Walt Disney: An Example of Struggle and Success
Whenever you think about great personalities who started from very humble beginnings and achieved extraordinary success, who comes to your mind? Walt Disney's name springs to many people's minds.
Walt Disney is known as an extraordinarily successful and creative person whose visions as an animator, filmmaker, and theme park developer changed the entertainment world in the 20th century and beyond. Yet, dig a little deeper into Disney's background, and you will discover that his road to success was paved by an unhappy childhood along with countless business failures and setbacks.
Born in Chicago in 1901 and raised in Missouri, Disney was the fourth son among five siblings. His father, Elias, was a domineering figure who was allegedly abusive. He was unsuccessful to make ends meet for the family. To escape from his stressful circumstances, Young Disney found solace in drawing. Still, he would watch his older brothers, one by one, run off from home to escape their father. When Disney was 16, he dropped out of school to join the Army but was rejected for being underage. Instead, he joined the Red Cross and was sent to France for a year to drive an ambulance. He moved back to the United States in 1919.
When he returned home from war, Disney became an apprentice at a Kansas City commercial art studio. Itching to set off, he and his older brother, Roy, launched their own cartoon business, Laugh-O-Gram Studios, in 1920, but the company went bankrupt a couple of years later.
With the loss of his first business, Disney packed his bags, and with just forty dollars to his name, took off to Los Angeles to try his hand at acting. But he failed at that, too. Still, there was a silver lining to his move. Noticing there were not any animation studios in California, Disney convinced Roy to join him out West so they could set up a shop. Not so long after, Disney found his first major success with the creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
Disney's character Oswald was lucky, becoming a huge star in one- reel animation, but Disney himself would find his luck had run out. Travelling to New York to renegotiate his contract, he discovered that his producer had taken his team of animators from him and that he no longer had any legal rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. But instead of fighting the loss or plotting his revenge. Disney decided to walk away and start over again. It was on the train ride back to California that he created Mickey Mouse.
After years of eating beans and driving up his debts, Disney finally brought Mickey Mouse to life on film starting in the late 1920s and earned his way back to the top of his industry. But it was not easy. Investers rejected the concept of his famous mouse over 300 times before one accepted it.
Even with the success of Mickey Mouse, Disney still faced challenges in keeping his business afloat. Not only was he overworked, but tensions with his employer; who eventually stole his longtime and best animator from him, led to Disney having a nervous breakdown. After taking some time off with his wife to recover, Disney returned with a bold new idea: He would develop a full-length animation feature, which he would call Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). It would become a huge success at the box office, yet the films that followed, inocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Bambi (1942), would end up being duds.
If Disney didn't already have enough burdens to shoulder, more were on the way. His animators went on strike at the start of World War II and contributed to his mounting debt that ran upwards of four million dollars. After the war was over, his company was slow to rebuild, but during this time, Disney learned to diversify his business by turning to television, despite pressures from the film studios to stay on the big screen. His gamble paid off. With the success of TV shows like The Mickey Mouse Club and Davy Crockett, Disney was able to harness enough capital to launch his biggest venture yet: Disneyland.
Disneyland was opened on July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, California. Like most of Disney's enterprises, it got off to a rocky start. Forged tickets were bringing more visitors than anticipated, adding to a line that trailed seven miles long. With temperature soaring up to 100 degrees, the new asphalt was melting women's high heels, drinking fountains were defunct and some of the rides malfunctioned. Critics called the opening of Disneyland "Black Sunday." But as always, Disney's determination and perseverance turned his latest endeavor around. Disneyland became a colossal success, clearing out his fi- nancial debts, and to this day, operates as an integral part of his busi- ness empire.
Commenting on the benefits of failure, Disney once said: "All the adversity I've had in my life, all the troubles and obstacles have strengthened me. You may not realise it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."
