Disney Princesses:
Negatively Impacting Women
Abstract – The Disney Princess Impact
Little girls long for acceptance and to feel beautiful, but they never expect their favorite Disney Princess to make them feel self-conscious, have a low self-esteem and have behavior problems as adults. Unfortunately, what girls subconsciously learn as children carries on well into adulthood. As children, girls have a misunderstanding of what it means to be in love and find that they have problems with relationships later on. Girls and women alike also have difficulty understanding what it means to be beautiful since the Disney Princesses show young women who dress in elegant gowns, have sexy bodies and perfect hair. They will seek to spend copious amounts of money to have expensive clothing and have work done on their bodies in order to achieve what it means to be beautiful. In the movies, the princesses are always paired with princes that live in castles. Girls will grow up thinking that they must fall in love with men that will live in beautiful palaces. It will teach them that they will only be happy with men that have money instead of loving men for who they truly are apart from their income and possessions. Women must learn to understand that Disney Princesses are simply fictitious characters meant for entertainment and not to look at them as ideal women that act as the measurement of true beauty, love and happiness.
By identifying the Disney Princess films as fictitious stories of entertainment rather than believing that the princesses are actual people, girls can grow up in a healthy environment by looking up to their older sisters, mothers, aunts, and such as role models. Women can avoid falling into a number of problems that the Disney Princess films introduce such as behavioral issues, bad attitudes, a bad sense of identity, low self-esteem, reliance on being in a relationship and feeling loved only by physical attention. It is important to help girls when they are young to see that the Disney Princess movies are just entertainment and not a lifestyle. If women in their childhood had Disney Princesses plastered on their clothes, bedroom and toys, they will always feel an attachment to becoming like the princesses. The girls that become young ladies by looking up to women they know will allow them to be self-confident, fall in love for the right reasons and have a better outlook on life.
Although the Disney Princesses are a seemingly innocent form of entertainment for young girls, the overall messages prove to serve as a negative influence on how girls develop into women. Girls choose the Disney Princesses as role models because they enjoy watching the films and see the beautiful characters overcome difficult trials. The problem is that girls grow up to become self-conscious, rebellious, airheaded and reliant upon men. Females long to be beautiful and to be accepted, but they learn to follow what they watch. For example, Ariel in The Little Mermaid is a spoiled teenager who rebels against her father’s rules and her voice and sexy body are emphasized as traits that make her the most beautiful young lady. It teaches girls that it is acceptable to disobey their parents’ rules and that beauty is defined by musical ability and fully figured body. Another example is Giselle, from the movie Enchanted, who is confused about what it means to be truly in love. Because she thinks love occurs at first sight and that a prince completes the purpose of a woman’s life, girls will grow up doing whatever they can to gain attention. Girls and women alike will be highly disappointed when they find that the men they fall for do not love them back immediately as seen in the Disney Princess movies. The movies also exaggerate the prince and princess’ marriage and do not give any emphasis on the importance of what occurs after the happy couple gets married. Since girls and women learn to assume that relationships are all about love at first sight, they will not know how to deal with issues within a marriage that they did not solve before marriage. They also feel as though they must have perfect bodies like the princesses while wearing stylish and expensive clothing. As a result they will only feel acceptance when men give them attention about their appearance, resulting in young women falling into eating disorders to stay slender and becoming sex objects. In order to solve a devastating future, parents must tell their children that the movies are just stories and that they must consider real women as their role models that will help their daughters become strong, independent, smart and self-confident. If women have not learned to strengthen their personal character traits, they will not be even considered an option as a life long mate. It is important for women to not be so concerned with their appearance or materialism, because who they are beneath beauty and possessions are long lasting. The princess films do not show what lies after “Happily Ever After” and makes women feel that they must do everything in their ability to stay young looking since the princesses have not aged past the wedding.
The outcome of the research is to prove that Disney Princess films are, in fact, harmful to women well after they have experienced a childhood immersed in the movies. They serve as a good form of entertainment, but women far beyond childhood still cling to finding a prince, having self-esteem problems, wanting a glamorous life and feeling that they are only worthy when their bodies are given attention. It could be a reason why women have identity issues since they have plastic surgery, go to tanning beds, wear an immense amount of makeup, constantly go on diets, date younger men, dress provocatively, date guys only with money and have trouble settling with their idea of a prince. Instead of looking at Disney Princesses as role models, women must learn to become comfortable with who they are without comparing themselves to cartoon characters that do not exist or depict what a real woman should be like.
Research Questions
RQ1
What are the stereotypical qualities of Disney Princesses?
