Animation plays an indispensable “role in articulating human understandings of and relationships to the natural world” (Whitley, 2008, 7). The objective for this dissertation is to examine the cultural, historical, political, and anthropomorphic representations of the natural environment in animated films and how human interaction has adversely affected the entire world’s ecosystem. Nature refers to the expanse of the physical world around us, not just forests and rivers but the plant and animal life that inhabit these spectacular environments. The natural world represents the habitat of a multitude of animal and plant species, the interaction between these reflects biodiversity and inter-connected ecosystems. The welfare of any one species can be jeopardised by the thoughtless mistreatment by humanity disrupting the natural food chain. Animals are essential for sustaining a healthy earth as they provide important roles in conserving the food chain, recycling nutrients back into the earth, and pollination. Our very lives are dependent on water, food and oxygen which is supplied by rivers, forests, and soils. The portrayal of nature in animation is vital because it exposes and educates audiences to nature’s beauty and fragility and allows them to acknowledge its dilemmas in the modern world. By representing nature in animation, it is “stimulating debate about complex issues” (Heise, 2014,301) through calling attention to the importance of the conservation of ecosystems and wildlife. Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar and Studio Ghibli are a few of the many animation studios with film narratives demonstrating nature, animal characters, and human interaction with the environment. This dissertation will evaluate and compare the narratives of these studios’ environmental films, and the impact they have on their audiences. I will address the key animation studios that will be explored for this dissertation, and their involvement in animating themes of nature, culture and anthropomorphism.
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