Running head: PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK
A THESIS
Presented to the University Honors Program
California State University, Long Beach
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the
University Honors Program Certificate
Marissa Anderson
Fall 2015
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 3
Table of Contents
Abstract……………………………………..…………………………………………………….4
Introduction………………………………………………………..……………………………..5
Plot Synopsis ...... ……………………………………..……………………………………..6
Ideological Background ………………………….…………………………………..………….7
Examples of Gendered Stereotypes within Phineas and Ferb………………………………...9
Phineas……………………………………..……………………………………………10
Candace……………………………………..…………………………………………...14
Isabella……………………………………..……………………………………………18
Examples of Ethnic Stereotypes within Phineas and Ferb…………………………………...20
Baljeet……………………………………..……………………………………..………21
Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz………………………………………………………….……24
Conclusion……………………………………..……………………………………..…………27
References.……………………………………..……………………………………..…………29
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 4
Abstract
Phineas and Ferb (2007) is a Disney Channel animated children’s program that follows the antics two stepbrothers encounter over the course of their summer vacation. The children’s show has received a wide range of positive recognition and approval from young audiences, their parents, and entertainment critics alike. However, while the show does promote positive civic values such as friendship, good character, and creativity, a further critical analysis reveals negative aspects of the show that often go unrecognized. After rhetorically surveying a multitude of episodes over the course of Phineas and Ferb’s first season, evidence of stereotypical depictions of gender and ethnicity from title and supporting characters are seen interwoven into the storyline’s formulaic premise. With the popularity of the show among childlike audiences growing, the gender and ethnic stereotypes presented in the children’s program can have a profound effect on young impressionable viewers’ developing perception of the world and should only encourage parents to be media conscious gatekeepers.
Keywords: Phineas and Ferb, media effects, Disney, children’s programming, stereotyping
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 5
Introduction
Disney’s Phineas and Ferb (2007) has all the aesthetic attributes and storyline features needed to attract and retain a young viewer’s attention span: vibrant colors, dynamic and comical characters, a narrative that is easily relatable to the age group. The animated program, which has over one hundred episodes, has been both nationally and internationally recognized by entertainment houses and critical viewers from all over the world. With over 36 nominations and
3 Primetime Emmy Award wins, Phineas and Ferb can easily be considered a success (IMDb,
2015). The positive response to the show from a wide range of different aged audience members has allowed producers to expand the show’s success into different facets of the entertainment industry. This includes but is not limited to: television movies, special holiday themed episodes, live action plays, Disneyland theme park parades, and a plethora of merchandise.
Although Phineas and Ferb was one of the more successful animated programs Disney
Channel has aired in years, it is important to look past the awards and recognition it received and examine the various qualities and characters presented in the show that made it such a popular hit among young audiences. An extensive look at individual character’s backgrounds, motives, and behaviors, as well as the storyline, exposes numerous examples of negative stereotypes that are unintentionally being portrayed to young viewers. For this particular rhetorical critical analysis,
Phineas Flynn, Candace Flynn, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, Baljeet Tjinder, and Dr. Heinz
Doofenshmirtz will be evaluated as the season develops and the circumstances around their involvement to one another changes.
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 6
Plot Synopsis
Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher are two step brothers who attempt
to make every day during their summer vacation fun and non- repetitive in
the small town of Danville. In doing so, they come up with an assortment
of inventions, activities, and gadgets to occupy their abundance of time
and attention. Some of these activities range from building a rollercoaster
in their backyard, like in the pilot episode of the series, to creating and
casting themselves in their very own animated show. As wild, advanced,
and dangerous as their activities can be, Phineas, as the leader of the
group, is always able to keep their mother unaware of their antics, to the Source: IMDb dismay of his older sister Candace Flynn.
Aside from one of Candace’s main concerns being to expose her little brothers and their mischievous doings to their mother, she is constantly trying to get the attention of her crush,
Jeremy Johnson. Much of the time, Candace attempts to complete both missions at once and always fails, leaving her to try even harder the next time. As each episode progresses, the trouble
Candace goes through to gain Jeremy’s attention while simultaneously trying to expose her brothers becomes more and more concerning.
Another female character present in most episodes is Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, Phineas and Ferb’s neighborhood friend. Isabella is young, independent girl who is the leader of her local youth organization, the Fireside Girls. Early on in the season, it is insinuated that Isabella has a crush on Phineas, and she frequently tries to find a way to be involved in his boredom-alleviating projects. As the show develops, Isabella’s affection for Phineas is not only confirmed repeatedly PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 7 in each episode, but intensifies. She will do almost anything to help him succeed and uses the excuse of wanting to earn a badge for her troupe.
