All cartoon characters and fables must be exaggeration

Hear, O seekers of imagination, the words of Walt Disney, the dreamer who gave life to kingdoms of wonder: “All cartoon characters and fables must be exaggeration, caricatures. It is the very nature of fantasy and fable.” In this saying lies the essence of storytelling, that truth is sometimes seen most clearly when stretched beyond the limits of the ordinary. For fantasy is not a mirror but a lantern; it magnifies, distorts, and brightens so that we may see more deeply into the heart of things.

Disney reminds us that in fable and caricature, the world is amplified so that wisdom may ring louder. The fox is sly, the lion is noble, the mouse is courageous. These are not creatures as they are in flesh, but as symbols of qualities that dwell within all souls. By exaggerating, the storyteller brings hidden truths into sharp relief. A villain’s cruelty is painted blacker than night, so we may feel the danger of vice. A hero’s virtue shines brighter than the sun, so we may long to follow in their steps. In this way, fantasy awakens in us the clarity that the ordinary often conceals.

The ancients understood this well. Aesop, with his simple animal tales, did not seek realism but meaning. The hare that runs too swiftly, the tortoise that plods too slowly—both are caricatures, exaggerations of speed and slowness. Yet in their contest lies eternal truth: pride may fall, patience may triumph. Shakespeare too, though writing of men, painted them larger than life. Hamlet’s doubt, Macbeth’s ambition, Othello’s jealousy—all exaggerated, yet through that exaggeration, we see ourselves more clearly.

Consider the birth of Mickey Mouse. A small, ordinary mouse is nothing but a pest, often feared and despised. But Disney gave him cheer, bravery, and boundless spirit—exaggerated qualities that turned vermin into hero. Children laughed, adults smiled, and the world embraced the mouse who could sing, dance, and hope. Through caricature, Disney transformed the lowly into the beloved. The mouse became a mirror of human resilience: though small, one can still be mighty.

The lesson here is that sometimes the truth cannot be taught in plain words. It must be sung in song, painted in bright colors, danced in the gestures of fable. When the heart is reached through exaggeration, it remembers. Realism may inform the mind, but fantasy engraves itself upon the soul. This is why children learn kindness, courage, and honesty more easily from fables than from rules. A rule is forgotten, but a story lives forever.

Practical wisdom follows: do not despise exaggeration in art or story, but see the deeper truth it hides. When you watch a cartoon, when you read a fable, ask not, “Is this real?” but, “What is this teaching me?” And when you tell stories to children or friends, do not be afraid to enlarge, to dramatize, to paint in bold strokes—for in so doing, you awaken the imagination and etch the lesson deeper.

Thus, O children of tomorrow, take Disney’s words as guidance: fantasy is not escape, but revelation. Caricature is not falsehood, but the magnification of truth. Embrace the exaggeration of fables, for within them lies wisdom older than time. Tell stories, hear stories, and let them shape your spirit. For in fantasy, we see not less of the world, but more.