Mickey's Evolution (In Response to the Class and Article About Mickey's Evolution) "The Masks of Mickey Mouse: Symbols of a Generation" by Robert Brockway

A google search of "the evolution of Mickey Mouse" will result in a surprising number of results. All of them show the same basic change-Mickey goes from a long point nose, small eyes, and a tiny body, to the circular figure many know and love today. While Brockway's argument about circles being more relatable than angles seemed pretty stretched to me, his questions about Mickey's enduring fame and his ending pondering about whether Mickey's popularity will last past 2001 are ones the stayed on my mind even after class. While Mickey will always be popular, he's moved from a cartoon to a social figure, I would argue that his popularity is waning. Before I go any further, I have to ask any reader to separate Mickey Mouse from the Disney Corporation, even though the two are often seen as synonymous.  While Disney seems to be more popular than ever these days, Mickey is slowly disappearing from the public eye. Disney Channel has mini-commercials where current stars draw his outline, he's on almost everything in Disney world, and almost everyone in the world knows what he looks like. But, Mickey has gone from being everyone's favorite character to a mere mascot of one of the world's largest companies. Instead of being the star on Disney Channel's mini-commercials, he's just the image they draw. There was a time when every kid had to have a Mickey Mouse watch. Now, it's custom to get a child a Mickey Mouse stuffed toy or a shirt with him on it, or some other item, but I don't believe kids are clamoring for the latest Mickey toy the same we they clamor for Bratz dolls or Barbies or stuffed figures of Phineas and Ferb. I think Brockway used the wrong wording when he said "Mickey may live to see the year 2001...but he may not survive much beyond". Mickey Mouse will always survive, but he will not always exist in the same way. He will continue this transition from a beloved character who is in touch with the children to a beloved cultural icon many recognize. I can't decide which representation is more powerful-character or icon? Is it better to be the character all the kids clamor to see or the image children recognize from ages as young as five? To permeate the TV or the culture? I do not have answers to these questions yet, but I do know that Mickey Mouse is not going anywhere so I will have time to figure it out.