Another one of Phineas and Ferb’s friends that usually partakes in the shenanigans to decrease the amount of unescapable boredom that comes along with a long summer break is
Baljeet Tjinder. As a young boy of Indian decent, Baljeet exemplifies one of the only portrayals of diversity within the series. Unfortunately, Baljeet’s representation is one of the ways in which the program employs negative and inaccurate stereotypes of ethnicity. As a part of Phineas and
Ferb’s small group of friends, Baljeet’s inclusion to the storyline is usually one of comedic relief, where his stereotypical ethnic characteristics are the source of the humor.
Aside from Baljeet, Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz is another reoccurring main character of foreign decent. Although the city he is from is fictional in nature, assumptions of his Eastern
European ethnic background can be made from the sound of his accent, his backstory, and his name. Dr. Doofenshmirtz continuously plots ways to take over the Danville area, with all of his elaborate and ludicrous schemes unsuccessfully ending by his own misdoings or by Agent Perry,
Phineas and Ferb’s two timing secret agent pet platypus. In most cases, Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s lack of success is traced back to his ethnic origins.
Ideological Background
A bulk of the dominant ideologies, customs, values, and beliefs habitually practiced in today’s society are introduced to people through “non-violent social formations such as schools, the family, the church, and the media institutions- including film and television” (Benshoff &
Griffin, 2009, p. 11). These social formations, or what Benshoff and Griffin (2009) call ideological state apparatuses or ISA’s, have a significant amount of influence on the way people PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 8 are expected to act, speak, and think within their community. Whether viewers are conscious of it or not, ISA’s are often responsible for teaching their followers how to act based on personal demographic factors, including but not limited to: biological sex, gender, ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. Film and television in particular can hold a substantial amount of responsibility in relation to the frequency at which material is being broadcasted to large portions of the population, especially children. With children being of such young age and with a limited amount of first-hand experience, their reliance and nativity on other means of communication to inform them of a society or culture outside their own is at a higher level than most.
The expanse of children’s television programming currently circulating within an array of media networks only suggests that children are massive television consumers; so, it comes as no surprise that they are particularly susceptible to the biased messages inexorably communicated via mass media enterprises. While ISA’s are capable of presenting certain concepts and behaviors to their followers, “media messages in general and television portrayals in particular, and the presentations depicted in children’s programming” are just a few examples of how potentially pervasive and influential media-created representations can be on susceptible child viewers (Dozier et al., 2008, p. 301). With that being said, a closer look at the presentation of perspectives, messages, and concepts generally instilled within children’s programming content is worthy of further critical analysis.
Of the various ideological premises created and broadcasted by media enterprises, those concerning gender and ethnicity will be the main topics of exploration within Phineas and
Ferb’s first season. Because Phineas and Ferb episodes are very formulaic in nature and follow the same storyline and themes as the series goes on, examples of evidence used to back up the claims presented in this thesis can be found in a majority of the episodes. However, for the PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 9 purpose of this particular paper, focus will be placed on the progression of gender and ethnic stereotypes in episodes at the beginning, middle, and end of the season.
Gendered Stereotypes
The portrayals of stereotypical gendered behaviors enacted by Phineas, Candace, and
Isabella are not the first to conform to the hegemonic ideals typically employed in other
American made children’s television programming. Phineas has subtle, yet unmistakably omnipresent masculine characteristics, as he is an embodiment of the patriarchal ideology usually assigned to the male sex. Candace exemplifies hyperbolized feminine traits through a humorous lens. Isabella provides a contrast to Candace’s character in that she is more androgynous in relation to gendered portrayals. However, given her biological sex, Isabella’s character still depends on conventional negative depictions of femininity. The importance of looking at the negative gendered examples within Phineas and Ferb comes from the argument that “[s]chemata about gender can affect the way people (especially children) process information in the real world” (Bryant, Thompson, and Finklea, 2002, p. 257). The amount of masculine and feminine themes illustrated in children’s content, including Phineas and Ferb, can alter viewer’s perceptions to align with the popular ideals they are exposed to within their own community.
A young audience member’s off-screen perception of the diversity the world has to offer can be distorted by the lack of gender variation available onscreen, making the guidelines within which they must abide by more rigid in comparison. This is concerning, considering the fact that research suggests “television viewing can have an impact on developing or possibly reinforcing children’s stereotypical attitudes and beliefs about gender” (Smith et al., 2010, p. 775). Just PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 10 because children are not aware of the consequential effect biased representations can have on them does not mean they will not be affected by the actions, mindsets, and motives they have been subjected to. More importantly, if children relate to or identify with the character’s lifestyle, they may begin to reenact what they have seen onscreen because they are “incapable of recognizing that these ideas are socially constructed and not objective truths” (Benshoff &
Griffin, 2009, p. 8). A close examination of the stereotypical portrayals displayed by Phineas’s character will start the gendered portion of the rhetorical analysis.