RQ2
How are these qualities negative?
RQ3
Who do girls idolize more: their mothers/older sisters or Disney Princesses?
RQ4
Who do women idolize more: their mothers/older sisters or supermodels/actresses?
RQ5
What are ways women are receiving similar messages comparable to Disney Princess films?
RQ6
What are qualities that society says that women should have?
RQ7
How are these qualities negative?
RQ8
What are some ways that Disney Princesses influence little girls?
RQ9
How is the Disney Princess industry appealing to young girls?
RQ10
What are some ways that Disney Princesses influence women?
RQ11
How is the Disney Princess industry appealing to women?
RQ12
What are some ways that women approach their appearance negatively?
RQ13
What are some ways that women approach their personal identity negatively?
RQ14
What are some ways that women approach relationships negatively?
Texts
The two primary texts of research include the films Enchanted and The Little Mermaid. Both films show examples of princesses that women idolized as children and grew up either trying to imitate or subconsciously acted like as adults. The way the princesses go about resolving their problems and chasing after their dreams reveals significantly about how women will act when they face difficulty or decide that they sincerely want something. The movies also provide insight as far as the physical beauty that girls and women both admire. Women see Ariel’s exposed body as an example of how their bodies should look and decide to either give into eating disorders or severe dieting. Women will look at Giselle as a figure of materialism since she makes a big deal about wearing something new every day and goes on a shopping spree with the little girl who tells Giselle that the credit card is for emergencies. Women learn to believe that they must dress themselves in the latest fashions regardless of how much money it will cost them. Both movies illustrate what it means to grow up as an adult and live the Disney Princess dream.
The major secondary sources include "The Dangerous World Of the Princess", by Kira Cochrane and "Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect," written by Stephanie Hanes. Both articles discuss how the adult future of little girls is negatively impacted by their fascination with Disney Princesses. Cochrane develops a study that supports the idea that women haven’t learned to see beyond “Happily Ever After” and have not learned to be confident in who they are as women apart from the female gender stereotype. Hanes directed her article on the issue that beauty is depicted as the most important feature seen in the Disney Princess industry that women constantly obsess over throughout life. Both articles support the concept that women have become products of their childhood negatively influenced by Disney Princesses.
State of the Question
Most literary analysis about the Disney Princesses cover the issue of how they cause a number of problems for girls and how it is simply an industry focused on making money rather than building young girls’ character. The past research approach for emphasizing the negativity of the Disney Princesses is usually from the point of view of Feminist Criticism. Many of the issues that the Disney Princess industry creates show that the female role is highly influenced. Past research concerning the Disney Princess industry also discusses the way that little girls fall into the gender stereotypes by seeing the merchandise and while looking up to the princesses as role models. Other texts imply that little girls learn from their exposure to toys, films and real grown up women in their own lives. Often times, parents continuously put on a princess movie or hand their daughters a princess doll without thinking how the merchandise is making the children think. There have been multiple studies about the psychological effect on girls and how they mimic what they see in the movies. They will first act out the princess stories during playtime and then they will later develop behaviors similar to what they viewed in the movies in their daily lives.
Further research regarding how Disney Princesses influence female adult behavior will assist in the affirmation that the industry is not simply entertainment. There will be an understanding that the harmful effect from the Disney Princesses does not stop at childhood, but extends throughout adulthood. Discussion of the behaviors of the princesses in the movies is a necessary part in revealing the seriousness of the connection with real life behaviors of women. Regardless of the princess story and the desire to steer the leading female character away from the stereotypical norm, Disney continues to place behaviors that little girls and adults will mimic. Further study will also ensure an understanding that women will be in danger of eating disorders, relationship problems, issues with parents, idolize materialism, and have an emotional imbalance.