A. Use the correct words/ phrases given below to complete the sentences.
-domineering -solace -apprentice -bankrupt -plotting -afloat -mounting -harness -perseverance -colossal
a. Kisan had to sell his house to keep his business ..........afloat........... |
b. He was accused of ..........plotting.......... the robbery of the bank. |
c. Scientists are trying to ..........harness.......... the sun's rays as a new source of energy. |
d. Many companies went ..........bankrupt.......... during the economic depression. |
e. Courage and ..........perseverance.......... are the keys to success in life. |
f. The government had ..........mounting.......... pressure from the public to withdraw the bill. |
g. After his graduation, he worked as an ..........apprentice.......... electrician in a company. |
h. The government spent a ..........colossal.......... amount of money on the renovation of the historical buildings. |
i. Kathy was brought up by an unkind, ..........domineering.......... stepmother. |
i. Patrick took ..........solace.......... in the company of his mates. |
B. Find the meaning of the following phrases/idioms from a dictionary and use them in sentences of your own.
a. make ends meet b. silver lining c. nervous breakdown d. kick in the teeth e. drop out f. set off
a. make ends meet: to have enough money to cover basic expenses |
Despite having a low-paying job, Jane works extra hours to make ends meet. |
b. silver lining: a positive aspect or outcome in a difficult or challenging situation |
Although Sarah didn't get the lead role in the play, the silver lining was that she made new friends during auditions. |
c. nervous breakdown: a period of severe mental or emotional distress that impairs a person's ability to function normally |
The stress of exams and personal problems caused him to have a nervous breakdown. |
d. kick in the teeth: a setback or disappointment that feels like a sudden blow or defeat |
Losing the championship game was a real kick in the teeth for the team. |
e. drop out: to leave or quit something, especially school or a course of study |
Mark decided to drop out of college to pursue his passion for music. |
f. set off: to start a journey or trip |
We will set off early in the morning to avoid traffic on the highway. |
C. The following sentences represent some events in Disney's life. Study and rewrite them in the chronological order.
a. He shifted his focus from big screens to television shows.
b. He successfully founded the famous Disneyland.
c. He returned to Chicago and worked as a trainee at an art studio.
d. He created the characters, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse.
e. The cartoon company collapsed.
f. Disney suffered severe mental and emotional illness.
g. Disney left home and went to France to work as an ambulance driver.
Answer:
Disney left home and went to France to work as an ambulance driver. |
He returned to Chicago and worked as a trainee at an art studio. |
He created the characters, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse. |
The cartoon company collapsed. |
Disney suffered severe mental and emotional illness. |
He shifted his focus from big screens to television shows. |
He successfully founded the famous Disneyland. |
D. Answer these questions.
a. How would you describe Walt Disney's childhood? |
Answer: Walt Disney's childhood was difficult and unhappy, but he found solace in drawing. |
b. What was Disney's family background like? |
Answer: Disney came from a troubled family background, with a domineering and allegedly abusive father, and his older siblings running away from home one by one. |
c. What did Disney do after the failure of his first business? |
Answer: After the failure of his first business, Disney packed his bags and moved to Los Angeles to try his hand at acting, but he ended up starting an animation studio with his brother instead. |
d. How was the character of Mickey Mouse created? |
Answer: Mickey Mouse was created by Disney on a train ride back to California after he lost the rights to another character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. |
e. What caused Disney to have a mental breakdown? |