I. Phineas
A majority of the masculine traits Phineas exhibits
delineates from the white patriarchal capitalist ideology,
which suggests that: “heterosexual, caucasian males” are
at the top of the social hierarchy, and “gaining wealth” is
their main priority (Benshoff & Griffin, 2009, p. 430). Source: The Disney Wiki Phineas exemplifies each of the traits outlined in the ideology, being that he physically fits the description, and he is regarded as the leader of his group of friends. With wealth and power being concepts that are so closely related to one another, Phineas is well on his way to becoming a complete reflection of the dominant ideology within which he was created from. Even though this version of the white patriarchal ideology is indirectly framed through an innocent lens and seamlessly incorporated into the entire premise of the show does not lower its ability to subconsciously infiltrate young viewers’ minds.
Episode 1: “Rollercoaster” (Povenmire, 2007) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 11
In the pilot episode of the series, Phineas and his step brother Ferb lie under a tree in their backyard as Phineas brainstorms what they can do to alleviate their already present summer boredom. After asking Ferb and his pet platypus Perry what they want to do and receiving no answer, Phineas takes it upon himself to find a solution to their monotony. The reoccurring theme of Phineas assigning himself the leadership role sets precedent in the introductory episode.
The fact that Phineas is presented as the authority figure that calls the shots from the start of the television series falls right in line with white patriarchal capitalist ideology often replicated in a horde of other entertainment media content (Benshoff & Griffin, 2009).
Phineas is the one who engineers the blueprints for the rollercoaster, decides where and what the rollercoaster will consist of, and designates what jobs and responsibilities Ferb holds.
Although it is a children’s program and framed through an unconsciously stereotypical lens,
Phineas’s character is mimicking the idea that one male should be in charge of a group or cluster of people. It also communicates the idea that “[i]t is always men who work in science, engineering, and other technical fields” (Brewer, 2015). This introductory episode sets up the whole premise of Phineas’s role in the show and the type of power and authority he will hold and continue to hold over his brother and their friends. It also establishes the ever present power struggle between Phineas and Candace and which gender lies at the top of the social hierarchy.
Episode 19: “Mom’s birthday” (Povenmire, 2008)
About halfway through the first season, the nineteenth
episode provides an example of how consistent Phineas’s
dominance over the other characters is still important to the
plot and overall continuity of the show’s development. In
Source: Collider PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 12
“Mom’s Birthday”, Phineas wants to present his mother with the best birthday she’s ever had, chalk full of her favorite foods, activities, and desired gifts. In order to meet the high expectations he has set for himself, Phineas employs his brother, friends, the local Fireside
Troupe, and some neighbors to get the huge project underway. He assigns each person a specific job while he is portrayed as the overseer of the whole production. There is a scene where he is talking into a headset, answering multiple calls at once and speaking to people as if they were his clients. While he may not be overly bossy in nature, he definitely exhibits some of the traits, demographic and behavioral, that a typical, modern day male CEO would have, thus providing an example of the masculine influenced dominant ideology midway through the first season.
This plays into the notion that men, even young men, “are in charge” and “are always at the top”
(Brewer, 2015).
Another less noticeable portrayal of the white, patriarchal capitalist ideology is apparent once one looks at the relationship between Phineas’s attempt to make his mother’s birthday great and
Candace’s attempt. Throughout the episode, Phineas continues to raise the bar of expectations to almost unattainable heights, yet he is always able to meet those expectations. By doing this, he unknowingly undermines Candace’s efforts to make their mother happy on her special day, thus appearing to be the better sibling. Whether or not this was a subtle way to showcase that the male sex, Phineas, is better than an older and more experienced counterpart, Candace, is definitely up for consideration. However, given the fact that Phineas is always able to outshine and outsmart his older sister in every episode is only further evidence to support the notion that males, especially white, heterosexual, capitalist males, are superior to people embodying other demographic factors.
Episode 46: “Out of toon” (Moncrief, 2008) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 13
The subtly of the gender argument becomes much more apparent in “Out of Toon”, as it is the basis of the plot for one of the last episodes of the first season. In this episode, Phineas decides that the group’s activity for the day will be to create their own animated television show.
He casts himself, his brother, and his friends as super heroes. Out of his group of friends, Isabella is the only female character who is cast as a hero. It is enlightening to see that Phineas breaks the threshold by including Isabella as a hero, when women are characteristically “meant to be the damsel in distress; not the hero” (Brewer, 2015). However, the positive change in perspective is soon matched with Phineas casting Candace as the villain he and his friends are trying to defeat.
