Well it's obvious what this post is about: the question we've all wondered since childhood, is Sebastian the crustacian a crab or a lobster - or perhaps a new forray into hitherto unedeveloped areas of hybridity?
(Question triggered by a mermaid tutorial given to nephew Ethan last night, the result of which was a room full of Van Dykes quarrelling on the genus of this little guy - who, let's admit, is probably Disney's most fantastic creation.)
I took a pretty hard line on his lobster-status. I mean, get an eyeful of those pinchers - have you ever seen a crab with pinchers like that? NO you haven't. Because crabs don't have an anatomy that includes pinchers like that. I'm firm on this.
However, there were other Van Dykes who were not so certain, even belligerently so. Insisting that the movie must speak for itself, Little Mermaid transcripts were googled and this evidence - yes seemingly incontrovertable - was discovered:
The testimony of Chef Loius:
"Zut alors! I have missed one.[Picks him up] Sacrebleu! What is this? / How on earth could I miss / Such a sweet, little succulent crab / Quel dommage, what a loss! / Here we go, in the sauce / Now some flour, I think just a dab / Now I'll stuff you with bread! / It don't hurt, 'cause you're dead / And you're certainly lucky you are / 'Cause it's gonna be hot in my big silver pot / Toodle-oo, mon poisson, au revoir"
(I suppose I didn't really have to quote that all, but man doesn't that bring on the nosalgia? Besides it's just a really good song.)
If you missed it, yup Loius is on the side of the crab-status. As is King Triton ("you're just the crab to do it!")
However, while certain viewers may regard this as the end of the argument, I remain certain that, at the very least, those Disney people were just confused. Confused, or trying to pull one over the innocent children, all of whom have no doubt emerged into adulthood with significantly warped perceptions of the physiogomy of crabs.
6 comments:
I'm with you. Sebastian is definitely a lobster. Here's my reason: lobsters have heads distinct from their bodies. Crabs don't, they just have little eyes sticking out of their bodies. Sebastian clearly has a head distinct from his body, so to me he looks more lobster-like than crab-like.
I would like to point out that no one calls sebastian a crab who really cares for him. Only those who want to use him as a means to their end.
maybe they were just ignorant--- you never know. there is no narrator to tell us otherwise.
i cannot believe that you posted this gem on feb. 3 and its been this long since i read it.
spiro even got here before me. unreal.
sorry to disagree on this one - but he's always been a crab to me. but i still do care for him.
It would seem that this little corner of the 'blogosphere' is edging towards a 'lobster' decision, and I would agree. This is just off the top of my head, but here we go...
In this particular case the biological evidence must take precedence over the textual. We seem to have very little in the way of textual evidence that these particular cultures differentiate between the two creatures. Perhaps in their particular dialect, which both the sea and land communities seem to have in common, 'crab' is a perfectly cromulent term for those of a crustacean ilk. Spiro does present a good point in that sociology has shown us the great divide between how those on the inside of a group view/understand/express their identity and how those on the 'outside' view/understand/express it. The question needs to be asked whether or not there is any textual evidence which might suggest to us how Sebastian views himself (what kind of aquatic arthropod does he think he is?). To be sure, there is great room for further research and discussion in this area.... perhaps a future dissertation for one of you ladies? At this point, though, I would stand firmly on the lobster side. Sharelle, you can be wrong and still care for him ;)
I would like to apologize for taking over 3 years to contribute to this conversation, but I can't help myself from interjecting.
First, I find it extreme telling that he is described as a crab several times, and the word "lobster" is never even mentioned in the entire move.
Second, basing it upon the anatomy of an animated character is absurd, since Disney animators obviously use "artistic freedom" in much of what they do, such as enlarging the claws, and giving a head to an animal who talks.
Third, apparently none of you lobster-lovers paid any attention to his body. He 100% has the shell and legs of a crab, and no tail to speak of. A lobsters tail makes up half of its body. If he was a lobster, there would be at least some kind of a tail.
In conclusion, Sebastian is a crab. It's not really up for debate.
Sebastian is a crab. There is no debate. He's called a crab several times throughout the film, including by himself. Right after Ariel has discovered that she has legs, they're on the beach and Sebastian "himself" says it. I quote: "This is a catastrophe! What would her father say? I'll tell you what her father'd say. He'd say he's gonna kill himself a crab, that's what her father'd say! I'm gonna march meself home and tell him right this minute"
He's a Disney crab. He has no lobster tail, no lobster shell, and no lobster shape. He is nothing more than an exaggerated Disney cartoon crab. Case closed, zero debate.
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