Mother May I

Moms throughout Disney

Have you ever watched a Disney movie or two and thought, “Where are the moms”? Well you’re not going crazy; Disney movies for the most part lack a heavy maternal influence. Whether the mom is gone before the movies time frame or during, it’s no secret that the mother figures get kicked to the curb. Could this lack of moms stem from a deep emotional guilt Walt had over the death of his own mother, or is it simply a coincidence.

In 1938, following the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Walt Disney had purchased a new home for his mom and dad. Not long after, the gas furnace in the house malfunctioned causing the death of his mother. Many say that because of this tragedy, the guilt carried over into his movies. This would explain the absence of the caring motherly figure as well as the sad demise of Bambi’s mom.

Though it does make sense that Walt would use his movies as an outlet for his guilt, it could merely be a coincidence considering the genre of movies he decided to make. Most of the movies that are missing the moms are also family friendly versions of other literary works. Cinderella, Snow White & Bambi are a few well-known mother absent movies that are derived from previous works. The Disney Company kept with this trend of not showcasing mothers even after Walt’s death with movies such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast that also come from other stories.

With so many of their movies not having the cookie cutter family essence, it can be hard to forget just how loving the ones that are included can be. When we do get movies with mothers such as Dumbo or 101 Dalmatians, we see that the love of these mothers is one of the strongest bonds in the world. I think the way mothers that are included are portrayed says a lot more about the way Walt felt than anything. One thing that can be agreed upon, a mother plays a very important role in our lives whether she’s with us or not. It can even affect the way a story is told. How many Disney movies can you name where the mom is present?