So, not only has Candace been downgraded from a hopeless damsel in distress to an antagonist, but she is literally assigned the role of evil. With Phineas casting himself as the main character of his own show, he is unconsciously following and replicating the ideology that most other media content instills within their own productions. Phineas’s masculine attributes are further exemplified when he assigns himself the role of director and producer of the show within the show.
Looking at the storyline from a critical perspective only proves just how gender-coded this particular episode is when it comes to using ISA’s to employ and reiterate preferred social constructs about keeping certain people in power. While it may be exaggerated by the fact that
Phineas is literally cast as honest, upright, and respectable as opposed to Candace as evil, villainous, and untrustworthy, the hints about which gender is superior is definitely pointed at more than once. As the first season came to a close, the number of examples that support the notion of Phineas representing the dominant ideology by enriching his character with masculine traits only increases in number and creative installment.
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 14
II. Candace
Candace Flynn has a few recognizable traits specifically linked to what are commonly regarded as negative attributes of femininity. The most prominent feminine characteristics are her exaggerated emotional nature, the lack of power or control over her brothers, and the dependence she has on the men in her life (Planned Parenthood, 2014). A majority of these gendered depictions are seen in the relationships and encounters involving her little brothers and her crush, Jeremy Johnson. Candace’s erratic behavior is meant to be absorbed through a comedic mindset; however, removing the humor from the situation reveals just how alarming her actions can be to younger, naive audiences. Candace’s constant efforts to attract attention from the males in the show can mislead young audiences to think that her behavior is normal, accurate and healthy for all women to exhibit.
Episode 1: “Rollercoaster” (Povenmire, 2007)
Candace’s role within the storyline of the show is
defined early on in the pilot episode. After realizing that
her mom is going grocery shopping, leaving her and her
brothers home alone, she immediately requests that she is
in charge during her mother’s absence. After her mother
Source: Deviant Art tells her that no one needs to be in charge, Candace gets over-emotional and begins to hypothesize about what would happen “if a satellite falls out of orbit and crashes into the house” and her mother had not appointed her as the overseer. Although
Candace’s emotional persona is extremely exaggerated, the fact that she has this particular stereotypical feminine characteristic assigned to her personality, and more importantly heavily PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 15 linked to her role in the show, suggests to audiences that all young, teenage girls are unable to control their emotions.
The first episode also introduces another characteristically feminine attribute- passivity of women in relation to the locus of power. Candace vies for her mother to officially deem her in charge of her little brothers and usually takes it upon herself to act as supervisor of the household when she does not receive her mother’s approval. This self-appointed leadership quality would be highly regarded in a man; however, when it is sought out by a female character such as
Candace, this usually admired trait is given a whole new connotation, since “lack of passivity is tragic in women” (Rubin, 2011, p. 786). Candace’s strive for power is an ever present narrative component that constantly entwined in the plot, as if she knows that she is not entitled to it.
Candace’s presence in the show is also heavily reliant on the dependency aspect often associated with femininity. Whether her dependency stems from needing her brother’s to do something so that she can tell their parents, or on Jeremy as a male love interest, the overall theme of dependence only reinforces the idea that women rely on men in all facets of their lives.
This is portrayed in the pilot when Candace is watching her brothers through the window while simultaneously talking about Jeremy’s latest doings on the phone with her best friend Stacy. All of her attention is placed on the males she interacts with in each episode. By having those men to focus on, Candace has a purpose within the show. If the men were subtracted from the equation, the idea that women are weak without their strong male equivalent is reinforced to young viewers of both genders.
Episode 14: “Jerk de soleil” (Povenmire, 2008) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 16
In this episode, Phineas and Ferb build a circus tent in their backyard after their plans to go to the local circus were cancelled. In Candace’s first scene, she is shown waking up from the sounds of the brother’s construction and rolling over to a picture of Jeremy in the bed beside her.
She picks up the picture frame and says “Good morning Jeremy”. She then responds back to herself in a lower voice, “Good morning gorgeous”, as if Jeremy were actually replying to her greeting. Straight away, the audience sees just how male orientated all of Candace’s behaviors and thoughts are, as it is the first thing on her mind when she wakes up.
After Candace snaps out of her Jeremy induced daze, she is right back to her normal power seeking self, wanting to be in charge of her brother’s while her mom is out and later wanting to expose her brother’s circus event to their mother. In the process, Candace goes on an emotional tirade, where she sings a song about how her little brothers are ruining her life. Her irrational behavior seems to be stemming from the lack of control she has over her brothers and is once again the central focus of the entire episode. She must decide on whether she wants to expose her brother’s activities to her mother or seek out Jeremy’s attention. Again, the idea that
Candace is reliant on the males in the show is reinforced in this episode in that she literally relies on her brother’s to partake in some sort of mischievous activity because without them having held a circus in their backyard, Jeremy would not have had a reason to be at the Flynn-Fletcher household.
