Discuss the ideological messages that are encoded into the Lone Ranger and Tonto. How are these messages different from what we saw with Speedy Gonzales?
In the Lone Ranger, Tonto was a character who was one of the Texas Rangers sort of "side kick" and was seen following his orders. The way Tonto and the Natives were portrayed was really horrible because they were seen as something in the episode to laugh about. They were also seen as savage and needing to be controlled when in reality they were just trying to get there basic living rights and not doing anything wrong. The Rangers were also resembling a higher authority that had the given right to punish others.
The message in this to me was perpetuating a stereotype of Indians and making them seem like savages and needing to be controlled. The difference to me with The Lone Ranger and Speedy Gonzales was that these stereotypes were my fiirst exposure t what Native Americans looked like and not with this episode but I remember watching the Disney Movie Peter Pan and seeing the Indians and thinking thats what they looked like: red, paint, and dancing. Many others who might have watched the Lone Ranger might have engraved this idea that Natives are savages and need to be controlled by Rangers or some "higher authority"
Speedy's Blog: This is the collective blog for the Fall 2013 Border Consciousness class @ UCLA. Taught by Professor Alicia Gaspar de Alba.
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