Answer: Disney had a mental breakdown due to the pressure and tensions in his work, including conflicts with his employer and the loss of his best animator. |
f. How were films like Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi initially perceived? |
Answer: Films like Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi were considered commercially useless at first. |
g. What brought Disney great financial returns? |
Answer: Mickey Mouse and subsequent films brought Disney great financial returns. |
h. Why was the opening of Disneyland called 'Black Sunday'? |
Answer: The opening of Disneyland was called 'Black Sunday' because it faced numerous problems and difficulties, such as forged tickets, long lines, malfunctioning rides, and high temperatures. |
i. What special qualities led Disney to become a successful entrepreneur? |
Answer: Disney's special quality of perseverance and determination eventually led him to become a successful entrepreneur. |
j. What lesson can we learn from Disney's life? |
Answer: From Disney's life, we learn that facing adversity and setbacks can strengthen us, and sometimes the hardest challenges can lead to the best opportunities. |
Word Meaning
Word (Transcription) |
humble (/ˈhʌmbəl/) |
modest, unpretentious |
having or showing a modest or not thinking highly of oneself |
springs (/sprɪŋz/) |
emerges, pops up |
comes up or appears suddenly or unexpectedly |
extraordinarily (/ɪkˈstrɔːrdɪˌnerəli/) |
exceptionally, amazingly |
in an amazingly unusual or outstanding way |
theme-park-developer (/θiːm pɑːk dɪˈvɛləpər/) |
amusement park creator |
someone who designs and builds fun parks |
countless (/ˈkaʊntlɪs/) |
numerous, endless |
too many to count; very many |
siblings (/ˈsɪblɪŋz/) |
brothers and sisters |
brothers or sisters |
domineering (/ˌdɒmɪˈnɪərɪŋ/) |
controlling, bossy |
always wanting to control or be in charge |
allegedly (/əˈlɛdʒɪdli/) |
reportedly, supposedly |
according to what some people say or believe |
abusive (/əˈbjuːsɪv/) |
cruel, mean |
using words or actions to hurt or harm someone |
ends-meet (/ɛndz miːt/) |
make a living, survive |
have enough money to pay for the things that you need |
solace (/ˈsɒlɪs/) |
comfort, relief |
comfort or relief in a time of distress or sadness |
dropped-out (/drɒpt aʊt/) |
quit, left |
stopped going to school or a particular activity |
apprentice (/əˈprɛntɪs/) |
trainee, learner |
a person who is learning a trade from a skilled person |
itching (/ˈɪtʃɪŋ/) |
eager, excited |
having a strong desire or interest |
set-off (/sɛt ɒf/) |
start, begin |
start a journey or course of action |
bankrupt (/ˈbæŋkrʌpt/) |
broke, penniless |
having no money or resources to pay debts |
silver-lining (/ˈsɪlvəˈlaɪnɪŋ/) |
positive side, bright spot |
a positive aspect or hope in a difficult situation |
animation (/ænɪˈmeɪʃən/) |
cartoons, drawings |
the technique of creating moving images or cartoons |
run-out (/rʌn aʊt/) |
exhaust, use up |
use up the supply or resources of |
renegotiate (/riːnɪˈɡəʊʃɪeɪt/) |
revise, change |
negotiate (something) again, typically to change the terms |
plotting (/ˈplɒtɪŋ/) |
scheming, planning |
secretly making plans to carry out something |
revenge (/rɪˈvɛndʒ/) |
retaliation, payback |
the act of getting back at someone for harm or wrongdoing |
beans (/biːnz/) |
legumes, pulses |
seeds or pods of certain plants used for food |
driving-up (/draɪvɪŋ ʌp/) |
accumulating, increasing |
causing to increase or accumulate |
afloat (/əˈfloʊt/) |
solvent, staying above water |
able to stay in business or financially stable |
nervous-breakdown (/ˈnɜrvəs ˈbreɪkdaʊn/) |
mental collapse |
a severe emotional disorder that affects a person's ability to function normally |
time-off (/taɪm ɒf/) |
break, vacation |
a period of rest or leisure time |
box office (/bɒks ˈɒfɪs/) |
ticket sales, movie revenue |
the place where tickets for shows or movies are sold |
duds (/dʌdz/) |
failures, flops |
things that do not work or fail to meet expectations |
mounting (/ˈmaʊntɪŋ/) |
increasing, growing |
gradually increasing or growing in intensity or extent |
diversify (/daɪˈvɜrsɪfaɪ/) |
expand, broaden |
develop new products or services in addition to existing ones |
gamble (/ˈɡæmbəl/) |
risk, bet |
take a risky action in the hope of a desired result |
paid-off (/peɪd ɒf/) |