Episode 33: “Boyfriend from 27,000 B.C” (Povenmire, 2008)
This episode provides another instance in which Candace’s attention is directed towards the men in the show. In her first scene, she is in her room trying to decide what to wear to a costume party that she knows Jeremy is going to. Upon realizing that she cannot decide what to wear, she PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 17
brings out a teddy bear with Jeremy’s face
taped to it and asks him what he thinks she
should wear. Using a deep voice to
impersonate Jeremy’s response, she says “Gee
Candace, I think you look beautiful in
everything”. Even as the season has
progressed towards its end, Candace is once
again solely focused on obtaining male’s Source: fanpop attention, this time by her outfit choice. This is not only broadcasting the idea that physical appearance should be a top priority for women, but may reinforce the idea that in order for a woman to get a man, she must appeal to him on a physical level, if nothing else, because according to gender stereotypes, “[w]omen are supposed to look pretty” (Brewer, 2015). For the first time, the emphasis that is usually placed on women in the entertainment industry to be attractive, beautiful, and flawless is brought up in this episode; however it is brought up in a negative fashion. Even a female cartoon character cannot escape some of the pressures associated with a certain gender.
After realizing that her brothers have unearthed a caveman from a Danville glacier, Candace wants to inform their parents on their ill-behaved activities, and goes on an emotional rampage in the process. This episode incorporates all of the already mentioned stereotypical feminine elements but also intertwines another commonly known feminine theme into the plot- the hyper sexuality of women.
PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 18
III. Isabella
In contrast to Candace’s character, Isabella provides a few more positive qualities for young
viewers to see and potentially mimic. As leader of the Fireside Girls, Isabella exemplifies one of
the only portrayals of women in control throughout the entire series. She is the one that her
troupe looks to for advice, help, and direction being that she is strong, smart, and incredibly
reliable. However, although Isabella’s character exhibits a few characteristics connotatively
associated with masculinity, none of those positive depictions are the ones that are capitalized on
or used within the narrative.
Both Candace and Isabella typically act in a certain way, most of the time hoping it will catch
their crush’s attention. A majority of the episodes in the first season support the notion that both
of the girls’ desired romantic relationships are one-sided, a usual trait for female characters to
display. Isabella yearns for Phineas’s affection and will go out of her way to get him to notice
her. Candace may be the more irrational of the two, but that does not mean that Isabella’s
seeking of male approval is any less concerning or gender oriented. Unlike Candace, Isabella is
originally introduced characterized in a positive manner. As the series goes on, her negative
feminine idiosyncrasies out shine the positive attributes her character had to offer. Isabella’s role
within the show is built on a foundation that
highlights her feminine attributes in a negative
fashion instead of capitalizing on the other
aspects of her personality that can be a good
template for all young viewers to follow,
despite their own personal gender. As
Source: Phineas and Ferb Wiki (Isabella Gracia-Shapiro) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 19 refreshing as it is to have a female character exhibit such positive attributes, the employment of stereotypical negative feminine ones overshadows any breakthrough portrayals of gender would have had, thus failing to provide audiences with a diverse range of gender representations.
Episode 1: “Rollercoaster” (Povenmire, 2007)
In the pilot episode, viewers are first introduced to Isabella’s character when she comes over to Phineas and Ferb’s house to see what they are doing. However, Isabella’s usual leader- oriented nature goes unmentioned in the first episode, despite the fact that she is a leader in her own sphere of friends. Isabella’s only purpose in the pilot is to act as Phineas’s potential female love interest. Her capabilities and talents are not recognized until later on in the series. Since her accomplishments are not introduced in the first episode, this suggests to the audience that they are not worthy of attention or all that important as a storytelling function. Instead, the main reason behind her inclusion to the show will be her role as a typical female character seeking male attention, as her character’s involvement in the show is reliant on the gendered stereotype that women should constantly seek out a male counterpart to depend on.
Episode 25: “Dude, we’re getting the band back together! Parts 1&2.” (Povenmire, 2008)
After realizing that he forgot their wedding anniversary, Phineas’s dad is desperate to make it up to his wife and he entrusts Phineas and Ferb’s help to salvage what is left of the day.
Phineas and Ferb decide to get their parent’s favorite band back together, so they can recreate the night that they first met. In order to do this, they must find each individual band member, build a huge stadium for them to play in in their backyard, and keep it all a secret from their mother.
Because he cannot do it alone, Phineas calls Isabella to ask for help. When she answers the phone, construction of the stage is already going on behind her, with the help of some of the PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 20
Fireside girls. Not only does this scene show that Isabella is ready to answer Phineas’s every beck and call, but it also demeans her character by making it seem as if her world revolves around the idea she can help him out and land on his good side.
