Aladdin tells the magnificent story of a poor ‘street rat’ who is actually the rare diamond in the rough who can save the fall of the kingdom. This broken kingdom is trying to illustrate a third-world country in the Middle East with many problems, but throughout the movie, these problems don’t actually get solved. Agrabah is shown to be filled with poverty, death, and violence; well the villages are. The royals on the other hand have their own problems to deal with, from manipulation and backstabbing to barely being able to keep their family together. You would think that the kingdom would try to keep its people happy and fed, but unfortunately, that is not what they are worried about. The movie Aladdin follows the pressures of the everyday hardships of these poor citizens as well as illustrates how Aladdin is actually more qualified and helpful in ruling the kingdom as opposed to the current royals.
When we first meet Aladdin in the movie, he is actually the one stealing bread in order to feed himself in this poor kingdom. He goes to eat his meal in a dark, old, and rickety alleyway with a creepy atmosphere and sees two starving children searching in a dirty trash can for food; just because they are that desperate. Once Aladdin catches this, he does a selfless act and hands them all the food that he has, and goes hungry instead. In this photo, the malnourished children look scared and hesitant to be given food by this strange man, but they eventually take it and are grateful; because they have no other option. With zero regrets, Aladdin bends down with a smile and slowly offers the bread to people who are less fortunate than him, even though he doesn’t have much. His pose illustrates how he is good with kids and tries to make people feel comfortable with no other reason than just being kind; as opposed to Jafar who is only ‘nice’ on occasion in order to manipulate others. This altruistic behavior shows how caring and invested he is in helping the people of his city, which alludes to him eventually becoming the Sultan; also known as the ruler of the kingdom or king, by the end of the movie. The people of Agrabah are described to be “barbaric” and living in a place where “they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face”, as described by the opening song of the movie: Arabian Nights. As Aladdin demonstrates in this photo, there are some exceptions to the stereotype and there are actually some good and well-intentioned people in this world, even if, and sometimes, especially if, they don’t have much to offer.
Pictures really do tell a thousand words, and this one tells the depressing story of the deprived citizens of Agrabah. It is obvious that the clothing of both Aladdin and the children is rough, torn down, and looks poorly made which is usually associated with lower status. These characters mostly wear dull purples, blues, and beige for a more run-down and depressing appearance. Having dull-colored clothing illustrates how old and used it is since people with less money are more likely to reuse clothing to a great extent and not buy new clothes. The children’s and Aladdin’s clothes are also very plain and simple cloth sewn together with no designs or extra patterns. This completely juxtaposes the shiny red, vibrant white, and sparkly gold color palette that the extravagant royals and rich wear. The royals also have very intricate designs and better-looking materials for the clothes. This extreme difference heightens how different and separated the royals are to the common people, so they couldn’t possibly understand what the city’s citizens actually go through. Aladdin on the other hand, has experienced all of this first hand and knows what is actually going on with the people. Additionally, the Islamic culture is also very apparent in this scene: The little girl is wearing a hijab/headscarf as well as the men are wearing Taqiyah hats, which is very important to the Muslim religion because they believed that Muhammad always had his head covered, so followers would wear it as a testament to their faith. If Aladdin wasn’t religious, he probably wouldn’t be wearing it like everyone else. This illuminates how even though he was a dirty street rat, Aladdin still connects with the city’s culture and religion; proving he is not just an outsider that doesn’t belong like he was told in the following scene. This is yet another way that Aladdin connects to the common people of Agrabah, sharing their beliefs and understanding of the world. Additionally, the background is also very important in understanding the context behind the scene. This picture is set in a dark and dirty alleyway instead of in the bright and open, which emphasizes the harsh and depressing tone of the situation. Having to scavenge for food in a trashcan and anywhere you can find, even to the point of having to steal will never be a happy thing to see- especially with children. This setting is exactly the place you would see a ‘lowlife thief’ go to eat after stealing food from the markets. It is not, however, a place you would expect to see children; which immensely emphasizes the danger and distraught the common people of this city face. The scene shows that once again the only one coming to save the day is Aladdin; a common citizen, instead of the ruler of the kingdom.
Overall, Aladdin is an interesting movie that gives a lot of fine detail to the city’s economic and emotional state. It is arguable that these descriptions could harm the outlook on the middle eastern countries the movie is impersonating. Aside from that, the movie does a great job of using setting, costumes, and actions to emphasize the mood of each scene and how each of the characters plays a role in this shattering community. This specific photo chosen displays an abundance of details describing the poor conditions of Agrabah and what the citizens face. From the malnourished and scared children starving and searching for food to the overused and dull clothing, it is pretty evident that the royals of the kingdom don’t take care of their citizens. Throughout the story one thing stays constant: Aladdin always tries to help the common people and he proves to himself again and again that he should be the ruler of the kingdom.
