Don Quixote and the Movie Toy Story - Assignment Example

Compare and contrast characters from Don Quixote and the movie Toy Story The main characters from 'Don Quixote' by Cervantes and the movie 'Toy Story' have much in common based on eternal human values and morals addresses by the authors. The characters raise imagination of readers appealing to their emotions and feelings. Thesis The characters of the works have much in common sharing universal human values and morals rejected by the majority of their societies. The main similarity is found between Don Quixote and Buzz. Both of them are courageous and brave characters seeking to save the world from the evil. Both of them struggle with Reality trying to find a universal goodness and virtue. For Don Quixote the search for such a reception becomes an obsession never quite satisfied. "That is impossible," said Don Quixote: "I say it is impossible that there could be a knight-errant without a lady, because to such it is as natural and proper to be in love as to the heavens to have stars" (Chapter 13). Both protagonists, Don Quixote and Buzz, are men of almost divine tolerance and sympathy, with a feeling for humanity that only a few have possessed and revealed. The main difference between Don Quixote and Buzz lies in their motives which force tem to fight for truth and universal virtue. Love and romance are the main features of Don Quixote while honesty and desire to save the planet from Evil emperor Zurg characterize Buzz. Don Quixote describes his feelings: "when they are in love; and so true is this that there have been knights who have remained two years on rocks, in sunshine and shade and all the inclemencies of heaven" (Chapter 13). Both of the charcaters are on predestined journeys, all striving for what sometimes seemed unobtainable to them and the audience alike. But, wherever the meeting with Roque Guinart took place, Don Quixote remained with him in those craggy solitudes for three days, moving about with the gang and finding matter for observation and wonder. "There's a remedy for everything except death" (Chapter 54). The other difference between these characters is pessimism of Don Quixote and bravery of Buzz. Don Quixote contribution to the pessimism which characterizes so much of the important writing was to probe the inner recesses of human behavior to see by what instincts people are governed. Sancho describes their journey with Don Quixote "We squires to knights-errant have to bear a great deal of hunger and hard fortune, and even other things more easily felt than told" (Chapter 31). Don Quixote proposes a view of man's essential nature which one might more normally expect to find argued in a philosophical treatise. Indeed, if the reader feels sometimes that the plotting of this hero is too schematic and relentless, this may be because Buzz are more concerned to demonstrate his theory about the incipient self-centeredness of the human species than to explore the psychology of individual characters. Another similarity can be found between Woody and Sancho Panza. Both of them play secondary roles and depicted as the common man. Using these characters, authors unveil thoughts and actions of the protagonists their inspirations and self-esteem. Both of these characters support protagonists and their actions remain independent doers of their destinies. "Senor," replied Sancho, "is it a good rule of chivalry that we should go astray through these mountains without path or road, looking for a madman who when he is found will perhaps take a fancy to finish what he began" (Chapter 25). The main difference between these characters is that Sancho-Don Quixote relations are based on master-men relations while Woody and Buzz are enemies. Don Quixote describes Sancho "Sancho, my friend, night is drawing on upon us as we go, and more darkly than will allow us to reach" (Chapter 8). In contrast to Woody, the main feature is that Sancho exhibits the remarkable prevalence of humanism in a movement that claimed to promote peace and love. He is fascinated about Don Quixote. "And what greater misfortune can there be," replied Panza, "than the one that waits for time to put an end to it and death to remove it" (Chapter 15). Woody is jealous towards Buzz and his desire to save the world. He is afraid that Buzz will be the favorite toy of Andy. Ironically, only in part 2, with his false reception at the palace of the Duke and Duchess, does he finally confess to Sancho that for the first time he then feels himself to be a true knight. The search for this authentication by means of his identification with Lancelot begins at the first inn and continues throughout the text. Another similarity can be found between a Mrs. Potato Head and Dulcinea del Toboso. Both of them are women characters presented in the stories. "O Princess Dulcinea, lady of this captive heart, a grievous wrong hast thou done me to drive me forth with scorn, and with inexorable obduracy banish me from the presence of thy beauty" (Chapter 2). They do not play an active role in plot development but have a great impact on story conflict. In many ways, these characters shape the plot and influence actions of other characters. Don Quixote tells Sancho "have I not told thee a thousand times that I have never once in my life seen the peerless Dulcinea or crossed the threshold of her palace" (Chapter 9). Both authors idealize womanhood portraying female characters as independent members of their societies. In contrast to Mrs. Potato Head, Dulcinea's mercurial presence dramatizes the underlying thematic issue at risk in the text. Society is both works oppose the main characters and their values. Society rejects the main characters and their aspirations to save the world. In 'Don Quixote', the crowd plays a major role representing society, while in "Toy Story" toys play the role similar to the role of a crowd in "Don Quixote'" commenting throughout the action. "They'll be pretty sure this time," said Sancho, "to set me down for a fool rather than a thief" (Chapter 45). In sum, the main characters of both works have some similarities and contrasts caused by different theme of the works and life choices. The authors portray that societies reject those members who differ from the crowd and do not follow established norms and values favored by the majority. Works Cited 1. Cervantes, M. Don Quixote. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/996/996.txt 2. Toy Story. Dir. J. Lasseter. Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2005. Read More