Episode 45: “Comet Kermillian (Povenmire, 2008)
In this episode, Phineas requests
Isabella’s help building a planetarium and
giant laser in their back yard so that they can
see a rare comet pass by later on in the
evening. As Phineas is explaining his plan to
Source: The Disney Wiki (Isabella Garcia-Shapiro/gallery) her, he talks about how this is their only chance to see the comet, because the next time it will orbit back through Earth’s atmosphere, everyone will have grandchildren. Phineas then asks Isabella if she would like to join the shenanigans he has planned for the day and she dreamily responds with “You had me at our grandchildren.” Here is another instance where Isabella’s usually independent nature is undermined by the fact that she is ultimately focused on love and affection. Even an independent, intelligent, and versatile female character such as Isabella is susceptible to the common stereotypes associated with her gender.
Ethnic Stereotypes
The limited and stereotypical portrayals of ethnicity within Phineas and Ferb’s first season can been seen with the incorporation of Baljeet and Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s characters. The stereotypes associated with these two characters stem from a term known as othering, which
“…refers to the way a dominant culture ascribes an undesirable trait (one shared by all humans) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 21 onto one specific group of people” (Benshoff & Griffin, 2009, p. 54). This phenomenon can be seen depicted through Baljeet’s studiousness and through Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s attributed evil nature. The features that make both of these characters stand out are ones that can be seen in people from ethnic backgrounds across the spectrum. “Studies on minorities in mass media now generally fall under two main categories: descriptions of minority portrayals or their effects on audiences”, both of which will be discussed in the following rhetorical character analysis (Bryant et al., 2002, 263). While both characters fit some of the criteria outlined within the dominant ideology, such as being male, they both have very distinct characteristics that inhibit them from fully representing the ideal theoretical principle. This could lead children to believe that people from specific ethnic and cultural backgrounds behave or act in a fabricated, monotonous way.
I. Baljeet
The ethnic attributes that set Baljeet apart from the rest of his friends arise from him being of
Indian descent. As with most shows, ethnic stereotypes about Indian culture are incorporated into
Phineas and Ferb in a humorous fashion. A majority of Baljeet’s behavior revolves around the stereotypical “image of the Indian geek who can’t get a girlfriend” (Felicelli, 2012). Even though the archetypal depictions are presented in a comedic and unoppressive style, the idea that people of Indian descent are passive brainiacs is not providing children with a well-rounded look at ethnic diversity.
Episode 9: “Raging bully” (Povenmire, 2008)
After ending up at the mall for the
day, Phineas and Ferb meet Baljeet for the
first time. Baljeet, who is sitting at the
Source: Phineas and Ferb Wiki (Baljeet Tjinder) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 22 same table as the two boys, is shocked to see that they are enjoying a relaxing, fun filled day instead of doing homework. With a very think Indian accent, Baljeet, who is surrounded by a pile of books, turns to Phineas and Ferb and says “‘Excuse me, but, why are you not studying?’”
Phineas explains to Baljeet that summer vacation is not a time for kids to be studying, but to be having fun. He is then met with a look of utter confusion on Baljeet’s face, as if he could not fathom the idea of not studying over the course of summer vacation. Within the first minute of meeting Baljeet’s character, the audience is immediately presented with the stereotypical characterization that people of Indian decent are nerds. With this very formulaic ethnic portrayal having been employed in a number of television shows previous to Phineas and Ferb’s creation, viewers are conditioned to anticipate a majority of other common Indian stereotypes to be integrated into the show. Those viewers who are being introduced to the overly studious Indian stereotype for the first time may get a false sense of truth and believe that this common depiction applies to the ethnic group as a whole.
As soon as Phineas is done explaining to Baljeet that the only school related aspect he should worry about over their summer vacation are the bullies, the local bully Buford comes over and sits on Baljeet. Phineas attempts to defend Baljeet and get Buford off of him, only to have
Baljeet refuse Phineas’s attempt by saying “‘Please go, you will just make him angry’”. Directly after witnessing Baljeet personify the Indian geek stereotype, viewers experience his character embodying the passive Indian stereotype, another quality frequently associated and with people of his ethnic background. Even in his first appearance, the audience gets a first look at just how academically centered and passive Baljeet’s character is, only solidifying the stereotype even further.
Episode 16: “One good scare ought to do it! Parts 1&2.” (Povenmire, 2008) PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 23
In this episode, Phineas, Ferb, and the rest of their friends try to help Isabella get rid of a sudden and unusually persistent case of the hiccups. Phineas asks Isabella what scares her most and she discloses that haunted houses usually do the trick. So, the group decides to create a haunted house that installs the things they fear the most in hopes of curing Isabella’s severe case of the hiccups.
