This week, RWA’s National Conference was moved from Nashville, TN to Orlando, FL. This was necessitated by the devastating flooding that hit Music City, USA; the hotel at which the conference was to be held is under at least six feet of water.
RWA moved with amazing speed, rebooking the conference for the same dates within two days in Orlando. Immediately, my close friend–and usually on-same-page-as-me-with-most-everything twin–Liz Maverick said we had to go to Disneyworld. To which I replied, “No effing way.” Only I didn’t say ‘effing.’
I have to admit: I hate Mickey Mouse. Despise him. Loathe him. I know it might be odd, in any other context but ours, to admit to hating a fictional character, a cartoon fictional character no less, but I know my fellow readers will understand.
Some fictional characters are so real you can have as potent emotions about them as you would people in your real life. For most of us, it’s the heroes and heroines we recall, but what about the people we hate? Aunt Reed in Jane Eyre, Obadiah Hakeswill in the Sharpe series, Iago in Othello, heck, Scar in The Lion King!–clever, smart, wicked people who almost get the upper hand in their dealings with the more heroic characters.
Mickey, to my disgust, has nothing delightfully villainous about him. I cannot stand his white gloves, his high voice and the fact that he is not funny. I wish he were devious, the way Daffy Duck is (I know one is Disney and one is Warner Bros.; bear with me). He’s not dumb, but he’s not smart, particularly. He’s left his girlfriend hanging for years, and he has no visible means of support. I just can’t stand him or his stupid little ears.
But, meanwhile, I will be happy to be in Orlando, and am always happy to talk about the Most Wickedest of Villains here; who do you nominate? Which villain, to your mind, is the most memorable?
Great post, Megan! I love villains who are really clever and a worthy match for the heroes. Iago is definitely a favorite. Also Edmund in “King Lear”.
I must admit that I too hate Mickey Mouse, but I hate him for other reasons. Namely Mickey and his stupid copyright. Every time Mickey is about to go out of copyright the ever powerful Disney company pressures and copyright rules are redone. I understand that authors need their copyright and do not argue with that, but I do argue when copyright laws get so convoluted because of Disney and their mouse that libraries and archives cannot make preservation copies of a movie, recording, book etc in order to preserve it for future generations. I would think if you asked an artist they would want their work preserved instead of letting the only copy disintegrate and not let future generations have access to it.
So I hate Disney because they make preserving artistic works so hard on libraries and archives. And it’s not really the big artistic endeavors that need to be preserved. They have millions of dollars to preserve them. It’s those little gems that people forget about that are being destroyed.
This is one of my soapbox points. It’s probably why I’m going to become a member of the Pirate Party although it mainly exists in Sweden. See their agenda here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party_%28Sweden%29
My favorite villain: Edward I or as I call him Edward the Bastard. The man destroyed Wales and Scotland, but sure as hell knew how to build a castle and he really did love his wife, which is sweet and unusual with a king. But I still hate him and always will.
Good post Megan.
Actually I don’t like Disney movies. This hate relationship began when I was 4 years old and saw Bambi. Also, what they’ve done to history (Pocahontas) and literature (The Little Mermaid)is criminal.
On the other hadnd, I loved Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. But really, for all the other movies, they should be penalized.
I think Disney has made some of the most beautiful animation that exists, but I didn’t know that about the copyright, JA. What a terrible shame.
That said, I always found Mickey Mouse annoying, Megan, but my emotions don’t exactly approach the level of yours.
Now Tweety Bird. I cannot abide that cruel yellow pack of feathers. I hated those cartoons for what that bird did to Sylvester, who was just being a cat, for heaven’s sake!
I’ve always been suspicious of that Mouse. I mean, what’s his gig? As you point out.
I once won a fantastic set of prizes by answering “Darth Vader” to this question:
Which movie character hero would you most like to sleep with?
Enough said about me and villains, I think.
Speaking of Disney…several years ago Disney was exploring the possibility of building a Civil War theme park on land here in Virginia right near the battlefields of Manassas (as I recall). There was a HUGE outcry against it and the idea was shelved.
I don’t know how they were planning to make the Civil War amusing….See my Monday Blog.
The way you feel about Mickey Mouse is how I feel about Dora and Diego on Nick Jr. It’s something about their eyes–their big, freaky, staring eyes.
I hate theme parks, I’m not a Disney fan, and the idea of a conference in July in Florida while thousands of people mill around in a theme park gives me cold sweats. While I had planned to attend the conference in my hometown, I will not be traveling to Orlando. I sympathize with your hatred of Mickey.
You crack me up, Megan! And I think it is very brave of you to come out against an American icon. It’s the voice for me. Gets on my nerves every time!
Most of the cartoon characters these days are a giant pain in my neck. Every time some parent shows up to order a cake for their child and wants a particular cartoon character on the cake I want to scream. The characters for whom we have cake kits is set by the home office in Bentonville. Apparently the choices Bentonville makes and the choices of the average indulgent Alabama parent are not the same! Imagine having some mother berating you because you don’t have Boo Boo or Bo Bo or whatever the hottest new character is for their little sweetum’s birthday cake. The only thing worse are the cake designs that come with some of the characters we do have. If I never do another Dora the Explorer cake again it will be too soon. I have one decorator who suffers from a nervous tick if someone just SAYS “Dora the Explorer!”