Outline
I. Introduction
A. Disney Princesses
1. Influential
2. Beautiful
3. Wealthy
4. Well-dressed
5. Love at first sight
B. Women
1. Watched Disney movies as children
2. Low self-esteem
a. Materialism
b. Eating disorders
3. Confused about relationships
II. Disney Princesses
A. Entertainment
1. Movies
2. Dolls
a. Disney Princess dolls
b. Look-alike dolls
i. Unhealthy for little girls
ii. Makes them feel more special
1. Pride over other girls
2. Parents spend money on them
3. Costumes
4. Clothes
5. Disney World
B. Characteristics
1. Differences with parents
a. Rebellious
b. Selfish
c. Spoiled
2. Motives
a. Independence
b. Breaking rules
c. Disobedient
d. Running away
3. Sexy
a. Body
b. Clothing
4. Love at first sight
a. Always a prince
b. Story up to a marriage
c. Life after marriage is not mentioned
d. Everything is perfect
e. No disagreements
f. Glamorous relationship
III. Little Girls and Princesses
A. Look up to Princesses as role models
B. Parents cause daughters to fall into stereotypes
1. Wearing pink
2. Attention seeking
3. Expecting special treatment
C. Behaviors
1. Disobedient
2. Smart mouth
3. Stomp over other girls
4. Shallow
5. Prideful about their dress and appearance
IV. Women and Princesses
A. Connection to Princesses from childhood
1. Continue to watch film
2. Continue to wear costumes
a. Halloween
b. Wedding
3. Collect dolls
a. Disney Princess dolls
b. Princess look-alike dolls
4. Spoil their own daughters
a. Beauty pageants
b. Snobbish
c. Materialistic
5. Role models
a. Super models
b. Actresses
B. Beauty
1. Keeping up with the princess look
2. Makeup
3. Materialism
a. Name brands
b. Obsessive shopping
c. Obsessive style
d. Tanning
e. Eating disorders
f. Plastic surgery
g. Excess exercise
C. Weddings
1. Bridezilla
2. Princess idea better than love
a. Prince is an accessory
b. Love is not as important
V. Conclusion
A. Disney Princesses are not healthy role models
B. Women feel as though they will not measure up
C. Women grew up with the Princess image as a model of perfection
D. Women do not know what true love is
E. Women spend a lot of money to look like fictitious characters
F. Behaviors are directed toward selfishness
Works Cited
Cochrane, Kira. "The Dangerous World Of The Princess." New Statesman 135.4799 (2006): 22-23. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
"The Dangerous World Of the Princess", by Kira Cochrane, brings about thoughts that all little girls must ask themselves as they continuously watch Disney Princess films. In the end of the stories, nearly every prince and princess end up getting married. The problem about the ending is that it does not show what happens afterward. Cochrane even dives into the fact that toy stores market to specific genders based on stereotypes. Since girls have Disney's Princesses as their role models, they think that they must be prim, proper and beautiful without a single thought of being adventurous with a sword. Cochrane goes on to say that, "Because if any group needs to be encouraged to take risks, it’s young women" (23). The article supports the idea that girls learn to be helpless and to rely on someone else to save them rather than to be self-reliant.
Do Rozario, Rebecca-Anne, C. "The Princess And The Magic Kingdom: Beyond Nostalgia, The Function Of The Disney Princess." Women's Studies In Communication 27.1 (2004): 34-59. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Rebecca-Anne Do Rozariotakes the Disney Princess concept and explains how much of an impact it has since it is a significant part of Hollywood. The storylines from Disney's princess beginnings have progressed to attract young audiences and to adapt to each new generation. The text implies that overcoming social barriers and finding true love are much more important than strengthening the bond of a family. Most Disney Princess stories are about the girls who rebel against their family's wishes and are often running from obedience. There are detailed examples of almost all of the Disney Princesses and gives an account of how each one is flawed within their storylines. There is even an underlying sexual tone when Do Rozario suggests that, "The full interest of the kingdom thus rests on the future love life of the princess." All of the princesses must marry and produce a suitable heir to take over the throne. The article will be highly useful because it breaks down each story from the characters' dress, personality, situation, and songs in such a way that shows, "The Disney kingdom may still seem a man's world, but it is a man's world dependent on a princess."
Enchanted. Dir. Kevin Lima. Screenplay by Bill Kelly. Perf. Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey. Prod. Barry Josephson and Barry Sonnenfeld. Walt Disney Pictures, 2007. Film.
The film Enchanted serves as a primary source in order to argue that Disney Princesses harm young girls. Princess Giselle is portrayed as beautiful, air-headed, proper, and clueless about what true love really means. Little girls watch the movie thinking that true love begins with a kiss and then happily ever after comes immediately afterward. The movie will support the idea that Disney Princesses are not such a positive influence after all since the little girl in the movie rejects her father's encouragement to learn about real women and wishes to cling to a make belief fairytale that does not portray what real princesses are like.
