The Influence Of Disney Princesses

Putnam explains that when her daughter asks questions about gender norms (boys having long hair, etc...), she knows that this is because of influences like Disney that establish and reestablish ‘correct’ gender standards in many of their films.

Most Disney princess movies establish these female archetypes of physical attributes and personal characteristics each princess must obtain in order to fit within the ‘norm’ of what a female is defined and seen as. Physical attributes include a petite figure, voluminous hair, and symmetrical faces (example within image #1 on page 11). In addition to these are the personal characteristics of dependence and naivete. Although these standards of a ‘perfect’ female may have not been created by Disney, they surely have been reinforced by it. Common features seen throughout Disney films are princesses being given natural beauty, which in turn is what defines them as a princess.

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.

Introduction Throughout the 20th century and even today, Disney has been a major part of children’s youth. When children are young, they can be taught anything and they learn it very quickly. In our society, young children learn the religion when they are so young. When the child watches a Disney cartoon or movie they tend to imagine what would it be like to have the life shown in Disney. Disney creates an imaginative land in the minds of the children that the can do whatever, and be whatever they want, they are only limited by their imagination.

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.

For many of us, Walt Disney Pictures have played a large part in our childhood. Giroux (1995) even goes as far as saying that Disney are just as useful as school teachers and parents at teaching values and morals to younger children. Throughout Disney movies, important life lessons and messages are constantly being put across; whether it being Rapunzel telling us that sometimes, feeling the fear and letting go of familiarity can allow us to move forward and experience new and better things (Walt Disney Pictures, Tangled, 2010) or Timon from the Lion King sending out the positive message of 'Hakuna Matata', meaning no matter how hard life gets, you can always pull through (Walt Disney Pictures, The Lion King, 1994). For the past century, many children have looked up to Disney characters with great admiration.

While many young girls love the princesses and look up to them, others view these characters as negative role models. Disney Princesses have always appeared in movies as young women who dress in elegant gowns, have sexy bodies and perfect hair. They are always paired with a prince who lives in a castle, meaning that he has a lot of money. This description of what the Disney Princess is like; give us a big concern in the influence this image is giving to the little girls. Unfortunately, what girls learn as children carries on into adulthood.

Children are extremely impressionable, they take everything in like a sponge wanting to learn everything there is to know about life. With movies and television being as popular as they are today it would make sense that these things would have major influence over the children who watch them and Disney princesses are no exception. The first Disney princess movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, was released in 1937 (England, Descartes and Collier-Meek 555) and since then Disney princesses have become increasingly popular over the years in the eyes of children and even adults. Disney princess films are aimed at children, but known to movies that the entire family can sit down and enjoy together but the messages within may actually be harming

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.

In general, the princesses range in age from fourteen to nineteen years old and the plot of their movies commonly revolves around the common theme of needing to be saved by a man. For Princess Ariel, age sixteen, and Princess Jasmine, age fifteen, they are not strangers to this idea. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, of PsychologyToday.com, emphasizes the impact of role models on children, which the princesses are to many, by sharing her perspective through the results of studies. In her research, Whitbourne has found that children tend to model their behavior off of individuals that seem to be rewarded. This idea can be used to describe some of the more questionable scenes in both Ariel’s and Jasmine’s movies.

In "Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect", Stephanie Hanes makes the argument that Disney princesses and modern day media influence young girls in negative ways. Hanes suggests that sexualization is everywhere including cartoons. She points out that any detail such as Ms. Piggy showing cleavage, leads girls to assume that doing so is okay and natural. Furthermore, Hanes asserts that allowing girls to see themselves as sex objects is a contributor to depression, eating disorders, and many other health problems for young girls.

Gender Ideology in Grimm and Disney Why are young girls in society expected to look up to perfect princesses as role models? When did singing with animals and loving to cook and clean become admirable traits? Since 1937, movies have been made about the Grimm fairy tale princesses that highlight these ideals. Not only are these things inaccurate in real life; they are also altered from their original stories.

Until August 18, 1920, women were restricted rights. Throughout history, gender roles were set as women were ineligible to be educated and get paying jobs, leaving them to stay at home to cook and clean. August 18, 1920 was the day it changed for woman. The 19th amendment of the United States constitution was ratified to give women their own suffrage. After this day, women gained more equality, access to education, jobs in the workforce, and a change in domestic role.