At 13, I Didn’t Expect My Teacher to Be Afraid of Me

Zootopia and “At 13, I Didn’t Expect My Teacher to Be Afraid of Me”

In real life, people are different; some hold values, and others don’t even appreciate what

they have. It is so ironic in the real world we are told many sayings like treat people the way you

want to be treated. In zootopia, the universal movies released in 2016 as an animated children

movie directed by Bryon Howard and Rich Moore and article written by Heneen Oriqat. It

addresses problems encountered in our community today in the form of animations and cartoons

instead of people. Also, the article discusses issues of identity, stereotyping, discrimination, and

prejudice encountered in society and what the author faced when she found herself in school

wearing a hijab. This paper addresses effects of discrimination and identity issues in the society.

Judy is given intimidating position contrary to her qualifications when she deserved better than

working at the gate. Discrimination and identity issues have taken roots in the society. People

are judged, selected in position and others looked down upon due to their discrimination. It is

very disappointing to ignore a competent person in job environment due to personal perceptions.

This is a serious problem and there is a need to look into the matter and find the reasons and

solution to it.

In zootopia, it sounds like a dreamland where a person dreams are fulfilled, and any

person can be anything. However, that’s very contrary to what is happening in real life. The

movies talk about a female bunny (Judy) with a dream of becoming a cop and work harder to

fulfill her dream. In her career, she is assigned a parking duty because they perceive she is dumb

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and bunny because of her nature and tiny size. Being a bunny, she is intimidated and given a

smaller position contrary to her academic qualifications. Animals think she is not fit enough to

give them security, animals believe rabbits like her belongs in the farm and not in police

department. Even in the gate Nicholas the fox don’t recognize her in the police department.

Eventually, she meets Nicholas (the fox), and they work as one to find a solution to the mystery.

The movie and the article give knowledge to people how hard it is to achieve your dreams in the

real world. It requires enough confidence and perseverance since people judge your appearance

differently basing on your goals. It is real people afraid of new things and places they are not

used to, what scares people is not the dark environment but the unfamiliarity that lies within it.

This movie, in the zootopia world of animals, the Judy (the rabbit) new in the environment, tries

to struggle with stereotypes and also handling bias for other animals.

The goals of the author in the article “At 13, I Didn’t Expect My Teacher to Be Afraid

of Me,” is to inform the society the message about discrimination, stereotyping and identify

issues. The author intention was to bring out the picture of identity issue and how the society can

judge you on the wrong side when in real life that’s not who you are