Hanes, Stephanie. "Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect." Christian Science Monitor (2011): n. pag. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
"Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect," written by Stephanie Hanes, presents little girls as losing their sense of imagination. Instead of running in the backyard or playing in a tree house, little girls prefer to wear dresses and try to make themselves more beautiful. According to Hanes, parents begin having trouble with their child's behavior as a toddler and even throughout their teen years. There are links among the ideas of girls who are obsessed with their appearance as children, those who grow into their adolescence watching shows that put down those who do not measure up to society's version of beauty and those who do not get involved in sports because it is not a representation of what it means to be beautiful. The media has drawn young girls into the belief that they must continuously work on their outer appearance to make themselves look beautiful. Hanes explains, "Sexy's not about sex, it's about shopping." Because Disney princesses are gorgeous, the girls feel in their older age that they must rely on magazines and shows to help them make changes that appear sexy. Unfortunately, the girls do not associate the term "sexy" with sex. They think it is a style of clothing that makes them look pretty. The article proves to be quite useful as it shows that young girls who have Disney Princess merchandise will potentially be harmed in their later years.
Lieberman, Marcia. ""Some Day My Prince Will Come": Female Acculturation through the Fairy Tale." College English 34.3 (1972): 383-95. JSTOR. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Marcia Lieberman shares her view on the Disney Princess stories in respect to the original fairytales. Some of the princesses do have a sense of individuality, strength and courage, but the original stories did not make female characters look as appealing. Disney Princess stories are very selective as far as what is included in the stories by leaving out certain topics such as, "...sex, death, low humor, and female initiative." The article would support the negativity of princess stories because children learn from what they see and many of the original folktales in such a way that makes them understand that women were limited in their endeavors because they are simply not men.
The Little Mermaid. Dir. Ron Clements and John Musker. Screenplay by Ron Clements. Perf. Jodi Benson. Prod. John Musker and Howard Ashman. Walt Disney Pictures, 1989. Film.
The Little Mermaid is a primary source that shows that a Disney Princess can influence young girls to disobey their parents to get what they want. Sixteen-year-old Ariel wants to break free from her father's rules in order to do things her father tells her not to do. Because Ariel went above water against her father's rule, little girls might think that they are free to go places and do things their own parents tell them not to. Girls will think that Ariel got a prince by disobeying her father and they will also think they might benefit from disobeying as well. The film proves that Disney Princesses will not encourage girls to be obedient and respectful to their parents and will be useful in supporting the theory that the Disney Princesses are not so good after all.
"Notebook." New Statesman 135.4774 (2006): 31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
The article "Notebook" points out the vast availability of Disney Princess merchandise that little girls constantly want in their possession. Of course, it is a natural part of little girls as they develop into young ladies. The article suggests that, "Disney’s research found that as far as small girls are concerned, a Prince is a non-vital accessory" (31). The little girls can play dress up and not have to worry about having a prince by their side. The article is useful even if it is supporting the Disney Princess franchise. It encourages girls to continue using the Princess toys and costumes, because a lot of the other dolls in stores are dressed exceedingly sexy. Unfortunately, the article does not give information that discusses the negative impact of the Disney Princesses.
Palma, Shannan. "Enchanted." Marvels & Tales 23.1 (2009): n. pag. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Shannan Palma's "Enchanted" displays Princess Giselle as an airhead that falls in love with a prince at first sight and they immediately plan to get married. The story shows young girls that a fairytale relationship is desirable even if the couple has not had enough time to get to know one another. Palma argues that, "Enchanted, Disney's latest foray into the fairy-tale market, marks not only the studio's first animation/live-action hybrid, but also its first attempt to create an original fairy tale tangentially related to its "princess" line marketed to girls ages two to six." The article would clearly support the idea that Disney Princesses encourage girls at a young age to look at their future relationships defined by being superficial. The concept will prove to make relationships unsuccessful and young girls will find themselves distressed when they do not become what they see in the movies.
Ramin, Setoodeh, and Jennie Ya. "Princess Power." Newsweek 150.22 (2006): 66-67. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Setoodeh Ramin and Jennie Ya’s "Princess Power" describe adult women still having attachments to the Disney Princesses like they did when they were little. Because Disney has been selling merchandise with the princesses plastered all over them, women would certainly continue in their obsession with wanting to feel like princesses on their wedding day. Ramin and Ya explain the reality of what it is really like to be a princess when they explain that, "The desire for true love, especially served with a dollop of princess power, is all well and good--though considering what we know about the lives of actual princesses such as Diana and Japan's Masako you have to wonder why any woman today aspires to royalty. The answer may rest in something far less rarefied: the quest for financial security, class mobility and, in our divorce-ridden, war-pocked world, a few moments of life lived happily ever after." The article will be useful because it clearly shows that Disney has changed around what it means to be a real princess in order to appeal to the female audience of all ages.