And Jane I think there should be some categories of special circumstances with copyright laws when it comes to something being copied for our public libraries rather than have them go to the expense of repurchasing something.
I had to laugh out loud at your disgust with Tweety Bird, O Divine One. I have to agree that I always pull for poor Sylvester.
I like complex villains, those for whom while there is no excuse for their behavior there is an explanation. I like a villain who had the potential to be a good person and just chose the wrong path and has no way to turn back.
I like a villain with a bit of an insidious touch, one you would never suspect of evil. In Mary Balogh’s Slightly Dangerous there is a character who is a dear male friend of the heroine. Nobody would ever suspect him of being anything but concerned and supportive of her. And yet, our hero studies him and figures out that every bad thing that has ever happened to our heroine and her reputation has come from this male friend. The man set out to systematically destroy her marriage and her reputation in the hope she would eventually turn to him. The hero, Wulfric Bedwyn, reveals all and everyone is stunned. It all makes perfect sense when Wulfric outlines what the man has done. That sort of villain is always great to read because you have no idea that is what he is until you reach the end.
LOL Megan! I am not at all fond of Mickey Mouse, either. He’s just so–dull. He does nothing but talk in that squeaky voice and wave those freakishly enormous hands. Ditto for Minnie. And Diane, I am totally with you on Tweety Bird! Maybe that’s why I was actually not a Disney fan as a kid–they hadn’t started with the princesses yet, though I did like my videos of “Cinderella” and “Snow White.” So my lucky parents never had to take me there in my childhood and this will be my first time to see Disney World. I am sooooo excited!
Scar is a good villain, as was the villain in “Princess and the Frog” (the kid in the row behind me kept shrieking every time he appeared). And that witch in “Sleeping Beauty” that turned into a dragon–freaked me out when I was a kid. In novels now, I always appreciate a villain I don’t see coming, who isn’t obviously eeeevil all the way through and has a believable motivation. I love those.
With parents and grandparents all from the Los Angeles area, I went to Disneyland a lot as a kid. In the 60s it was an incredibly cool place, full of wonder and magic. When I went back with my own children, they had similar reactions (while I rolled my eyes a lot at the cheesiness of it all). My four kids, all grown now, loved Disney movies growing up, and there’s a lot of terrific non-Disney animation that might not have happened without the market that Disney created. So while I totally sympathize with people’s feelings about the big bad franchise and the way they twist some of the stuff they adapt, I will always have a sentimental fondness for things Disney. (And Shakespeare played pretty fast and loose with his source material, too.)
As for the Mouse himself, I can’t get past the fact that my younger daughter, at the age of 2, was fascinated by him. “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” was her favorite cartoon — we wore out the VHS tape of Fantasia by rewinding or forwarding to just that part over and over again. When we took her to Disneyland at the age of 2 1/2, meeting Mickey was the highlight of the whole trip for her. I never understood it, but now that she’s 19 and off at college, the sight of the Mouse brings tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat as I remember that little dynamo throwing herself into the arms of some guy in a costume and screaming, “Mickey, oh Mickey!”
I like subtle villains with redeeming qualities. It’s those super 1-D completely eeevil villains that I role my eyes at.
The charm of Disney is best experienced through the eyes of children, not adults. And children need to have stars in their eyes, to dream dreams, even impossible ones, and not be rife with cynicism at the world around them.
Has anyone read the Politically Correct Fairytales? They’re a riot!
Louisa, good thing I don’t live close to you, because I’d be that parent hounding you for yet another cutesy cake. Have you made the standing princess castle cake?
Er, “roll” my eyes at, not “role” them in some discombobulated, inanimated, extra-human form.
LOL Yes, Keira, I have made the standing castle princess cake ! Groan! I have decorated wedding cakes that were less work. It is, however, a lovely cake for a little girl’s birthday. And of course most of the princesses must have the personal petite cake of the princess of their choice and those are really tough. For such a small cake it takes forever to shape it into the skirts of a ball gown. Those cakes don’t come shaped like that. We have to sculpt them by hand!
I hate the idea of a corporation based on greed and selling children’s activities as adult activities (it’s demeaning, all this dumbing down), and I also hate cartoons for much the same reason. And did I mention the greed? And that’s why I won’t be going to Disneyworld to bow down before The Mouse.
After that sweeping statement I feel rather stupid in claiming that I like some moral ambiguities in my villains.
Ah, another Mickey hater. I guess for me, it’s a bit different in reason. . . see, me, I looooooove Donald Duck. However, everything with Disney is Mickey this, Mickey that. . . or Pooh, seemed like if it wasn’t Mickey, it’s Pooh, but anyway. . . Mickey isn’t the only freaking thing out there here Disney people who might be reading this! Donald Duck is always getting the shaft because of this mouse. Donald is way cuter, way better and all around 1000 times better than any stupid mouse. Well, unless it’s Pinky and the Brain — I love those two! 😉
Lois, okay, yep, she’s bitter. LOL
As someone mentioned, the subtle villains are better than the over-the-top Snively Whiplash versions. Ronsard in Linda Howard’s “All the Queen’s Men” is a great villain because he is truly charming; you can see the humanity in him and even empathize with his motivations, yet when you think of what he has done, he most definitely is a villain. And the villain in Ms. Grant’s “Secrets of a Lady” is quite wonderfully clever and a worthy match for the H/H, as well as, in the end, quite tragic for all concerned.