As Phineas takes Isabella
through the house, she experiences an
array of fears that her friends have
chosen as their worst nightmare. Some
of these fears include horrific monsters,
zombies, and witches. However the fear Source: Phineas and Ferb Wiki (Baljeet as a failed math test) that Baljeet has chosen as his most frightening does not conform to the theme the rest of the house has implemented. Phineas and
Isabella walk in to an empty room to find Baljeet dressed as a piece of paper with a big red
“FAIL” on it. Phineas then asks him what he is supposed to be and he says “I’m the scariest thing known to man… a failed math test!” Phineas and Isabella disregard Baljeet’s fear and run to the next room in hopes of finding something that is petrifying enough to scare Isabella’s hiccups away. As they are running, Baljeet yells “You can run, but it won’t be to the college of your choice I tell you!” Most people would not associate math failures and the consequences of failing math to their greatest fears, but because Baljeet is represented as an Indian geek, the fact that he has chosen this particular representation as his biggest fear only plays into the stereotypical depiction that academics and intelligence are a priority to people of this ethnic background. PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 24
Episode 28: “Phineas and Ferb get busted! Parts 1&2.” (Povenmire, 2009)
This episode revolves around one of Candace’s dream sequences. This particular fantasy
depicts Phineas and Ferb finally being exposed to their parents and sent to a reformatory school
in hopes of straightening them out. While waiting on the bus to take them to the reform school,
Phineas and Ferb see that Baljeet has also been enrolled in the same school. Shocked that he
would have done something that would have caused him to be sent to the reformatory school,
Phineas asks what he did wrong. Baljeet replies with “Well I got kicked out of summer school
because my grades were too high.” Again, the level of intelligence that is usually associated with
Baljeet’s ethnic background is a prime reason for him to be included in the episode. Since he was
no longer allowed to go to regular school, he opted to go to another type of school instead of
wasting his summer vacation by not attending some type of school.
II. Dr. Doofenshmirtz
Dr. Doofenshmirtz is the other main character
who is ethnically coded, profiled and stereotyped
in a fashion that serves the narrative. While he
could easily fall into the gendered part of the
show’s analysis being that he is male,
Source: The Disney Wiki (Heinz Doofenshmirtz) heterosexual, and caucasian, the “othering” aspect
discussed earlier on in the critique is what sets him apart. The last trait of the dominant ideology
does not fit with Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s character profile. Given his name, backstory, and accent, it
is easily concluded that he is of Eastern European descent and is assumed to not fall in line with PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 25 the capitalist ideology, but instead associates with the tyrannical connotation people from this particular ethnic decent have.
Episode 1: “Rollercoaster” (Povenmire, 2007)
In the opening episode of the series, Dr. Doofenshmirtz has devised another plan to take over the Tristate-Area. Unlike most evil villains, Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s plans are usually ridiculous and not the least bit malevolent. In this particular episode, his devious plan is to cover the eastern seaboard in tin foil so that the giant magnet ray he created can be used to reverse the rotation of the Earth. During his soliloquy to Agent P, he admits that he does not have a good reason for wanting to go through with the plan as he has not “really worked out all the bugs yet”.
While his plan is not purposeful or foolproof to begin with, Agent Perry is sent in to stop his scheme from going through. The fact that an animal, Phineas and Ferb’s pet platypus, is responsible for stopping Dr. Doofenshmirtz from causing havoc only shows that Dr.
Doofenshmirtz’s evil antics are taken as a joke, and that an animal, instead of human, is able to defeat him. In this episode, not much is needed to stop Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s plan; as all it takes is for Agent P to kick a loose screw into the evil scientist’s foot to make his whole scheme fall apart.
Aside from the fact that his inventions almost never work, Dr. Doofenshmirtz is constantly oblivious as to why his evil plans always fail, which suggests that he is not even smart enough to realize just how unintelligent and weak his plans were to begin with. Most of the time,
Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s failures are a result of his clumsiness, suggesting that people with his type of ethnic background should not be taken seriously and are not a real threat. This episode PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 26 established the idea that Dr. Doofenshmirtz really is not much of an evil scientist at all, but a mockery of certain ethnic stereotypes.
Episode 17: “Hard day’s knight” (Povenmire, 2008)
Agent P is sent to an evil convention in order to keep an eye on Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Once
Dr. Doofenshmirtz realizes that Agent P is there spying on him, he decides to battle it out with him using some of the evil weapons from the exhibition. At first, Dr. Doofenshmirtz prefers to have a giant Queen Elizabeth I robot as his fighting instrument of choice, leaving Agent P to use the robot dragon. Right before they are about to duel it out, Dr. Doofenshmirtz decides he wants to trade robots. It is not until after they switch and begin to fight that Dr. Doofenshmirtz realizes he gave Agent P the better robot. The Queen Elizabeth robot Agent Perry is in has laser eyes and the robot Dr. Doofenshmirtz is in breathes fire through the mouth, which burns him in the process. Dr. Doofenshmirtz thought that he would be able to defeat Agent P by switching robots with him and having the advantage of using the superior machinery when in reality he set himself up for failure and defeat.
