SURNAME AND INITIALS

STUDENT NO
MODULE CODE
ASSIGNMENT NO

: MOLOKOMME M.E.
: 46551425
: ENN103F
: 01

QUESTION 1
The words tacit racial hierarchy simply means that classification based on races,
especially the supremacy of whites over the people of colour, is portrayed in such a
way that it make it very difficult to distinguish whether it is really happening or not, a
sort of camouflage. In Rio 2, leading roles which are mainly associated with voices
are given to white-voiced characters (British and Americans) and the rest to darkskinned characters (African Americans and Latin Americans) which visibly sparks
the authors criticism.
QUESTION 2
Blacks are given funny characters: if they are not overweight, they are given funny
looks, for instance the dancing and singing are given to African Americans.
Furthermore there seems to be a complete absence of black-skinned humans in the
movie except a fly-by over the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
QUESTION 3
Dr. Charles Da Costas theory on racial stereotyping is mainly based on two pillars:
PEP (Problem, Entertainment and Performance) contexts which implies that in
animation industry blacks and Latin Americans are often associated with exoticism,
athleticism, and villainy amongst others. Also, the financial requirements of those
productions often consciously or unconsciously weigh heavily against the moral
requirements of society therefore trigging them to give a soft representation of
such stereotypes.

MOLOKOMME M.E. 46551425 July 2015

SURNAME AND INITIALS

STUDENT NO
MODULE CODE
ASSIGNMENT NO

: MOLOKOMME M.E.
: 46551425
: ENN103F
: 01

QUESTION 4
One of the solutions proposed is making movies in which characters are more
nuanced and eccentric than standard caricatures. Also, we would like to propose
that more movies with black-skinned and Latin Americans as main characters are
made. The recent example of Doc McStuffins is commendable. Aimed at preschoolers, it centres on its title character, a 6-year-old African-American girl. Her
mother is a doctor (Dad stays home and tends the garden), and the girl emulates
her by opening a clinic for dolls and stuffed animals.
QUESTION 5
Animated films have been, in principle, characterised by their simple plots and their
classification of characters into two groups: the heroes and the villains. This
simplification of reality is known as stereotyping. This principle is reflected here with
Non-human characters: the good ones are given whites voiced accent and the
bad ones black and Latin American voices.

MOLOKOMME M.E. 46551425 July 2015