Excerpt from Reel Bad Arabs Internet Assignment

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     "Cartoons are usually a reflection of the historical context and the way of thinking of any given society. The 1940 Porky Pig cartoon "Ali-Baba Bound" mirrors the world at war (WWII): power, invasions, bloody conflict, chaos, etc. I also believe that this cartoon is a clear example of how a society stereotypes those cultures and ethnicities that are not the norm. This cartoon is saturated with the caricature of Middle Easterners portrayed as rough villains who want to take over territories through force and violence. What caught my attention was the suicide bomber that mimics the
Japanese kamikaze pilots of WWII. In 1940, this “bullet Arab” might have looked funny, but nowadays, it is the deadliest threat and the most destructive form of terrorist attack. There is also a lot of symbolism in this cartoon, such as the mother/father camel who runs to the rescue of her/his little son. The mother/father may represent one the world potencies, which is always ready to protect one of its allies. It is ironic that the mother/father camel fuels up with gasoline from an Arab
pump.

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I decided to rewrite the Porky Pig cartoon "Ali-Baba Bound" by reversing the roles of the main characters. I had to watch the cartoon several times to be able to analyze the story in depth. I found more details, symbolism, exaggerations, and humor. Still, I did not modify my initial reaction to it (written in the paragraph above)."

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