children, take the opportunity to explore how issues of gender and race influence the way in which Mulan’s identity is constructed. In the beginning, questions regarding Mulan’s transformation can explore the roles which gender plays in constructing identity. As you then transition into the question regarding Mulan’s motivation to be a soldier, you can help your child consider other aspects besides gender which all play a role in constructing a person’s identity. While Mulan was forced to disguise her identity because of her gender, her family is forced to take up arms in the first place because of their subordinate status to the Emperor’s authority. Furthermore, Mulan is motivated by cultural values of filial piety. By the end of this process, your child should have a better understanding that a person is not defined by singular elements of identity, but is rather a sum of all these aspects working in conjunction.

REFLECTING ON MULAN

Race and the American Genre film

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Disney Princess films are one of the most popular genres in animated film. This comes with a certain set of expectations that guide the creation of films within the genre. Mulan is considered a Disney Princess film and has been marketed as such. Thus, it is important to understand how these elements of genre have moulded the way in which Mulan was created.

QUESTIONS FOR JUNIOR Is Mulan your favorite princess?

Why/why not?

Do you think Mulan is a princess?

What makes her a princess - or not?

Photos: disneyscreencaps.com

When going to watch a film or looking for it online, we tend to see films categorized in genres according to certain features. The first way to categorize a genre is via its semantic features which are the clearly visible elements that the film consists of: for instance, the songs, the talking animals, the fancy dresses and falling in love, among other things. The second way to categorize the genre is via its syntactic features, which are the relations between certain aspects of a film, such as themes or tropes. Mulan is interesting, because apart from its many semantic aspects, syntactically, the story deviates from the tropes used in typical Disney princess films.

Your child’s favorite princess may not be Mulan because she looks different; she is Asian, she disguises as a man and for most of the film, she fights in the war. Yet its status as a Disney Princess film means that many continue to see her as a princess. At Disneyland, Mulan is portrayed dressed in her gown from the beginning of the movie, rather than in her armor that she wears for most of the film. What does your child think of this? It is interesting to consider if Mulan fits into the ‘princess’ category. What makes someone a princess? What characteristics have to be present? Can anyone become a princess? What about the idea that Mulan did not marry a prince and is therefore not royalty? Race and intersectionality complicate the idea of genre and provide great areas for discussion when examining children’s films.

REFLECTING ON MULAN

Cinematic Apparatus and the American Social Structure

When we talk about apparatus, we mean the sum of all the varied parts and elements which go into making and receiving a film. This includes the way in which a film is produced, such as casting, funding, and technology. It also includes how a film is received, such as the way it’s distributed, the reviews garnered, and current events which alter the context in which a film may be viewed.

QUESTIONS FOR JUNIOR Do you think the people who made Mulan did a good job of showing you China?

Have you seen any other movies that are like Mulan?

Photos: disneyscreencaps.com, princcess.disney.com/gallery

By discussing the creative team behind Mulan, you can encourage your child to engage with the film beyond the images that they have viewed, and to think critically about the film in relation with other movies they have watched. This provides a comparison for children and raises their awareness of the way in which outside elements like production, casting, and societal discourses has an effect on the different portrayals of Chinese people and Chinese culture in the film. The very fact that you are discussing Mulan with your child after they have viewed the film will affect the way they see Mulan in the future.

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REFLECTING ON MULAN

Neoliberal Multiculturalism

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Neoliberal multiculturalism is the utilization of the idea of diversity not for social benefit, but for economic gain. Disney has recently included princesses of diverse races such as Pocahontas, Mulan, Jasmine and Tiana in order appeal to broader markets. In order to understand how Mulan was constructed, we need to understand how these commercial interests driven by neoliberal multiculturalism has influenced the production of the film and its character in the first place.

QUESTIONS FOR JUNIOR Have we taken pictures with Mulan at Disneyland?

Photos: disneystore.com

Photo: disneytouristblog.com

Do you want to be Mulan for Halloween?

Do we have any Mulan toys at home?

Disneyland is a place where princesses live, but also where all the commercial products derived from Disney films are marketed and sold to millions of visitors every year.

If your child does want to be Mulan for Halloween, a discussion around cultural appropriation could happen in which you engage your child critically about dressing up in an outfit based on someone else’s culture. Should a culture be reduced to one outfit? It is essential to bring up why Disney would want to market Mulan in this fashion. The sale of vaguely ethnic toys and products is a commodification of Chinese culture, often in an incorrect way. It does so by selecting many Oriental motifs regardless of cultural context and exhibits many historical inaccuracies inconsistent with the time period. It is important to understand that the main goal of film production is to create a financially successful end product, even when it comes to films for children. Having Mulan toys or other Disney toys at home is perfectly fine, so don’t worry about that. It is however, crucial to talk to your child about the ways in which Disney develops their films with these monetary incentives in mind. Next time they view a Disney animated film, see if they notice all the props and objects that will be turned into toys later.

REFLECTING ON MULAN

Orientalism / War

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Asians have historically been categorized as an inferior and “foreign” group by American society. Yet at the same time they have also been characterized as a threat to Western civilization. This is known as Orientalism, and on this basis, American society has continuously justified military interventions in Asia over the course of the last century. As we view Mulan, it will be important to understand how Orientalism influences the representation of Asians in the film.

QUESTIONS FOR JUNIOR Why do you think the Huns look the way they do?

Photos: disneyscreencaps.com

Why do you think the villains/the Huns are all so violent?

The aim of these questions will be explore to what degree the film’s representation of the Huns perpetuate Orientalism. Your child may come to the conclusion that the violent nature of the Huns is an inherent result of their racial makeup. At this point, you will have the opportunity to discuss with your child how the film’s racialization of the Huns may have an effect on the way they see Asians in the real world. You may help your child to understand the way in which Orientalism constructs Asians as the “other,” such that they can view any future other instances of Orientalism with a critical perspective.

REFLECTING ON MULAN

Queer Theory

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The study of queerness is subjectless. That is to say the definition of being queer is to identify the self outside of the constraints of heteronormativity. It is to break away from the norms which define heterosexuality. Disney films touch on this somewhat, and it is particularly prevalent in Mulan especially concerning the representation of Mulan and Shang's sexuality. Mulan's character has been considered by some to be potentially transgender. When she sings the song Reflection, Mulan can be interpreted to be questioning her sexuality as well. Shang falls for Mulan while she is still posed as a male warrior, insinuating queerness of his identity (without specifically stating so).

QUESTIONS FOR JUNIOR Did you like it when Mulan sang "Reflection"? What do you think it meant?

When in the movie do you think Shang fell in love with Mulan? Would it have been okay if Mulan was actually a boy?

Photos: disneyscreencaps.com

With these questions, you can direct the conversation around queerness. Your child may or may not have noticed that Shang fell in love with Mulan before she exposed herself as a woman. Pointing this out, and asking if it would be okay if Mulan were in fact a boy, can lead to a discussion about being accepting of people no matter their identity. Also, it is important to explain that people do not fall into these strict categories, so we cannot assume things about people just from how they look or act. The "Reflection" song leads some critics to believe Mulan is representing a transgender character. Mulan questions if she would ever be a good wife, and the moment she sings “When will my reflection show who I am inside?” suggests that what she sees on the outside conflicts with who she feels she is on the inside. Explaining this to your child can help them be more aware, conscientious, and tolerant of people who identify as part of the LGBTQ community.

MULAN'S FATHER, FA ZHOU:

THE FLOWER THAT BLOOMS IN ADVERSITY IS THE MOST RARE AND BEAUTIFUL OF ALL.” “

Thank you for reading.

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