Characters such as Mickey, Donald Duck, and Goofy are all well-known worldwide. They all belong to a gigantic company called Walt Disney, which has been in force since 1923. However, in 1941, a very particular, yet special character was created: José Carioca.
A parrot wearing a suit, bow tie, and hat was the representation of Brazil in the magical world of talking mice and dogs. With an upbeat personality, a catchy accent, and moving in the rhythm of a good old samba, Zé opened the doors to a new universe of adventures, mysteries, and surprises kept in the land of Carnival.
What came to reality in a trip made by Walt Disney to Rio de Janeiro had deeper roots than simply a search for inspiration. Back in the day, World War Two was haunting the nations with cruel battles and an endless tension.
The United States of America, keeping a neutral position until 1941, stepped confidently into the conflict after Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack. Such action led, years later, to the rise of the Cold War, a rivalry between the USA and the Soviet Union, representing their respective allies, the Capitalist Western Bloc and the Communist Eastern Bloc.
While the world was again being divided into ideologies, strategies were developed by America to turn as many countries as possible to their side. And it’s under this context that the funny Brazilian parrot was brought to life.
With Franklin Roosevelt in the presidency, the Good Neighbor policy in vigor, and the goal to keep as many allied countries near the USA, culture was one of the main strategies to maintain the desired influence. Back in the day, Disney was a sort of non-official American ambassador, hoping that their characters could conquer the charm of Latin America and successfully sell ‘the good guy’ image through mass communication.
Understanding this, it is easy to see that if a production is created for government propaganda, it is impossible for it to be reliable, much less impartial. Zé Carioca in itself is a heap of stereotypes, a mixture of exaggerated cultural elements, such as samba, receptivity, Carnival, cachaça, “the Brazilian way” – understood as cunningness -, extreme happiness, and optimism.
Even his looks hint at his purpose. At the same time that the parrot has the personality that summarizes what a receptionist, welcoming and exciting, kind of being the Brazilian is, the feathers of its tail are blue and red. Not coincidentally, the exact shades of the North American flag.
In his starring movie, “Saludos Amigos” (1942), Zé takes Donald Duck on a tour around the wonders of a Brazil designed through the American eye. The disposition is clear: Donald represents the United States while Zé represents Brazil. The parrot is nearly a fan of the duck, clarifying what it means to be a “good and loyal” friend. They show in the screenplay what they want to reproduce in real life.
And you know what the crazy thing is? It works.
Disney has a big space in a kid’s imagination. Many of those grew up watching their movies, dreaming about a perfect life in a world with a big blue castle and a green-dressed fairy. It becomes part of who they are as individuals, establishing and strengthening morals and values. So, the construction of this universe has to be thought of, detail by detail.
When a character is created, meant to represent a nation, the ideals put into him are purposely selected to build a determined image. It is sure to be stuck in people’s subconscious for a whole life, helping fixate on whatever idea is intended.
This is a strategy used to draw prejudiced views of characters outside of hegemonic American culture.
So, clearly, Zé Carioca doesn’t represent Brazil to its fullest. To begin with, it is totally impossible to represent an entire nation in one being. A population is made up of thousands of different people, each one in a particular way.
Obviously, there are a few cultural traits that find their way into the majority. This phenomenon, called national identity, refers to a feeling of belonging and bond to a community. However, it is a social construction, which means it can work its way out to serve political interests.
One of the roots that helped Disney to make Carioca sassy, smart, quick, and almost selfish is based on the historian Sérgio Buarque de Holanda’s theory, “cordial man”. According to the concept, Brazilians are moved by their heart, meaning they lack professionalism, the understanding of rules, and have a hard time distinguishing the private from the public space. It is like they are moved by their instincts, too passionate about everything to let their reason speak louder.
This, added to the goal of spreading a crystallized vision of those people, led to the final form of Zé Carioca, a parrot always trying to pull a trick up his sleeve to end up on good terms.
Up to this day, there is still a deeply stigmatized vision of the Brazilian people, not only in the United States, but all over the world.
Art has the power to set ideals, almost unbreakable and, for some, undeniable. But we have to keep in mind that any piece of art is created by humans with varied intentions.
We can’t take productions as the perfect truth. Learning how to think by ourselves is a great first step to fighting against stereotypes. Not accepting everything we are told, looking around, and doing some research can certainly enrich everyone’s lives, as well as bring more equality to those who are subjected to dominant ideals.
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The article above was edited by Clarissa Palácio.
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