Stone, Kay. "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us." The Journal of American Folklore 88.347 (1975): 42-50. JSTOR. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Kay Stone's "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us" presents the female characters in the Brothers Grimm fairytales as rather opposite from Disney's depiction. Stone explains that, "Of the total of 210 stories in the complete edition, there are 40 heroines, not all of them passive and pretty...but also unusually patient, obedient, industrious, and quiet" (43). The article shows that Disney's representation of females are always attached to beauty, while traditional folktales include females that are more interested in growing in their personal traits. It supports the concept that girls are, yet again, mislead by princess stories that suggest that they have to sit around, be beautiful and wait for a prince to save them. Stone cleverly says that, "Heroes succeed because they act, not because they are" (45). In other words, a heroine is not a heroine because she is a heroine, but because she faces her fears and overcomes obstacles.
Sweeney, Meghan, M. "'Where happily ever after happens every day': Disney's official Princess website and the commodification of play." Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures 3.2 (2011): n. pag. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
In her article, Meghan M. Sweeney suggests that the Disney Princess franchise was not always popular. Because of new princess stories coming out every few years, little girls have increasingly displayed interest while in search for what it means to be beautiful. One of the ways Disney reaches out to the girls with the young generation's dependence on technology is through the Disney Princess website. Sweeney discusses that, "Like other websites geared toward children, the Disney Princess site is frenetic: it almost bursts from the screen with huge blobs of bright, oversaturated." The article would certainly be a useful support in the negativity of the "Princess" franchise toward girls as it draws in girls to be interactive with the website and feel that their identity is found in learning what it means to be a princess.
Velasco, Schuyler. "New battle in 'Princess Wars': Disney Dolls Featuring ... Your Daughter's Face." Christian Science Monitor (2012): n. pag. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Schuyler Velasco introduces the new toy that little girls want so that parents can see that they may not be making the best choice. For one hundred dollars, little girls can have a Disney Princess doll with a face that looks like them. The Princess industry encourages the girls to look up to the Disney Princesses as role models, but a four-year-old will not be able to understand the difference between being shallow or being humble. " data- Velasco points out that, "The figurines aren't really toys to be played with, but more of a keepsake, like a very expensive version of getting your picture taken on a roller coaster." The article is quite useful in supporting the negativity from the Disney Princesses because it shows that parents spend far too much money on their daughters to make them feel like they have a personal connection to being a princess and makes them have selfish attitudes thinking they should always be treated as though they are the center of attention.
Whelan, Bridget. "Power To The Princess: Disney And The Creation Of The 20Th Century Princess Narrative." Interdisciplinary Humanities 29.1 (2012): 21-34. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Bridget Whelan's article displays an insightful view on the modern day princess franchise. Of course, Whelan describes the Disney Princesses as bad role models and instead encourages young girls to look up to Sara Crew from the film A Little Princess. Instead of being air-headed, living in an enchanted castle and having people rescuing her, Sara is seen as a little girl who simply gets called a princess while living in a boarding school. Whelan describes the story by saying that, "Fortunately, clever, thoughtful Sara decides to appropriate her new identity, and to use it as a means to remind herself to be kind and generous towards others" (22). She even explains that the Disney Princess franchise is about money and not about helping young girls develop strong character and good morals to grow up to be respectable and successful women. The article will support the issue of the negative impact on young girls because it gives multiple examples of Princesses and how each one is not suitable for little girls to look up to.
Wohlwend, Karen, E. "Damsels In Discourse: Girls Consuming And Producing Identity Texts Through Disney Princess Play." Reading Research Quarterly 44.1 (2009): 53-83. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Karen Wohlwend's article cleverly follows studies on how little girls play with their Disney Princess dolls. Girls who play with the princesses are proven to follow into the gender identities and stereotypes and feel as though they should fulfill what they see in the movies. As a result they are indirectly being told how to play and who they are supposed to grow up to be. Instead of making up their own storylines with their dolls, many of the girls were found to be staying with the storyline found in the princess films. There are some classrooms, however, that are encouraging girls to use the dolls to make up their own stories and interact with their classmates without trying to be the better princess because of all the merchandise they own. Wohlwend goes into much detail when she says that, "On one level, Disney Princess toys inspire children to replay remembered plots and recite memorized scripts, providing explicit narratives that shape children‘s play; on another level, the film scripts and characterizations convey more subtle narratives about identity and status that relate to global markets and societal beliefs about gender and childhood" (7). The article allows readers to understand that when girls play with dolls, they both experience what they remember from the movie story line and also what they know of their own lives. The article will be useful as it presents many passages concerning how little girls depend heavily upon the Disney Princesses to develop imagination and shape their own lives with who they want to ultimately become.
