The Problem with Disney's Aladdin: A Spatial Analysis

The way cultures are portrayed in media influences how audiences perceive different parts of the world. Through spatial analysis, which examines how geographic and cultural elements are arranged and represented, we can observe the ways in which fictional worlds reinforce or distort real-world identities. In animated films, landscapes, architecture, and character placement all contribute to a sense of place; however, when these elements are misrepresented, they shape public perceptions in ways that can reinforce stereotypes.

Disney’s Aladdin provides a striking example of how cultural spaces are reconstructed for Western audiences, distorting geographical and social realities to fit an exoticized, fantasy-based framework. To start, the main character, Aladdin, is notably modeled after Tom Cruise; a White American, while the villain, Jafar, is fitted with more typical Arab features.

Disney’s Aladdin: An Arabian Tale with a Western Makeover

At first glance, Aladdin (1992) appears to celebrate Middle Eastern folklore, loosely based on The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. However, a closer examination reveals how Disney, in an attempt to avoid outright negative stereotypes, dramatically alters Middle Eastern characters, settings, and aesthetics. Instead of authentically portraying Arabian culture and geography, Aladdin reshapes it into something more digestible for Western audiences, stripping away key cultural elements and replacing them with an amalgamated, fantasy-based setting that lacks regional accuracy.

One of the most glaring examples is the film’s opening scene, where an exaggerated, thickly accented merchant sings Arabian Nights with lyrics that originally included:

Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place where the caravan camels roam where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face. It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.

These lyrics depict Middle Eastern culture as violent and cruel, reinforcing harmful Western stereotypes about Arabs. After protests from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Disney altered the lyrics in later versions, but the damage had already been done. The portrayal of Arabs as barbaric continued throughout the film, most notably in scenes where palace guards chase Aladdin with machetes for stealing a loaf of bread or threaten to cut off Jasmine’s hand for giving food to a hungry child (Shaheen, 2001).

Jasmine and the Fetishization of Arab Women

Princess Jasmine defiantly offers Jafar an apple while chained at his side.

A deeper issue in Aladdin is its portrayal of Arabian women, particularly Princess Jasmine. Despite being a royal, she spends much of the film dressed in attire more commonly associated with belly dancers or brothel workers, reinforcing exotic Western fantasies rather than historical accuracy (Said, 1978). The movie also presents a stark lack of independent Arabian women, with most female characters either being veiled, seductive dancers, or subservient figures. Jasmine herself, at one point, is even chained to Jafar and forced to serve him an apple; an image that subtly reinforces the stereotype of Arab men as domineering and women as objects of their control.

Good vs. Evil: The Accent Divide

Another troubling aspect of Aladdin is how Disney uses linguistic and spatial markers to distinguish between good and evil. Aladdin and Jasmine, the film’s heroes, are voiced by American actors with no Arab inflection, making them more relatable to Western audiences. Meanwhile, Jafar, the palace guards, and even the merchant from the opening scene speak with thick Arabian accents, signaling their villainy (Giroux, 1999). This technique reinforces the idea that Westernized voices represent virtue and intelligence, while Arab accents signify menace and deceit.

Spatial Inaccuracies & Borrowing from Other Cultures

While Aladdin is set in the fictional city of Agrabah, the film borrows heavily from various non-Arab cultures, creating a hodgepodge of Middle Eastern, Indian, and even South American influences. Jasmine’s pet tiger, Rajah, a Bengal tiger, is a species native to India, not the Arabian Peninsula. Abu, Aladdin’s mischievous monkey companion, is a capuchin monkey from South America. Even the Sultan’s palace is modeled after the Taj Mahal, an iconic Indian structure, rather than any historical Arabian architectural style (Zipes, 1995). These inaccuracies dilute the authenticity of Arab representation and instead present a generic “exotic” aesthetic tailored for Western consumption.

Jasmine and Rajah share an intense gaze, conveying a deep bond in the ornate palace setting.

Why This Matters

Media plays a critical role in shaping perceptions, especially among children. As Deborah Ross notes in Escape from Wonderland: Disney and the Female Imagination, children look to films not just for entertainment but for guidance on how the world works (Ross, 2004). If they repeatedly see cultures misrepresented, they may internalize these portrayals as truths.

In recent years, Disney has made efforts to improve cultural representation with films like Moana and Encanto, which involved cultural consultants and aimed for greater authenticity. However, critiques remain, particularly regarding the commercialization of these stories and their simplification of complex cultural histories (Shohat & Stam, 1994). Disney’s continued attempts to correct its cultural missteps often fall short, largely because they rely on Western perspectives to frame these stories. True representation requires deeper engagement with the cultures being depicted, including hiring actors, writers, and artists from those backgrounds.

Moving Forward: What Can Be Done?

To counteract the negative impact of cultural misrepresentation, educators and parents should actively teach children about diverse cultures beyond what is presented in mainstream media. Schools should incorporate lessons that challenge stereotypes and highlight the richness and complexity of different societies. Additionally, media companies must make a concerted effort to involve cultural consultants in their productions to ensure authenticity and respect (Shohat & Stam, 1994).

Rather than making cultures more palatable to Western audiences by stripping them of their uniqueness, filmmakers should celebrate them in their full depth and complexity. Only then can we move beyond stereotypes and toward a world where all cultures are represented with the dignity and accuracy they deserve. After all, true cultural exploration, much like Aladdin and Jasmine’s magical carpet ride, should be an invitation to see “a whole new world” beyond distorted depictions; a world that is diverse, nuanced, and endlessly rich in perspective.