In relation to gender in the films The Piano, The Searchers and Meshes of the Afternoon, there are prominent issues in relation to how they are represented within the realm of the movie screen. However, these representations correlate with societal conventions for the times these films were set in. All of these films represent women as being subservient and submissive, while the men are strong, dominant and assertive. However, there is a collapse in relation to these representations as gender roles are subverted, which contrasts with gender ideals from global society. As a result, we see the male characters become feminine and the female characters become masculine.
These concepts are depicted within the classic Disney princess film Cinderella directed by Clyde Geronimi. This film has ‘taught’ and/or shown little girls to stop everything they are currently doing and to become dependent on a man to save the day. Cinderella can be seen as the ultimate example of a “damsel-in-distress” because she gets saved from being “abused, humiliated and a servant in her own house to her stepmother and stepsisters” (Cinderella). However, the film does not fail to mention how despite this Cinderella still remains “gentle” and “kind.” The usage of ‘gentle’ and ‘kind’ rather than ‘understanding’ pinpoints the societal gender norms in action— according to these, a woman should be compliant and quiet. Professor Jane Ward
Disney’s two movies Mulan and Cinderella have a couple gender stereotypes in common. For example both movies hint that all women want is to have strong man who can make their lives better. In Cinderella it was more obvious, with Cinderella being whisked away by prince charming. In Mulan it is more discreet, as sexist remarks are embedded into song lyrics. In the song “Honor to us All,” an older woman, who seems to be a hairdresser talks about how men want girls who are “Obedient / who work fast / … And [a girl with] a tiny waist.” This is sexist because it implies that women are meant to stay at home, obey their husband, and look
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. There are also negative life lessons found in Disney films. Some examples are on how it’s a must for each girl to become like a princess; ugly people are evil and immoral and that
Like Frozen and Brave that do not focus on romance. It in very obvious that the male and female bodies in many animated movies and not proportionate and give off an unrealistic expectation for both males and Females. Generally Cohen is trying to say that Disney should at least try
Domesticity was idealized during the Cold War, which played a context in movies that came out in the 1950s such as Sleeping Beauty (Watts 234). The movie Sleeping Beauty showed the evil character Maleficent as everything against what women were supposed to act like (Watts 328-331). Villains in Disney movies were the opposite of domestic and reinforced the “idealized standard of female virtue” (Watts 331). Princess Aurora was thus portrayed as a domestic and pretty character
Typically, Disney movies are known for the typical princess and prince love story and are solely based around the man and woman main characters falling in love with each other. However, instead the movie revolves around more important things like diversity and friendships. This film teaches an important lesson that just because people are different doesn’t mean you should treat them any differently than a normal person. An example of that is the unique bond between Olaf and Anna. Olaf is a snowman who Anna brought to life and he has dreams of being able to bask in the sun.
Most young children grow up watching Disney movies, which causes girls to want to grow up and be princess and allow the boys to want to be the white knight who saves all. Only recently with films like Frozen and Brave have females characters not really needing a male to save them. The Gender roles in Disney Animations paper states, “Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Mulan, each princess in these movies are more independent” (Yerby). This however is incorrect due to Jasmine needing to be saved by Aladdin, Mulan trying to be a man, and Pocahontas only saved John Smith due to love and not the means of their tribe. Even movies that do not include humans have stereotypes like in Lion King with how the lionesses are unable to gain the strength to overthrow Scar until Simba has returned (Yerby).
Upon research I found an article conversing about the images and the depictions of the genders and race shown in Disney Films, they further discuss that, (Adessa Towbin et al., 2008)"(a) Men primarily use physical means to express their emotions or show no emotions, (b) Men are not in control of their sexuality, (c) Men are naturally strong and heroic, (d) Men have non-domestic jobs, and (e) overweight men have negative chracteristics”. Examples of such traits in the males characters are witnessed in most of the Disney
Mulan breaks the Disney stereotype of most princesses. She is considered a tomboy, who is strong and independent. Most Disney princesses are beautiful and feminine, becoming the damsel in distress