Little girls long for acceptance and to feel beautiful, but they never expect their favorite Disney Princess to make them feel self-conscious, have a low self-esteem and have behavior problems as adults. Unfortunately, what girls subconsciously learn as children carries on well into adulthood. As children, girls have a misunderstanding of what it means to be in love and find that they have problems with relationships later on. Girls and women alike also have difficulty understanding what it means to be beautiful since the Disney Princesses show young women who dress in elegant gowns, have sexy bodies and perfect hair. They will seek to spend copious amounts of money to have expensive clothing and have work done on their bodies in order to achieve what it means to be beautiful. In the movies, the princesses are always paired with princes that live in castles. Girls will grow up thinking that they must fall in love with men that will live in beautiful palaces. It will teach them that they will only be happy with men that have money instead of loving men for who they truly are apart from their income and possessions. Women must learn to understand that Disney Princesses are simply fictitious characters meant for entertainment and not to look at them as ideal women that act as the measurement of true beauty, love and happiness.
By identifying the Disney Princess films as fictitious stories of entertainment rather than believing that the princesses are actual people, girls can grow up in a healthy environment by looking up to their older sisters, mothers, aunts, and such as role models. Women can avoid falling into a number of problems that the Disney Princess films introduce such as behavioral issues, bad attitudes, a bad sense of identity, low self-esteem, reliance on being in a relationship and feeling loved only by physical attention. It is important to help girls when they are young to see that the Disney Princess movies are just entertainment and not a lifestyle. If women in their childhood had Disney Princesses plastered on their clothes, bedroom and toys, they will always feel an attachment to becoming like the princesses. The girls that become young ladies by looking up to women they know will allow them to be self-confident, fall in love for the right reasons and have a better outlook on life.
Although the Disney Princesses are a seemingly innocent form of entertainment for young girls, the overall messages prove to serve as a negative influence on how girls develop into women. Girls choose the Disney Princesses as role models because they enjoy watching the films and see the beautiful characters overcome difficult trials. The problem is that girls grow up to become self-conscious, rebellious, airheaded and reliant upon men. Females long to be beautiful and to be accepted, but they learn to follow what they watch. For example, Ariel in The Little Mermaid is a spoiled teenager who rebels against her father’s rules and her voice and sexy body are emphasized as traits that make her the most beautiful young lady. It teaches girls that it is acceptable to disobey their parents’ rules and that beauty is defined by musical ability and fully figured body. Another example is Giselle, from the movie Enchanted, who is confused about what it means to be truly in love. Because she thinks love occurs at first sight and that a prince completes the purpose of a woman’s life, girls will grow up doing whatever they can to gain attention. Girls and women alike will be highly disappointed when they find that the men they fall for do not love them back immediately as seen in the Disney Princess movies. The movies also exaggerate the prince and princess’ marriage and do not give any emphasis on the importance of what occurs after the happy couple gets married. Since girls and women learn to assume that relationships are all about love at first sight, they will not know how to deal with issues within a marriage that they did not solve before marriage. They also feel as though they must have perfect bodies like the princesses while wearing stylish and expensive clothing. As a result they will only feel acceptance when men give them attention about their appearance, resulting in young women falling into eating disorders to stay slender and becoming sex objects. In order to solve a devastating future, parents must tell their children that the movies are just stories and that they must consider real women as their role models that will help their daughters become strong, independent, smart and self-confident. If women have not learned to strengthen their personal character traits, they will not be even considered an option as a life long mate. It is important for women to not be so concerned with their appearance or materialism, because who they are beneath beauty and possessions are long lasting. The princess films do not show what lies after “Happily Ever After” and makes women feel that they must do everything in their ability to stay young looking since the princesses have not aged past the wedding.
The outcome of the research is to prove that Disney Princess films are, in fact, harmful to women well after they have experienced a childhood immersed in the movies. They serve as a good form of entertainment, but women far beyond childhood still cling to finding a prince, having self-esteem problems, wanting a glamorous life and feeling that they are only worthy when their bodies are given attention. It could be a reason why women have identity issues since they have plastic surgery, go to tanning beds, wear an immense amount of makeup, constantly go on diets, date younger men, dress provocatively, date guys only with money and have trouble settling with their idea of a prince. Instead of looking at Disney Princesses as role models, women must learn to become comfortable with who they are without comparing themselves to cartoon characters that do not exist or depict what a real woman should be like.
Research Questions
RQ1
What are the stereotypical qualities of Disney Princesses?
RQ2
How are these qualities negative?
RQ3
Who do girls idolize more: their mothers/older sisters or Disney Princesses?
RQ4
Who do women idolize more: their mothers/older sisters or supermodels/actresses?