As for Mickey Mouse, my youngest son is named Michael. When he was in middle school, one of his friends said there were too many Michaels, so he would call my son Mickey. The name caught on among his friends and he is called that today (although now that he is 21 I’ve noticed he introduces himself to new people as Michael). So I’ve a soft spot for the name, even if not for the mouse.
I’ve posted some info about Disney on the WRW and Beau Monde Yahoo groups, so please forgive if this is a repeat for you.
I grew up in Miami. It was a BIG DEAL to drive 4 hours up the Turnpike to visit Disney – my mother tells me we were there for the grand opening 30+ years ago. I don’t remember the grand opening but I do remember using coupons to correspond to rides designated as “A” (carousal, trolley) to
“E” (Pirates, Jungle Cruise -there was no Space Mountain at the time).
I have returned with my children and see it for its commercialization. That being said, Disney sold its golf course resort (near the Polynesian) to the military, which operates it as the Armed Forces Recreation Center. It makes it financially possible for military families to enjoy Disney World. Disney also offers discount passes to its parks (where as Busch Gardens allow active duty and family members one day free per year). At the very least, Disney allows visitors to take in their own food and drink.
The Dolphin and Swan Hotel (two separate hotels akin to two towers) is some distance from the themed parks. But it is close to the Boardwalk (by foot, boat, or bus) where you can find alternatives to the hotel restaurants. The Dolphin is known for its excellent service to convention-goers. RWA has secured a great room rate but be prepared to pay an arm and leg for everything else. And you will see Mickey everywhere. The hotel is convenient to the Disney amenities, but far from Kissimmee. So if you are attending RWA, I advise you stay at the hotel. Just pretend that Mickey is not the 300-pound gorilla in the room!
Disney offers a convenient free bus system, which will take visitors to Downtown Disney – another alternative dining experience. If you have time (as if), take the bus to the monorail station for a free monorail ride:
– around the lake; hop off at each hotel and enjoy the different themes (Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Polynesian)
– to/from Epcot. It’s a cool and quite ride above ground to see how far the Disney Kingdom expands into the former orange groves.
Or take the bus over to the Animal Kingdom lodge to see the free roaming African animals.
I will be in Tampa for the summer, so I will simply drive over with a quick stop at MacDill AFB to stock up on sodas, water, and snacks (I am happy to take orders!) Tampa airport is less than 60 minutes to the Disney property should you find flights full into Orlando.
If you have any questions about Central Florida, feel free to contact me at sos.america@yahoo.com.
I was excited to see Nashville, but it will be fun to have RWA in my home state!
Great info, Kim! Thanks.
Wow. I had no idea there were such strong feelings about The Mouse. I remember seeing Fantasia as a little girl. Night on Bald Mountain scared me silly. And Ave Maria afterwards sealed the deal, all those black-cloaked figures… I refused to watch it again until it was re-released. (Just before they did the new version.) And I loved it, especially Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria. The 180 degree turn in myself has always amused me.
I didn’t care for Darth Vader as a villian. Actually, I loved him until the third/sixth movie. He felt whitewashed. Now, Javert, in Les Miserable was a complex villain, because you realize he was simply doing his job as he saw it, which was law without mercy. I pity him by the end. One of the most memorable was Diane’s Earl of Greythorne, who made my skin crawl, to the point where I’d have to take a break from reading. (I knew it could have been much worse, and glad it wasn’t. I can’t read those.) He was the kind of villain you can cheer about the ending and not feel guilty. That being said, I hate, hate, hate it when the writer puts me in the villain’s head. I always want to take a wire brush to my brain. Creepy.
“And the villain in Ms. Grant’s “Secrets of a Lady” is quite wonderfully clever and a worthy match for the H/H, as well as, in the end, quite tragic for all concerned.”
Thanks so much, Susan! It’s great to know the character in question worked so well for you. I often struggle writing villains. Like Janet, I like moral ambiguity in villains, and I tend to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what drives them and see the situation from their viewpoint (I’m the daughter of two psychologists :-). Which I sometimes worry leads to the villains losing their edge.
I don’t hate Mickey Mouse, but I do adore Scar, and any villainous role that George Sanders played in movies like Addison DeWitt in All About Eve and in Rebecca. Speaking of cartoon characters, Daria from MTV is being released on DVD, the complete series.
Marvin the Martian gets my vote.
And Carolyn, imagine the heavy breathing!
My most memorable villain in literature has to be Bill Sykes from Oliver Twist – evil through and through.
So often now villains are redeemed in later books but I always like the fact that Dickens let his villains remain unredeemed. It’s probably closer to the truth!