Elephants in Popular Culture
Elephants seem to be everywhere in modern culture. These animals have been known to signify so much. This is especially true when you take a close look at the culture of Asia. They view the elephant as a symbol of strength, wisdom, and intelligence. Throughout areas of India they are used in place of machinery to move heavy items including logs from the forests.
For many cultures the elephant is an exotic animal. The fact that it has no known predators except humans shows them that even other animals have plenty of respect for it. The calmness and sheer strength of the elephant are virtues that many cultures would love to see become a part of their own selves. The wisdom of elephants as they get older is something that we see reflective in people. When we are older we seem to have the lessons of life to reflect back on.
War is nothing new throughout time and history. There are documentations of elephants being used in some of them though. This is mainly in China and through the efforts of Alexander the Great. Large amounts of equipment for the armies to use could be moved with these elephants. Many military operations have involved riding elephants as have safaris out there. They take the place of horses due to their endurance levels, ability to carry heavy loads, and that they can stand the heat.
One of the most beloved of all elephants is Dumbo from the early archives of the Disney files. In fact, it was released originally in 1941 and has been re-released on several anniversaries over the years. Dumbo is an adorable elephant born to a circus mom. However, all of the other elephants make fun of him due to the extremely large ears he has. The are so long that he even trips over them.
However, Dumbo is able to overcome that problem and even learns to fly with his big ears. He teaches us the value of friendship and of finding good things within ourselves instead of just giving up. The old saying that each of us is special in our own way is a constant theme throughout the movie.
Children love books and in Horton Hears a Who there is plenty to love about it. This is a story of an elephant that no one believes, but he can hear people in another world. Those two worlds eventually do come together and Horton is able to save Whoville. This is also a top movie now as well.
Another popular elephant in children’s literature is Barber. He has a variety of adventures and through them he teaches children valuable lessons. The great artist work in all of those books are another reason why children are so interested in them. These are perfect for children from about 3 grade to about 6 grade level.
If you ever get an invitation to a party and it says to bring a white elephant gift then you are in for a treat. Your goal is to find a gift that is somewhat bizarre and off the wall. It also needs to be unique and it needs to be inexpensive. It can be fun seeing what everyone at the party brought to fit this bill.
Pink elephants in popular culture are often to depict someone who is drunk or having hallucinations. It can also be a term used when someone has hit their head and they start to see things that aren’t really there. Elephants are well loved animals though and as you can see they definitely hold their own when it comes to a place in popular culture.