RQ5
What are ways women are receiving similar messages comparable to Disney Princess films?
RQ6
What are qualities that society says that women should have?
RQ7
How are these qualities negative?
RQ8
What are some ways that Disney Princesses influence little girls?
RQ9
How is the Disney Princess industry appealing to young girls?
RQ10
What are some ways that Disney Princesses influence women?
RQ11
How is the Disney Princess industry appealing to women?
RQ12
What are some ways that women approach their appearance negatively?
RQ13
What are some ways that women approach their personal identity negatively?
RQ14
What are some ways that women approach relationships negatively?
Texts
The two primary texts of research include the films Enchanted and The Little Mermaid. Both films show examples of princesses that women idolized as children and grew up either trying to imitate or subconsciously acted like as adults. The way the princesses go about resolving their problems and chasing after their dreams reveals significantly about how women will act when they face difficulty or decide that they sincerely want something. The movies also provide insight as far as the physical beauty that girls and women both admire. Women see Ariel’s exposed body as an example of how their bodies should look and decide to either give into eating disorders or severe dieting. Women will look at Giselle as a figure of materialism since she makes a big deal about wearing something new every day and goes on a shopping spree with the little girl who tells Giselle that the credit card is for emergencies. Women learn to believe that they must dress themselves in the latest fashions regardless of how much money it will cost them. Both movies illustrate what it means to grow up as an adult and live the Disney Princess dream.
The major secondary sources include "The Dangerous World Of the Princess", by Kira Cochrane and "Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect," written by Stephanie Hanes. Both articles discuss how the adult future of little girls is negatively impacted by their fascination with Disney Princesses. Cochrane develops a study that supports the idea that women haven’t learned to see beyond “Happily Ever After” and have not learned to be confident in who they are as women apart from the female gender stereotype. Hanes directed her article on the issue that beauty is depicted as the most important feature seen in the Disney Princess industry that women constantly obsess over throughout life. Both articles support the concept that women have become products of their childhood negatively influenced by Disney Princesses.
State of the Question
Most literary analysis about the Disney Princesses cover the issue of how they cause a number of problems for girls and how it is simply an industry focused on making money rather than building young girls’ character. The past research approach for emphasizing the negativity of the Disney Princesses is usually from the point of view of Feminist Criticism. Many of the issues that the Disney Princess industry creates show that the female role is highly influenced. Past research concerning the Disney Princess industry also discusses the way that little girls fall into the gender stereotypes by seeing the merchandise and while looking up to the princesses as role models. Other texts imply that little girls learn from their exposure to toys, films and real grown up women in their own lives. Often times, parents continuously put on a princess movie or hand their daughters a princess doll without thinking how the merchandise is making the children think. There have been multiple studies about the psychological effect on girls and how they mimic what they see in the movies. They will first act out the princess stories during playtime and then they will later develop behaviors similar to what they viewed in the movies in their daily lives.
Further research regarding how Disney Princesses influence female adult behavior will assist in the affirmation that the industry is not simply entertainment. There will be an understanding that the harmful effect from the Disney Princesses does not stop at childhood, but extends throughout adulthood. Discussion of the behaviors of the princesses in the movies is a necessary part in revealing the seriousness of the connection with real life behaviors of women. Regardless of the princess story and the desire to steer the leading female character away from the stereotypical norm, Disney continues to place behaviors that little girls and adults will mimic. Further study will also ensure an understanding that women will be in danger of eating disorders, relationship problems, issues with parents, idolize materialism, and have an emotional imbalance.
