Aladdin is the protagonist of the movie. A street rat from the city of Agrabah, Aladdin spent much of his youth scraping for food and ducking guards with his monkey sidekick Abu. He sustains a heroically selfless deposition, which in turn made him entitled to a magic lamp concealing a wish-granting genie. Despite his upbringing, Aladdin is a generally optimistic, fun-loving, and charming character. Though he's forced to steal for survival, he shows joy in escaping the brutish guards, alongside his sidekick Abu, and shows an attempt to find enjoyment in the struggles of his day-to-day life. Nevertheless, though he does not mind stealing from the marketplace denizens, albeit forcibly so, Aladdin is, in no way, a selfish character. Not only are the thefts for survival, but Aladdin is also never above sacrificing his food for the less fortunate of Agrabah, such as starving children. While harboring a modest amount of physical prowess, Aladdin's true strength lies within his intelligence and wit. He utilizes these aspects to best his enemies, and such practices have proven effective in various situations throughout the film. He is a quick-thinker, with the ability to formulate a scheme (usually varying in scale, making him rather versatile) that ends in his favor. Aladdin also takes advantage of his societal stereotype to further his schemes, as most wouldn't expect a meager street urchin to have the intellect to outwit others. Although generally cheery and fun-loving, Aladdin is also shown to be insecure throughout the film's events. Being a street rat, Aladdin normally faces discrimination in the city of Agrabah and is seen as a worthless member of society. This cruelty eventually led Aladdin to believe such claims; he saw himself as unworthy of Princess Jasmine's affections, believing she deserved someone of higher class and, by extension, someone who can provide for her.