Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Disney Mean Girls


Walter Elias, also known as Walt Disney, was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer international, and philanthropist. Because of Walt Disney, we have Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, Mulan, Rapunzel, and many more. Each of those women is defined as Walt Disney Princesses ("Wikipedia").   
“The Disney Princesses are characters that are currently featured in the Disney Princess franchise. The franchise is now comprised of ten female protagonists from ten different Walt Disney animated films who are either royal by birth, royal by marriage, or considered a “princess”, due to their significant portrayal of heroism in their film and/or of a very high status in their country/region” ("Wikia"). Disney Princesses normally have to maintain a good reputation, or that’s how it seems. The characters themselves are very similar and are known for their inner and outer beauty. They were not chosen specifically for their royal titles, but rather for how well they fit into what Disney executives deemed “the Princess mythology” ("Wikia").
         n. Princess
o   A non-reigning female member of a royal family, a female sovereign or monarch; queen, the consent of a prince, and considered to have the qualities or characteristics of a princess ("Dictionary").
Growing up many girls has looked up to Disney Princesses as they portray the “perfect” women as classy, independent, strong, royal, and all other characteristics of a princess. In this generation today, many girls believe the perfect woman is stuck-up; rich, all the boys like them, a celebrity, and most importantly popular, like some of the young ladies presented in the movie “Mean Girls”.
The movie “Mean Girls”, written by Rosalind Wiseman, portrays the role of women as evil, harsh, back-stabbing, and untrustworthy. The movie is based on a 16-year-old homeschooled daughter of zoologist parents named Cady, who has recently moved from Africa to a public high school in Illinois. She has trouble fitting in until she gets help from social outcasts who teach her about the various cliques around school. Cady is warned to avoid the school’s most exclusive clique, the Plastics ("Wikipedia"). The Plastics are the schools most popular trio of girls. They’re pretty, independent, have perfect bodies, all the boys love them, and they’re rich. So, doesn’t that make them “perfect? This generation of young girls have grown-up to believe that those characteristics of a woman are considered “perfect” princess-like.
So, how are the female roles defined? The stereotypical role of a woman is vulnerable, weak, dependent, and belongs in the kitchen. From a feminist critique, this mash-up between the Disney Princesses and the voices of “Mean Girls” are teaching young girls the wrong characteristic roles of a woman. A Disney Princess is known for their all-around characteristics of a perfect woman, and using the Disney Princesses to play the role of the characters in the movie “Mean Girls” makes the Disney Princesses look like a hypocrite. Nevertheless, people have high expectations for the Disney Princesses but this mash-up is giving them a bad image.

Works Cited

3 comments:

  1. I coudn't find the source to your mash up. Also I didnt understand your question until the very end. But I like how you described the difference between the disney princess and mean girls and how the views have changed through generations.

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  2. I know you find some knowledge about Disney Mean Girls. But I don't know what you want to mash up. I am also not sure I choose A or B. But it is interesting knowledge about the movie Mean Girls.

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  3. I LOVE DISNEY! Had to say that first. I like that you chose to concentrate on Disney princesses. After reading I think you have chose a feminist approach to Disney. I liked how you looked at the cartoons and also Mean Girls.

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