ipl-logo

Disney Princesses Analysis

1183 Words5 Pages

Many girls dream of their knight in shining armor, a perfect wedding, and a happily ever after ending. Disney princesses give them hope to find love and happiness along with emphasizing their want for the beauty and grace princesses illustrate. Authors of “Cinderella and Princess Culture” and “The Princess Paradox,” Peggy Orenstein and James Poniewozik respectively, agree that most girls like princesses. However, these articles convey differing parental opinions on lessons girls learn from princesses and the unfavorable effects this has at their young age. Orenstein describes her negative views on princesses through her experiences with her daughter and the knowledge of Andy Mooney’s business decisions on princesses. Conversely, Poniewozik …show more content…

In contrast to past gender stereotypes, they argue that girls should be strong, independent, and intelligent. Orenstein takes a second wave feminism approach, meaning females are just as capable as males. She references how she commonly writes about feminism and warning parents of a “preoccupation of body and beauty” in order to pull for a change in society (327). The beauty standards give women an impossible set of goals deterring their confidence. In addition to unrealistic standards, Orenstein is alarmed by the growing popularity of princesses because she views them as “retrograde role models” (329). Therefore, she thinks princesses teach false lessons on morals, speculating less attractive girls will be bullied. Although Orenstein takes a second wave feminist approach, Poniewozik has a third wave feminism viewpoint, which states women can perform female and male tasks. Poniewozik describes various new princess movies that have a third wave feminism approach, for example in The Prince & Me, Paige chooses her career of becoming a doctor over the prince (324). However, in the sequel, she marries the prince and continues working as a doctor. He advocates for the new movies as they teach independence and prioritizing personal goals in order to demonstrate that girls can be successful going to college and getting a career. Even though …show more content…

Both authors indicate parental and business opinions of princesses in pursuance of appealing to many readers. Orenstein expresses her dislike towards Disney princesses by proposing that young girls learn incorrect values from the original princess movies, since they teach women unrealistic love and beauty standards. However, Poniewozik believes that recent live action princess movies demonstrate women achieving their personal goals before seeking true love in order to teach independence and convey his supporting views of modern princesses. While Poniewozik and Orenstein want to see the next generations of females become strong, self-sufficient women that do not need a fairytale lifestyle they disagree with how princess movies in general teach these lessons to young

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of What's Wrong With Cinderella

    887 Words  | 4 Pages

    Cinderella Article titled “What’s Wrong with Cinderella” written by Peggy Orenstein, covered five areas about the “Princess” trend in the 21st Century. Orenstein states facts, feminist views and third party, reasoning to support and oppose her views on the princess craze. The opposing data does not prove there are long or short term health or well-being effects or damages from the data collected. Orenstein gives an inter-dialogue with the pros and cons of marketing to young girls on its health effects and its well-being damages to young girls that experience the princess craze. Orenstein agrees young girls are not allowed to be themselves.

    Read More

  • Princess Paradox By James Poniewozik Summary

    1015 Words  | 5 Pages

    He begins to say, “You give your daughter legos and soccer balls, not barbies” (323). Poniewozik proceeds to argue his point by explaining how Hollywood finally discovered that it is pointless to fight the urge of the astonishing pink princess epidemic, while producing many more princess themed items because it is what girls seem to want. Similarly, Peggy Orenstein opens with a story about a mother who is simply appalled by anything and everything princess based on how her daughter gets treated by other adults. However, Orenstein tried to keep a consistent theme of not accepting the whole idea of being picture perfect throughout the article, but while making an argument, she would then come up with a contrasting argument. The question of, “Does every little girl really have to be a princess?”(Orenstein 326), arises when thinking about all of the times how even strangers assume little girls always want pink.

    Read More

  • The Myth Of American Girl By Peggy Orenstein

    378 Words  | 2 Pages

    This quote shows that Orenstein conducted interviews with teenagers, as well as adults. She gets an inside view of a teenager's mind through her interview; this boosts her credibility. All of Orenstein's research and interviews effectively argue that a princess-like culture is dangerous to

    Read More

  • Is The Difference Between James Ponniewozik's Cinderella And Princess Culture

    990 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the excerpts from both James Poniewozik's "The Princess Paradox" and Peggy Orenstein's "Cinderella and Princess Culture", the authors address the growing market of princess products and how big ticket companies are using this knowledge to turn a profit. Both authors are highly respected journalists who have been published in the New York Times multiple times. Each has done their own intensive research on the media's use of princesses and their culture to make money. While both authors address how corporations are finding profit in "princess culture", Poniewozik focuses on how movie studios found princess stories to bring money in from young audiences, while Orenstein appears more concerned with how Disney branded princesses.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In The Princess And The Frog

    597 Words  | 3 Pages

    The movie “The Princess and the Frog” is not your typical “boy saves girl” movie. Instead, this Disney movie presents us with a strong female lead who doesn’t need a man to achieve her goals. In many previous Disney movies, it is demonstrated that a girl needs a man in order to get her happily ever after. Without a prince, she is nothing. In “The Princess and the Frog” the gender roles are presented to us as equal, even reverse at times.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mary Pipher's Saplings In The Storm

    713 Words  | 3 Pages

    These phenomenons bring up the fact that just by them watching this they get a certain perception of a princess and how to be one. Not only does this have an effect on girls so do the approval of others as they understand

