Sheeks 1

Calleigh Sheeks
T. Sotira
English 1101
11-10-15
The Effects of Stereotypes on Heroism
Disney is no longer just about the pretty faces of various princesses and their somewhat
helplessness like we used to see when we were little; looking up to each character as a role
model. Instead, they have created a new world filled with heroes. Christopher Reeve states, I
think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of
overwhelming obstacles, and that is just what the character Wreck-It Ralph captures in Rich
Moores 2012 Disney masterpiece Wreck-It Ralph. Disney hides the underlying meaning of
stereotypes and heroes by using a video games protagonist and antagonist to give it a much
deeper meaning. Throughout the film, the true meaning of a hero is ever present and reoccurring
while breaking the barriers of stereotypes and prejudices.
A hero does not necessarily mean someone that is the good guy in a bad situation, but
someone who defies the odds and makes a difference in others lives as well as their own,
without even realizing it. Our generation is growing up in a world filled with stereotypical
assumptions that are hurting society. There are stories about guns, gangs, and violence and we
begin to stereotype people that could truly be nice on the inside, simply because of something we
hear on TV. Nowadays, you see a guy on the street and assume you are better than him. Or you
see someone covered with tattoos and leather and associate them with a dangerous group of
people. The saying dont judge a book by its cover is beginning to lose its meaning. Just
because someone is from a bad area does not mean they are a bad person. This theory applies

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directly to Wreck-It Ralph. Susan Wloszczyna from USA Today states, He's bad, and that's not
good. At least that's what the Hulk-size video-game villain believes as he suffers an identity
crisis (Wloszczyna). This shows how stereotypes can affect and alter someones life. The film
starts off in a video game arcade filled with bright colors and fun music, along with Wreck-It
Ralph voiced by John C. Reilly stating that he is a nine foot tall, 643 pound, bad guy. From
this description the audience can see that Ralph is the villain and does not seem very happy about
it. With this, it can be gathered that Ralph is determined to do something about this. Once he
travels to the game Heroes Duty and earns a medal, he feels content with himself. It is on his
way back to his original game that he gets mixed up and lost and finds himself in the game Sugar
Rush Speedway. Here he is able to find the true meaning of a hero with the help of Vanellope; a
troublesome misfit character that everyone refers to as a glitch. While Ralph is missing from his
game, he causes many problems. Claudia Puig states in USA Today that, The game can't
function without someone around to wreck things for Fix-It Felix Jr. (30 Rock's Jack McBrayer)
to repair. The arcade owners are about to pull the plug, so Felix rushes off to find Ralph and set
things right (Puig). This shows how even though Ralph is the bad guy he plays a key role in the
game and is very much needed although he does not see things that way. This connects with the
everyday world as well. Sometimes people feel useless and give up on themselves because they
believe that they are no longer needed. This type of discrimination has a huge impact on a
persons self-esteem. Once somebody realizes the tiniest thing that is wrong with them, they
begin to blow it out of proportion, which leads to negative impacts in their life. For example,
somebody who is looked down upon because of a stereotype may feel that there is no way to
make things better, and they end up giving up; however, this is not the case for Ralph.

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With the help of Vanellope, Ralph is able to see his true meaning. He not only risks his
life for Vanellope, but also for the entire arcade. Movie critic James Berardinelli states, Ralph is
a Despicable Me-type hero - a bad guy who ends up being heroic (Berardinelli). Throughout the
course of the film Ralph builds a father daughter type relationship with Vanellope. Through this
he uses his bad guy temper to protect her from being destroyed with the game. With this, Ralphs
self-esteem is boosted. Vanellope truly brings out Ralphs good side and is able to help him to
see that just because he is given the stereotype of being a bad guy, deep down he really is a good
guy. Overall, this film shows the harmful effects of stereotypes and prejudices. It is able to
express a deeper meaning while still maintaining a fun and childish atmosphere, which helps get
the message across to younger viewers in a friendly way. It also gives the title hero a whole new
meaning.

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Works Cited
Berardinelli, James. "Wreck-It Ralph." Reelviews Movie Reviews. N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 02
Nov. 2015.
Claudia, Puig. "'Wreck-It Ralph' dazzles in Disney way." USA Today 02 Nov. 2012: Academic
Search Complete. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
Ebert, Roger. "Wreck-It Ralph." Roger Ebert.com. N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.
Susan, Wloszczyna. "How sweet it is for 8-bit brute." USA Today 05 June 2012: Academic
Search Complete. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.