succeeded, achieved |
resulted in a successful outcome |
harness (/ˈhɑːrnəs/) |
utilize, use |
make use of (a resource or opportunity) |
venture (/ˈvɛntʃər/) |
project, undertaking |
a risky or daring journey or project |
enterprises (/ˈɛntərˌpraɪzɪz/) |
businesses, ventures |
projects or undertakings, especially difficult ones |
got-off (/ɡɒt ɒf/) |
started, began |
began or set off |
rocky-start (/ˈrɒki stɑːrt/) |
difficult beginning, bumpy beginning |
a challenging or uncertain start |
anticipated (/ænˈtɪsɪˌpeɪtɪd/) |
expected, predicted |
thought to be likely or expected to happen |
trailed (/treɪld/) |
followed, went along |
moved slowly or followed behind |
soaring-up (/sɔrɪŋ ʌp/) |
rising, increasing |
increasing rapidly to a high level |
asphalt (/ˈæsfɔːlt/) |
blacktop, road surface |
a black, sticky substance used for surfacing roads |
defunct (/dɪˈfʌŋkt/) |
nonfunctional, no longer in use |
no longer existing or in operation |
malfunctioned (/ˌmælfʌŋkˈʃənd/) |
stopped working, failed |
stopped working or failed to function properly |
determination (/dɪˌtɜrmɪˈneɪʃən/) |
resolve, persistence |
the act of deciding or being determined to achieve something |
endeavor (/ɪnˈdɛvər/) |
effort, undertaking |
a sincere and determined effort to achieve a goal |
colossal (/kəˈlɒsəl/) |
enormous, gigantic |
extremely large or huge in size or extent |
adversity (/ədˈvɜːrsɪti/) |
hardship, difficulty |
difficult or unfavorable circumstances or events |
setback (/ˈsɛtbæk/) |
disappointment, obstacle |
a problem or difficulty that delays or hinders progress |
kick-in-the-teeth (/kɪk ɪn ðə tiːθ/) |
setback, disappointment |
an event or situation that causes a sudden and severe setback or disappointment |
Extra Questions to Practice
Expandable FAQ Section
In which city did Walt Disney work as a trainee at an art studio?
▼
Walt Disney worked as a trainee at an art studio in Chicago.
How did Walt Disney cope with the difficulties of his childhood?
▼
Walt Disney found solace in drawing to cope with the difficulties of his childhood.
What inspired Walt Disney to shift his focus from big screens to television shows?
▼
The success and popularity of television shows inspired Walt Disney to shift his focus from big screens to television.
Which famous theme park did Walt Disney successfully establish?
▼
Walt Disney successfully established Disneyland, a world-renowned theme park.
Which films did Walt Disney create the characters Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi for?
▼
Walt Disney created the characters Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi for his animated films.
What were some of the challenges faced by Walt Disney during the opening of Disneyland?
▼
Some of the challenges faced by Walt Disney during the opening of Disneyland included forged tickets, long lines, malfunctioning rides, and high temperatures.
Why was the opening of Disneyland referred to as 'Black Sunday'?
▼
The opening of Disneyland was labeled 'Black Sunday' due to the various problems and difficulties encountered, including traffic congestion, ride breakdowns, and overcrowding.
Who was the famous cartoon character created by Walt Disney during a train ride?
▼
The famous cartoon character created by Walt Disney during a train ride was Mickey Mouse.
What was the name of the character Walt Disney lost the rights to before creating Mickey Mouse?
▼
The character Walt Disney lost the rights to before creating Mickey Mouse was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
What city did Walt Disney move to after the failure of his first business?
▼
Walt Disney moved to Los Angeles after the failure of his first business.
Which films were initially considered commercially useless but later gained success?
▼
The films that were initially considered commercially useless but later gained success were Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi.
What caused Walt Disney to have a mental breakdown?
▼
Walt Disney had a mental breakdown due to the pressure and tensions in his work, conflicts with his employer, and the loss of his best animator.
Where did Walt Disney work as an apprentice after returning to Chicago?
▼
After returning to Chicago, Walt Disney worked as an apprentice at an art studio.