After realizing that he has a defective piece of equipment and is losing horribly, Dr.
Doofenshmirtz accidently pushes the self-destruct button on the control board of his robot, which is not the first time in the series that that has happened. In an act of rage, he slams his fist down on the control board again, upset that he pushed the self-destruct button only to realize that by doing so he has hit the ejection button, causing him to fly out of the rocket into the sky without having known to put on the safety parachute first. This episode provides further evidence of Dr.
Doofenshmirtz’s character is incompetent and that his threats are more humorous than anything else. PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 27
Episode 40: “Oil on Candace” (Povenmire, 2008)
Dr. Doofenshmirtz is visited by his old
evil mentor and professor, Dr. Gevaarlijk in one
of the last episodes of the first season. Dr.
Gevaarlijk, like Dr. Doofenshmirtz, has an
Eastern European accent, name, and backstory.
One of the main differences between Dr. Source: Anderson (Netflix) Gevaarlijk and her pupil is that she is a woman.
She has come to monitor just how evil her former student has been and whether or not he was successful as a villain. She is not surprised to see that he has not done very well at all and makes it very clear to him that she never really had much faith in his abilities. While being visited by
Dr. Gevaarlijk, Dr. Doofenshmirtz is once again defeated by Agent P, which makes Dr.
Gevaarlijk even more disappointed in the fact that her student cannot even upstage or outsmart an animal. Her lack of sympathy and the fact that she is portrayed as heartless only further supports the stereotypical depiction that not only men, but women, with Eastern European origins are inherently evil and continuously plot ways to take over the world.
Conclusion
The gendered and ethnic portrayals engrained in most media creations are often overlooked due to their humorous or narrative qualities, and Disney’s animated children’s program Phineas and Ferb (2007) is just another example. After thorough, in depth rhetorical analysis of the shows first season, there are numerous examples of the show unintentionally weaving narrative storytelling elements with stereotypical depictions of gender and ethnicity PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 28 through the use of major and minor characters’ relationships. Because the show has such a large fan base, the amount of children exposed to these gendered and ethnic portrayals is alarming, especially when one considers the fact that children “may not possess the intellectual tools that allow them to distinguish which messages are meant as storytelling functions” (Goodall, 2012,
160).. The limited amount of media literacy children have may only perpetuate the problem further and should only entice parents to talk with their children about the images they have been exposed to onscreen. If parents and guardians talk to children about what they have been subjected to and encourage them to intake media messages in an active state of mind, they “may be able to actively distinguish which messages are more stereotypical and disregard them”
(Goodall, 2012, p. 162).
Within the show, Phineas, Candace and Isabella are characters who display stereotypical depictions of gender. Phineas represents the white patriarchal ideology by having watered down, yet distinctly present masculine characteristics. The problem with this over exposure in the media may lead young male viewers to believe “that white heterosexual men have dominance in society” and “that these traits are desirable” (Goodall, 2012, p. 162). Candace and Isabella embody negative feminine attributes which are highlighted by the fact that they are both in search of a male love interest, despite the other positive qualities they both have. In Candace’s case, this constant search for love suggests that women cannot have their male counterpart and expect to be in power, because if they did have a partner, he would be in power by default based solely on the presumed power his gender holds in the social hierarchy.
Baljeet and Dr. Doofenshmirtz are depicted in a way that subjects them to othering perspectives and provides detrimental examples of ethnic diversity to the young audiences tuning into the show. These damaging illustrations of certain ethnic minorities acts as further “evidence PHINEAS AND FERB: A DEEPER LOOK 29 for the effects of minority portrayals on majority and minority audiences” and how “some audience members might be more vulnerable to media effects than others” (Bryant et al., 2002, p. 264). Knowing the significance media effects holds in relation to children and children’s programming content, Phineas and Ferb is communicating certain ideals about the ethnicities illustrated within the show to young audience members that could alter the way they perceive the world and those around them.
A detailed and extensive look at the gendered and ethnic stereotypes present in all seasons of Phineas and Ferb would be one way to further research this topic. One could investigate whether or not the stereotypes employed faltered in anyway or if they increased in number and concentration as the series went on. A more focused rhetorical critique could be done on one individual character and the ways in which they are coded to represent a specific subgroup within society. Whether or not the harmful depictions of gender and ethnicity cease to exist as the series goes on is one aspect of the problem that is not as easily controllable. What is manageable is teaching young viewers to be media conscious in order to help ease the ways these detrimental ideals ultimately affect their upbringing.
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