Anyone can be Anything

     Zootopia, the place where “Anyone can be Anything!”  Or, so it is thought by the rambunctious, “cute” bunny, Judy Hopps who is an optimistic animal determined on being the first bunny police officer in Zootopia history.  The story starts with a young Judy setting the scene for the audience, describing how the once wild predators and prey overcame their biology, to create the highly diverse city of Zootopia.  In Judy’s hometown of Bunnyborough, her parents try to convince her that being a police officer in Zootopia is unpractical for a small countryside bunny, however Judy sees Zootopia as this utopic world where she can break the carrot farming stereotype. 

     Zootopia, in my opinion, is one of the most utopic worlds Disney has produced.  Disney created this setting where prey and predator coincide in their specific habitats that are interconnected with the slogan “Anyone can be Anything.”  Judy believes that she can move to this city of opportunity and be treated equally among ever other animal, big or small.  On her journey to Zootopia, Judy listens to the hit single “Try Everything” by Gazelle, which inspires her that this wondrous city will provide her the equality that she has always wanted.  However, her utopic view of Zootopia is nearly destroyed as her first assignment as a police officer, is writing tickets for cars, despite her success at the police academy.  Throughout Zootopia the audience follows Judy on her journey which unveils the true nature of this utopic world.

    Much like Judy, Assistant Mayor Bellweather feels unappreciated, and thus decides to shatter the utopian world, by turning the prey on the “savage” predators.  This goes to show that utopias are not necessarily actual places, they are just views and perspectives of the world by a specific person.  For example, Judy saw Zootopia as a place where all the animals happily coexist, and Assistant Mayor Bellweather decides that it is a place where the bigger predators step on the smaller prey to stay in power.  However, this is contradictory as one of the biggest crime bosses in Zootopia, Mr. Big, is a tiny shrew.  Along with that contradiction there are several other contradictions, that are present throughout Zootopia.  For example, Judy was encouraged by her parents to fear foxes, and even when she moves to Zootopia, this place where all are equal, she continues to carry fox repellent.  This goes to show that even though Zootopia was created for prey and predator to coexist, there is still an inner instinct to fear, and generally be racist against the predators.  Near the end of the film, newly inaugurated Mayor Bellweather states how the prey can create their own utopia free of predators, but Judy nobly declines realizing that Zootopia should be a city free of prejudice.  This reflects in our society now, where if us humans discontinue to stereotype certain groups of people, we could create a world where anyone can be anything.