Presenter(s)
Erin Donovan
Abstract
Immigration is a contested topic, having a variety of opinions, both negative and positive throughout history. Films are important to study, as they can frame important topics, like immigration, and shape our understanding. Animated children's films have the ability to deliver messages and create meaning through a fun, innocent vehicle that disguises these messages. The use of metaphors in this case, are a delivery method of underlying messages, as metaphors can be strategically used to go unnoticed in a story. This study sets out to use metaphor criticism on the Disney-Pixar film, Elemental (2023), by Peter Sohn, to examine its use of metaphors and representation, as a gap in research has been identified for this study not being done before. Further, this study hopes to uncover meaning around the present immigrant story in the film to understand the communication methods made by Disney-Pixar in relation to what it invites to audience to think about through its underlying messages.
College
College of Liberal Arts
Department
Communication Studies
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Adam Gaffey
Location
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 11:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1b=10am-11am
Poster Number
18
A Metaphor Criticism on Disney-Pixar's Elemental
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Immigration is a contested topic, having a variety of opinions, both negative and positive throughout history. Films are important to study, as they can frame important topics, like immigration, and shape our understanding. Animated children's films have the ability to deliver messages and create meaning through a fun, innocent vehicle that disguises these messages. The use of metaphors in this case, are a delivery method of underlying messages, as metaphors can be strategically used to go unnoticed in a story. This study sets out to use metaphor criticism on the Disney-Pixar film, Elemental (2023), by Peter Sohn, to examine its use of metaphors and representation, as a gap in research has been identified for this study not being done before. Further, this study hopes to uncover meaning around the present immigrant story in the film to understand the communication methods made by Disney-Pixar in relation to what it invites to audience to think about through its underlying messages.
Comments
Donovan, Erin O