Mickey Mouse became the hero of Disney cartoons and a universal symbol of celebration, childhood and joy for people all over the world. The image of the kind little mouse is presented to the public as an aspect of human existence expressed in unclouded naivety, joyful carelessness, friendliness and reckless courage. Mickey Mouse lives in an idealised world that resembles a holiday. Inviting the viewer into it, the cartoon hero seems to promise a long-awaited gift, which may be anything at all but is bound to bring joy and hope. Nothing can shake Mickey’s natural kindness, as if he himself becomes a gift to several generations of people, in the form of an animated character calling them into a world of fairy-tale magic.
As a symbol of American pop culture, the image of the little mouse has spread far beyond the United States, remaining an essential attribute of most celebrations and photo shoots and firmly establishing the visual patterns of its own style. At the same time, as a hugely popular character in mass culture, the kind little mouse has also bravely endured its complex transformations, ending up in postmodern art. Having passed the test of durability in the era of deconstruction, the image of Mickey has remained in the new semantic context of culture, retaining its characteristic visual features, which means that Mickey Mouse has acquired a serious status: that of a classic.
Today the image of the little mouse with round ears is successfully stylised and used in all kinds of contexts without losing its reference to the prototype. The image of Mickey now exists in the form of objects with every level of utilitarian function, from shoes to works of contemporary art. A character who has become cultural heritage need not fear oblivion. The emptiness left in the place of vanished heroes, popular in the past, does not touch Mickey. The little mouse has managed to make friends even with their absence “on the body of history”.