1920s

Today’s lectures revolved around the cartoons of the 1920s and the impact of Max Fleischer in the animation industry. He introduced a wide array of characters that are as memorable as Mickey Mouse himself. Some of these characters include: Popeye, Bimbo the dog, Koko the clown, and the subject of my post, Betty Boop.

Now, the Betty Boop we know is a bit different from the one made back in the 1930s. While she is still depicted as a baby voiced caricature of a flapper girl on the outside, a lot of her sexual undertones and outspokenness against the old morals of previous generations have long since been expunged from her personality. The sex symbol was criticized by parents due to the message she was sending to their impressionable children. So, with the uproar of parents and the passing of the Hay’s Law, Betty Boop’s risky attitude was watered down. This code was a restriction adopted in 1934 that stifled American cinema and called for harsh censorship of all entertainment in the United States. Due to this censorship, Betty Boop went from being the rebellious sexual fully realized woman to being depicted as a much demurer working girl.

LeAnn Schmitt