"Rudolph" Addresses Women's Rights, Inclusion/Exclusion, and Torture

My favorite Christmas movie is the old school clay-mation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie. Rudolph, Clarice, Hermey, Yukon Cornelius, and The Abominable Snowman (aka, the Bumble). The Island of Misfit Toys. Charlie in the Box. I love this movie. As a child, it was just a wonderful story with a scary Bumble and a happy ending. As an adult, I'm quite glad my child self missed out on the negative storyline. Here's a basic outline:

1. Issues of inclusion/exclusion
a. Rudolph's red nose excludes him from the reindeer games and the adult male leader clearly makes this known by telling the other reindeer kids that Rudolph can't play. The young bucks and does are separated - which, in adolescence, might be an idea for other societies to emulate - but still.
b. "No child wants a Charlie in the Box" so there's the Island of Misfit Toys which can only be found by traveling through a thick fog, effectively separating it from view of the rest of Christmastown. Let's just segregate all the things we classify as abnormal. And hide them in a fog.

2. Women's rights
a. Rudolph's dad doesn't let Rudolph's mom and Clarice go with him to search for Rudolph because "that's man's work." So Clarice and Rudolph's mom set out on their own after R's dad leaves.
b. "They all knew what they had to do first: get the women home." The snowman narrator says this after the team defeats the Bumble. After the big, strong, capable men solve the problem, it's time to get those womenfolk back to the homestead. I feel so much safer already.

3. Torture
a. Forcing Rudolph to wear a black nose cover, effectively affecting his speech and - most likely - ability to breathe. DFACs, please.
b. Taking out the Bumble's teeth = torture of the enemy. I'm not sure if the UN has made an official statement of Bumble rights, but I imagine pulling out one's teeth after knocking it unconscious with an ice block would be against it.


I was so happy with my teeth.

Like I said, it's a basic outline. And a classic movie. To be fair, it was made back in the day when "PC" probably only stood for Pledge Class in some private fraternity. So I still highly recommend watching it and showing it to your kids.  Your kid won't get the deeper stuff, but you will. And you can always teach your kids the positive lessons it demonstrates:

1. Teamwork and Differentiation - "let's be independent together!" says Hermey to Rudolph. They are differentiated in their independence and personal goals, but work together toward a common goal of societal acceptance
2. Helping Strangers - Yukon Cornelius pulls Rudolph and Hermey from a snowbank and takes them on his sled, helping them escape the Abominable Snowman. King Moonracer on the Island of Misfit Toys allows Rudolph and the gang to spend the night there on their journey back to Christmastown.
3. Following through on a promise - Rudolph, et al return to the Island of Misfit Toys on Christmas Eve, fulfilling Rudolph's promise to bring Santa to them
4. Human Complexity - Yukon both helps Hermey and Rudolph and whips his sled dogs; Santa is both the jolly gift-giving character of lore who "rescues" the toys off the misfit island and a grumpy old codger who initially excludes but ultimately uses Rudolph when it benefits himself and his purposes

All that in 47 minutes. Boom. And that sucker doesn't even realize I kept his coin.

The End