1929 was the start of
the Great Depression, America was in a state of devistation after the stock
market crashed. The Great Depression had devastating effects in countries rich
and poor. Personal income, tax revenue, profits and prices dropped, while
international trade plunged by more than 50%. Unemployment in the U.S. rose to
25%, and in some countries rose as high as 33%. the effect of Mickey Mouse
durring the Great depression was to uplift the peoples spirits. Mickey Mouse was
the one thing people could smile about. Even though times were rough mickey
distracted people from the bad and reminded them of the good. Mickey Mouse had
symbolized a hope that the human spirit could overcome obstacles.
Mickey Mouse, Disney’s first unqualified success, appeared at a
time when the world was in the first throes of the Great Depression. Mickey’s
indomitable spirit, as well as the technological advances that Disney displayed
in those first cartoons, struck a chord with movie-going audiences seeking signs
that neither the human spirit, nor humanity’s ability to progress into the
future, had been irreparably damaged by hard times. People became invested in
Mickey Mouse. In rooting for Mickey, audiences were cheering on their own
success as well. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, was the
first full-length animated film produced in full color. If Mickey Mouse had
symbolized a hope that the human spirit could overcome obstacles, Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs seemed to prove it. The message that good could prevail against
evil, without sacrificing qualities like innocence, loyalty and friendship, was
a message sorely needed on the eve of World War II.