Dippel 1

Sydney Dippel
Professor Kendra Parker
English 113-03 The Wonderful World of Disney?
1 April 2015
Essay 3 Critical Summary
In Disneys Cajun Firefly: Shedding Light on Disney and Americanization, Maria
Hebert-Leiter examines the multiple ways in which Disney portrays Cajun culture through Ray
the firefly in The Princess and the Frog. She claims that although Americans may have a
perception of what they think Cajun culture, they do not realize how Americanized it has
become. Multiple aspects of Rays personality and his actions portray a very Americanized
version of actual Cajun culture, one that has been constructed through years of stereotypes. Next
Hebert-Leiter fleshes out the multiple ways in which Disney did not do justice to Cajun culture
through Rays character, but instead oversimplified it for consumption by an American audience.
One of Hebert-Leiters main arguments centers on Rays Evangeline, the brightest start in the
sky that Ray claims is his long-lost love. The concept of her originates from a poem by Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow about the migration of the Acadian people to Louisiana and the forced
conformity they faced that eventually lead to the Cajun ethnicity. Hebert-Leiter explains that this
poem was retold over many generations and the story changed, much like the history of the
Cajun people has changed along with their culture. She claims that Disneys use of this story
allows the American audience to project their own concept of Cajun culture and history on
people of that ethnicity, further separating Cajun people from the proper understanding they
deserve. Another main argument Hebert-Leiter presents in this article is that Rays Cajun-French
accent and his language highlight his differences in comparison to the other characters in the
movie. She claims that because his accent is so heavy and his speech is unpolished, compared to
that of Prince Naveen, Ray portrays Cajun culture as inferior to mainstream culture. Other
aspects of Rays character, such as his music, food, and personality also diminish Cajun culture,
according to Hebert-Leiter, and this is due to Disneys portrayal of an Americanized version of
Cajun culture.
When watching the film, Ray the firefly is not necessarily who I looked to for cultural
representation, so Hebert-Leiters argument brings up an interesting point that I had not
examined. When considering how Ray fits into racial stereotypes for Cajun people, I do indeed
find some of the same things alarming as the author. The original story behind the Evangeline
star and its ties to the roots of Cajun people in the United States proved to be a very well thought
out comparison on Hebert-Leiters part, and I thought it added credibility to her argument.
However, one point of hers that seemed a little far-fetched to me was her comparison of Ray to
Brer Rabbit, a trickster character from the allegedly racist Disney movie, Song of the South. She
claims that Rays ability to use his quick wit links him to this character from the slavery realm of
African American history, but I see this claim as an undeserving attempt to open up another
racial issue entirely. I fail to see why, in an article so focused on defending Cajun culture and its
misrepresentation in the United States, Hebert-Leiter would distract the reader with a claim so
bold that does not fit into her otherwise sound argument.
Work Cited
Hebert-Leiter, Maria. Disneys Cajun Firefly: Shedding Light on Disney and Americanization.
Journal of popular culture 47.5 (2014): 968. Web. 25 March 25, 2015.