    Read More

  • Post-Princess Models Of Gender: The New Man In Disney

    722 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and many other Disney movies all have one thing in common, they feature a female lead who need a male figure to save them. However, things started to change after the release of Mulan 1988. It changed from only having those female leads who always needed to rely on someone, to females who were able to show off their more masculine side. In the article “Post-Princess Models of Gender: The New Man in Pixar/Disney,” Ken Gillam and Shannon R. Wooden explored the idea that Pixar movies were starting to show male characters who weren 't afraid to show their emotions and feminine attributes, to promote the “New Man” model.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of What's Wrong With Cinderella

    1343 Words  | 6 Pages

    However, the later Disney films have gradually attempted to break away from this stereotype resulting in stronger female characters like Ariel, Mulan, and Elsa among others. Keeping this transition in mind, this paper uses semiotic analysis of four popular Disney films, namely, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Mulan (1998) to depict the influence of societies ' changing perceptions of women on the portrayal of Disney princesses. These films taking into account the earliest film and certain popular characters that have represented a shift from being the coy damsel in distress to a woman who plays an active role in determining her own destiny. The portrayal of the Disney princess has changed in accordance with the development of women in society over time (1937 to 2013) from demure and traditional to

    Read More

  • Little Girls Or Little Women: The Disney Princess Effect

    582 Words  | 3 Pages

    The topic of self confidence is a subject that is heavily discussed when it comes to girls of all ages. Journalist, Stephanie Hanes, examines the current trend of sexualization amongst young girls. In the article “Little Girls or Little Women: The Disney Princess Effect”, Hanes examines the current trend of sexualization amongst girls. She addresses the issue of desiring to become a women too soon. Hanes develops her article by using the literary techniques of pathos and logos to describe the emotions young girls feel when they see images of women with unattainable features.

    Read More

  • Disney Princesses Are Bad Role Models

    1285 Words  | 6 Pages

    Walt Disney has been making girls think that in order to be beautiful you have to be the perfect shape and size. (Shortridge). Some people believe that the Disney Princesses are great role models for children because Mulan teaches us to never give up on the strengths we have just because we are girls, Belle teaches us to never judge a book by its cover, and Pocahontas shows us real princesses are strong leaders. On the other hand, some individuals feel that Disney Princesses are bad role models because of their unrealistic body appearance, telling girls every marriage ends with a happily ever after when you get married at a young age, and saying every girl needs a man in order to be happy. Both sides have valid points but in reality everyone

    Read More

  • Paper Bag Princess Stereotypes

    494 Words  | 2 Pages

    Princesses’ in Disney movies are tied down to a recurring theme: the princess that must be saved from the evil woman by the charming prince. A significant contrast to the usually weak and easily persuaded figure of the father. Even though the women are portrayed as weak, nobody stops to think how strong they have to be to carry the responsibility of an entire household on her shoulder, while the men always seem to be traveling or ill. Fairytales are based on a patriarchal way of thinking and as time passes by, it’s proven to be detrimental to society Women and men are constantly being bound to a series of stereotypes.

    Read More

  • The Negative Aspects Of Disney Princesses In Disney

    1025 Words  | 5 Pages

    People of all ages throughout the years are very familiar with the concept of Disney movies. Some notable classics of Disney are “Beauty and the Beast” which was released in 1991 and “The Little Mermaid” which was released in 1989. Among the children, the Disney princesses left a good impression on them like Cinderella from “Cinderella”, Pocahontas from “Pocahontas”, and Mulan from “Mulan”. However, many believe that Disney movies serve as a good influence to young audiences but people should know that Disney also has its flaws. Disney have showed negative portrayals of Disney princesses in their films especially when it comes to their usual unattainable beauty ideal and portraying their princesses as inferior to men.

    Read More

  • Psychoanalytic Analysis Of The Disney Film 'Cinderella'

    1318 Words  | 6 Pages

    Abstract Most of us have grown up watching Disney films but never really thought of what they exactly mean to us. Our understanding of what it means to be a Disney princess is probably one of the reasons to what made us subject to the regulation of cultural values. Cinderella and other similar Disney princesses may be recognised as a part of an individual’s childhood but the values and ideas it conveyed can still be reflected in our decisions and behaviour as adults. Many young girls perceive Cinderella as a role model and create expectations and beliefs based on what is portrayed through her unfortunately these expectations are not fulfilled and ends in dissatisfaction.

    Read More

  • Disney Princess Stereotypes

    1330 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Disney princess movies had a great deal of influence on many young girls watching princesses represent what royalty looked like. The princesses are always beautiful, polite and seeking the love of their Prince Charming. This plays a strong role in perpetuating the idea that being a princess means seeking only love from a man, and a man who contains all the stereotypical masculine qualities; handsome, powerful and rich. For example, in The Little Mermaid, Ariel had to give up who she was in order to win over the affection of her prince charming. She traded in her voice in order to have real legs and near Prince Eric.

    Read More

  • Cinderella Vs Modern Story

    1161 Words  | 5 Pages

    A Comparison between Traditional and Modern Day Versions of Cinderella Cinderella is perhaps one of the most famous childhood fairy tale stories of all time. Over the years, numerous versions of the story have been recreated and have been told to children all over the world. The original story of Cinderella follows the life of a young girl who is mistreated by her step mother and stepsisters. Cinderella is magically converted into a gorgeous princess with the assistance of her fairy godmother. She then goes to the ball to meet the prince.

    Read More

More about Disney Princesses Analysis

Open Document