Gerald, the sea turtle, appears in the 2016 movie Finding Dory as an important character who helps Dory navigate her journey and provides guidance. With his large body, curved neck, round shell, green coloring, and captivating presence, he quickly steals scenes in any scene he enters.
He is a sea lion.
Gerald, the sea lion, is one of the most beloved characters from Finding Dory and has become the subject of memes. He even has his own Twitter handle! However, some have taken issue with how Gerald is depicted in the film, leading to an online debate regarding whether he defines disabled people.
Finding Dory, the follow-up to the 2003 animated hit Finding Nemo, introduces many new aquatic characters ranging from Hank the octopus and Bailey, the beluga whale, but viewers have already chosen a favorite: Gerald the sea lion who wears a green bucket on his head – Gerald seems to cause trouble among his fellow sea lions because of his constant giggles and smaller size. The internet loves him.
Gerald makes his first appearance in Finding Dory as he attempts to touch Fluke and Rudder’s rock while they sleep, though their barking “Off! Off! Off!” alerts them immediately to keep away from him; eventually, though they give way when Gerald manages to trick them into allowing him to sit there briefly until seeing their Tank Gang being taken by volunteers to the Marine Life Institute.
Gerald continues to giggle uncontrollably as he watches Marlin and Dory swim away with the rest of their fish, only for Nigel the pelican to fly in and hit him on the nose, forcing him to release Marlin and Dory into Sydney Harbour before becoming dinner for other pelicans.
Pixar has repeatedly denied their intention for this to be the case, and Alice Wong of Disability Visibility Project defended Finding Dory as showing disabilities with nuance and moral consideration, unlike many other movies. This has caused much debate and controversy; Pixar denied they intended this reactionary tone in any form. However, this has caused significant backlash and provoked much discussion online regarding this movie.
He is a bully.
Gerald the Sea Lion from Finding Dory is both adorable and annoying, both traits making him unpopular among his fellow sea lions, Fluke and Rudder, two other sea lions in the film. Gerald hopes to gain their friendship, but they treat him like dirt instead, forcing him off their rock before eventually moving him away again with an unpleasant shooing sound; he gives a sneaky giggle when trying to sneak back onto it again!
Some viewers of Finding Dory have taken offense at Gerald as an offensive and insensitive depiction of people with disabilities. He features vacant eyes and a prominent brow that makes him stand out from other sea lions; these qualities may even suggest that he represents a stereotype for mentally disabled individuals. However, director Andrew Stanton clarified this wasn’t his intent in creating him for the film.
Pixar animators did not intend for Gerald to be seen as someone with an intellectual disability; rather they intended for him to be seen as an eccentric character with a quirky sense of humor who frequently suffers the cruelty of other sea lions for comic effect. Media can heavily influence children; therefore, we must teach children how to respect those different than themselves and treat everyone equally regardless of differences.
Finding Dory is a fantastic film that highlights the significance of diversity. There are multiple characters with disabilities – Dory, Destiny, Bailey, and Becky, among them – who demonstrate how they can still communicate despite any limitations through echolocation (listening) technology.
This film also explores how Dory’s short-term memory loss affects her, an issue often experienced by people with cognitive disabilities. Furthermore, this movie shows the significance of family support for people in this situation.
Some have complained that other sea lions are bullying Gerald in Finding Dory due to his disability, yet these critics fail to see that bullying is never acceptable; it can be upsetting and damaging, making those with differences feel alienated from society, leading to depression, substance abuse or other forms of distress.
He is a nerd.
Gerald in Finding Dory represents someone with an intellectual disability – most likely autism or selective mutism – and is depicted as scruffy and awkward in the film. While socially awkward among his Marine Life Institute animal coworkers, Gerald still loves his family deeply; moreover, he helps Dory accept herself regardless of any short-term memory loss she may be suffering from.
As Disney animators drafted the Finding Nemo script, they were concerned about whether some characters could be seen as representing people with disabilities. Although they worked hard to ensure the symbols weren’t offensive, critics still found some scenes offensive despite all the efforts made by their team.
Finding Dory is the sequel to the 2003 movie Finding Nemo, released in 2016. The story centers around Dory searching for her family; though successful at box offices worldwide, this film raises important issues regarding how disabled characters are represented onscreen.
It has received widespread critical acclaim and won numerous awards, such as an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Furthermore, it was nominated in other categories, including Best Picture and Director; many consider this film one of the finest animated features ever produced with voice talent, including Ellen DeGeneres, Hank Azaria, and Geoffrey Rush among its ranks.
One of the most captivating elements of the film is how it depicts relationships among various species and the ocean environment while exploring how humans connect to it.
An integral aspect of the film is how it addresses bullying. The movie shows that bullying isn’t limited to children but can affect people of any age; plus, it provides advice on how to prevent future incidents.
Many movie viewers were moved by its depiction of Gerald, a pelican with an intellectual disability; this has caused much discussion among Pixar employees and caused further debate regarding its inclusion. Pixar has defended Gerald’s inclusion by suggesting it represents only an exaggeration of a playground nerd and eventually wins over.
He has a pail.
Pails can be helpful to items for sea lions. It will keep food dry, but you can also use it to carry things around. When Gerald appears in Finding Dory, his bucket can be seen carrying items and being bullied by non-disabled sea lions who rip his pail away! But Gerald doesn’t care! He continues using it!
Gerald attempts to sneak onto Fluke and Rudder’s rock as Marine Life Institute volunteers collect them up, only to be chased away by Fluke and Rudder before being allowed a seat. Later, he attempts it again, followed by giving a devious smile towards the camera.
There are a few scenes in Finding Dory that truly embody disability culture, notably when Destiny (voiced by Kaitlin Olson) and Bailey (a beluga whale with an injured head, played by Ty Burrell) collaborated to provide access for Dory, who could neither see nor communicate her needs directly; Destiny relayed them on to Bailey who would use echolocation technology to guide Dory through pipes.
Another scene is when Dory plays hide-and-seek with Marlin, Nemo, and their friends. Dory begins counting down from three, wondering why everyone suddenly disappeared when she reaches three, before realizing she needs to find her parents.
Nigel intervenes and knocks him unconscious before the pelicans devour him. Also, Gerald munches on a dead fish, which causes his sneezes to sound more like coughs than usual and creates an amusing scene of “Mood Whiplash.”
