Jodi Sandoval

Happy Feet was released in November 2017 and stars actor Elijah Wood as Mumble,
Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. The story follows
Mumble, an Empire Penguin from Alaska who has a knack for tap dancing. Penguins are not supposed to tap dance, rather they are supposed to sing; their voices are used to serenade a mate.
However, Mumble cannot sing and is considered an outcast in the community. Mumble makes several attempts to sing a heartsong, but fails miserably. Mumble ventures away from the community for the first time and runs into a group of strange penguins called the “Adeile
Amigos” and befriends them. Mumble shows off his tap dancing skills and the crew is enthralled and captivated by his strange abilities. The amigos take Mumble home to realize that their communities fish source has dissipated by an unknown force. The group decides to set off and see an ancient Guru­ Lovelace. Lovelace answers any question you have for him at the price of a pebble. Once the Adeile Amigos and Mumble reach him, he is proven to be of no help and set out to find their own answers. Through many troubles, trials and tribulations on their adventure,
Mumble realizes that his unique ability to tap dance is not a burden or something to be ashamed of, but a strength and helps him define his own sense of self.
Mumbles father had dropped him when he was still an egg­ the fathers are the ones who carry the child and when he dropped him on the freezing arctic floor, something could have gone wrong in the egg and triggered his “Happy Feet”. Though there is no direct cause of ADHD, there is a correlation or reason to believe that mothers who expose the child to toxic substances such as nicotine or alcohol. Another could be injury to the brain or some form of trauma. An online article from myafhd.com reads that, “injury to the brain can be the result of trauma
(serious blow to the head), brain tumor, stroke or disease. These factors can cause problems with inattention and poor regulation of motor activity and impulses”.
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactive disorder is considered “one of the most common disorders of childhood but often continues into adolescence and adulthood” according to the textbook Special Education in Contemporary Society. ADHD is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes a “persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity­impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.” In the movie,
Mumble exhibits a few habits that show he has some characteristics of ADHD. Mumble has
“happy feet”­ he is incapable of controlling the movements of his feet, as well as a shortened attention span/difficulty staying focused when being told not to do the dance with his feet.
Mumble seems to tap his feet the most when his father tells him to stop, or that he needs to refrain from doing it because “it’s not what penguins do”. There are many other characteristics that children with ADHD contain. They are broken into three different subcategories: Inattention which includes the forgetfulness in daily activities, failure to accomplish tasks, failure to pay close attention to details, not listening when being directly spoken to; Hyperactivity which includes fidgeting or squirming, talking excessively, being “always on the go”, and difficulty in

engaging in quiet leisure activities; last is impulsivity which the individual blurts out answers, difficulty waiting in line or for their own turn, interrupts others and acts without thinking.

Reference Causes of ADHD (n.d). Retrieved April 18th, 2016 from http://www.myadhd.com/causesofadhd.html Gargiulo R.M (2915)
Special Education in Contemporary Society (5th edition): Washington, DC:

Sage Publications Inc.