One of my Christmas gifts this year was the Disney movie, The Fox and the Hound. After watching the movie I remembered how some people interpret the movie, generally, see it as an allegory for racism. After all, you have Tod the Fox and Copper the Hound Dog are friends as kids, two animals of different species. Now I can see this, especially if you look at the time period where the movie takes place. I'm guessing pre-WWI because of the cars that were driven were similar to Model-T's. So we have two friends who look totally different in a time before the Civil Rights, and these two friends are told that they can't be friends who they are. Also, Copper's owner wants to kill Tod. Well, I'm not totally convinced.
First, unlike Disney's Zootopia, the characters in The Fox and the Hound aren't all animals. So, it is hard to clearly say who is supposed to represent what race. Second, why does Copper's owner, Amos Slade, want to kill Tod? Is it just because he's a fox? No, it is because Amos thinks Tod was trying to eat his chickens. I'm sorry, but I can understand why Amos's reasoning of wanting to protect his livestock. Plus, when he confronts Tod's owner, Widow Tweed, he tells her that if he ever sees Tod on his property again he'll shoot him. He doesn't actively go after Tod at first. Later when Amos does hunt Tod, once again because Tod is on Amos property and is full grown. Then it becomes personal to Amos and Copper because Amos's other hunting dog, Chief, gets hurt while chasing after Tod. This leads me to my third point, why Copper turns on Tod. It isn't because of their species being enemies. Copper tries to help Tod until Chief gets hurt. Copper blames Tod for Chief's injury and that's why he tries to hunt Tod down. He turns on Tod because of Chief's injury, not because Tod's a fox. So, yes I can understand why people think The Fox and the Hound is about race, but that's not what I think.
I think The Fox and the Hound is about three things. The first is the consequences of having a wild animal as a pet. Tod is a fox and a wild animal, not a house pet. I think Amos's fear that Tod would attack his chickens is a legitimate concern once Tod got older, and his instincts took over. How many times have we heard about someone with more money than brains owning a tiger or lion as a pet until the animal mauls its owner? Tod has to be in the wild, and as heartbreaking as that scene where Widow Tweed leaves Tod in the forest, it is the right thing to do. Considering the fact that Tod ends up getting a mate after spending one night in the woods, but that maybe just a Disney thing.
The second is what happens when you let hate consume you, like what nearly happened to Copper and Amos. First, they were poaching on a game reserve, which is illegal. Next, they were nearly killed by a bear because they chasing after Tod. Is avenging Chief's broken leg worth dying for? Copper and Amos thankfully realize this.
The third and final reason is that things change. When they were kids, Tod and Copper said they would be friends forever. Well, they did and they didn't. While Tod saved Copper from the bear and Copper saved Tod from Amos, they don't all go back home and live happily ever after playing together like they were kids. The film ends with Copper napping in his dog house and Tod being with his mate. They grew up, and while some will claim that the film is saying keep the status quo; first looked my first point about Tod being a wild animal. Second, Tod and Copper grew up, and as much as we wish we could, we can't stay kids forever. Tod and Copper fondly remember their friendship and realize that they have changed.
Well, that's my take on it, watch the movie yourself and consider how you would interpret the movie.
I'm Colin, and these are the ramblings of a guy in his twenties.
