90 years of Donald Duck: Why Disney’s grumpiest character has been such a success

 

90 years of Donald Duck: Why Disney’s grumpiest character has been such a succes

EL PAÍS enters Walt Disney Studios to dive into the archives where millions of scripts, posters and objects from its films and characters are kept, looking specifically for the famous cartoon figure, which made its first appearance nine decades ago

Ariel Dorfman, co-author of ‘How to Read Donald Duck’ / ‘Disney wanted children who would compete and embrace a fierce individualism’

María Porcel
Los Angeles, 24 May 2024

When Walt Disney first thought of Donald Duck, the world’s most famous animation studio was just a small workshop for creating drawings. It was 1931 and Donald’s name was mentioned in an illustrated book called The Adventures of Mickey Mouse; there was also a duck on the back cover. It was three years before Donald, having become a character, appeared in a short film called The Wise Little Hen. He was going to be a secondary character, but it soon became clear that his comic vision made him the star. From then on, he appeared in more shorts, books, cartoons... and the rest is history.

The cover of the most recent Spanish-language edition of 'How to Read Donald Duck'.SIGLO VEINTIUNO EDITORES

Ariel Dorfman, co-author of ‘How to Read Donald Duck’: ‘Disney wanted children who would compete and embrace a fierce individualism’

On the 100th anniversary of the entertainment company, the Chilean writer analyzes the validity of his 1972 work, which points out how iconic cartoon characters have been utilized as means of American propaganda

90 years of Donald Duck: Why Disney’s grumpiest character has been such a success

Caio Ruvenal
Madrid, 29 October 2023

The Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman in Madrid circa 2009, when he staged his play 'Purgatory.'ULY MARTÍN

How to Read Donald Duck (1972) is a study by Chilean author Ariel Dorfman and Belgian sociologist Armand Mattelart about how Disney comics have transcended their literary value to become symbols. The work deals with decolonial thought and anti-imperialist discourse; it was published at a time when Latin America was seeking to economically and politically emancipate itself from the United States.