Outline
I. Introduction
A. Disney Princesses
1. Influential
2. Beautiful
3. Wealthy
4. Well-dressed
5. Love at first sight
B. Women
1. Watched Disney movies as children
2. Low self-esteem
a. Materialism
b. Eating disorders
3. Confused about relationships
II. Disney Princesses
A. Entertainment
1. Movies
2. Dolls
a. Disney Princess dolls
b. Look-alike dolls
i. Unhealthy for little girls
ii. Makes them feel more special
1. Pride over other girls
2. Parents spend money on them
3. Costumes
4. Clothes
5. Disney World
B. Characteristics
1. Differences with parents
a. Rebellious
b. Selfish
c. Spoiled
2. Motives
a. Independence
b. Breaking rules
c. Disobedient
d. Running away
3. Sexy
a. Body
b. Clothing
4. Love at first sight
a. Always a prince
b. Story up to a marriage
c. Life after marriage is not mentioned
d. Everything is perfect
e. No disagreements
f. Glamorous relationship
III. Little Girls and Princesses
A. Look up to Princesses as role models
B. Parents cause daughters to fall into stereotypes
1. Wearing pink
2. Attention seeking
3. Expecting special treatment
C. Behaviors
1. Disobedient
2. Smart mouth
3. Stomp over other girls
4. Shallow
5. Prideful about their dress and appearance
IV. Women and Princesses
A. Connection to Princesses from childhood
1. Continue to watch film
2. Continue to wear costumes
a. Halloween
b. Wedding
3. Collect dolls
a. Disney Princess dolls
b. Princess look-alike dolls
4. Spoil their own daughters
a. Beauty pageants
b. Snobbish
c. Materialistic
5. Role models
a. Super models
b. Actresses
B. Beauty
1. Keeping up with the princess look
2. Makeup
3. Materialism
a. Name brands
b. Obsessive shopping
c. Obsessive style
d. Tanning
e. Eating disorders
f. Plastic surgery
g. Excess exercise
C. Weddings
1. Bridezilla
2. Princess idea better than love
a. Prince is an accessory
b. Love is not as important
V. Conclusion
A. Disney Princesses are not healthy role models
B. Women feel as though they will not measure up
C. Women grew up with the Princess image as a model of perfection
D. Women do not know what true love is
E. Women spend a lot of money to look like fictitious characters
F. Behaviors are directed toward selfishness
Works Cited
Cochrane, Kira. "The Dangerous World Of The Princess." New Statesman 135.4799 (2006): 22-23. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
"The Dangerous World Of the Princess", by Kira Cochrane, brings about thoughts that all little girls must ask themselves as they continuously watch Disney Princess films. In the end of the stories, nearly every prince and princess end up getting married. The problem about the ending is that it does not show what happens afterward. Cochrane even dives into the fact that toy stores market to specific genders based on stereotypes. Since girls have Disney's Princesses as their role models, they think that they must be prim, proper and beautiful without a single thought of being adventurous with a sword. Cochrane goes on to say that, "Because if any group needs to be encouraged to take risks, it’s young women" (23). The article supports the idea that girls learn to be helpless and to rely on someone else to save them rather than to be self-reliant.
Do Rozario, Rebecca-Anne, C. "The Princess And The Magic Kingdom: Beyond Nostalgia, The Function Of The Disney Princess." Women's Studies In Communication 27.1 (2004): 34-59. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Rebecca-Anne Do Rozariotakes the Disney Princess concept and explains how much of an impact it has since it is a significant part of Hollywood. The storylines from Disney's princess beginnings have progressed to attract young audiences and to adapt to each new generation. The text implies that overcoming social barriers and finding true love are much more important than strengthening the bond of a family. Most Disney Princess stories are about the girls who rebel against their family's wishes and are often running from obedience. There are detailed examples of almost all of the Disney Princesses and gives an account of how each one is flawed within their storylines. There is even an underlying sexual tone when Do Rozario suggests that, "The full interest of the kingdom thus rests on the future love life of the princess." All of the princesses must marry and produce a suitable heir to take over the throne. The article will be highly useful because it breaks down each story from the characters' dress, personality, situation, and songs in such a way that shows, "The Disney kingdom may still seem a man's world, but it is a man's world dependent on a princess."
Enchanted. Dir. Kevin Lima. Screenplay by Bill Kelly. Perf. Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey. Prod. Barry Josephson and Barry Sonnenfeld. Walt Disney Pictures, 2007. Film.
The film Enchanted serves as a primary source in order to argue that Disney Princesses harm young girls. Princess Giselle is portrayed as beautiful, air-headed, proper, and clueless about what true love really means. Little girls watch the movie thinking that true love begins with a kiss and then happily ever after comes immediately afterward. The movie will support the idea that Disney Princesses are not such a positive influence after all since the little girl in the movie rejects her father's encouragement to learn about real women and wishes to cling to a make belief fairytale that does not portray what real princesses are like.
Hanes, Stephanie. "Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect." Christian Science Monitor (2011): n. pag. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
"Little Girls or Little Women? The Disney Princess Effect," written by Stephanie Hanes, presents little girls as losing their sense of imagination. Instead of running in the backyard or playing in a tree house, little girls prefer to wear dresses and try to make themselves more beautiful. According to Hanes, parents begin having trouble with their child's behavior as a toddler and even throughout their teen years. There are links among the ideas of girls who are obsessed with their appearance as children, those who grow into their adolescence watching shows that put down those who do not measure up to society's version of beauty and those who do not get involved in sports because it is not a representation of what it means to be beautiful. The media has drawn young girls into the belief that they must continuously work on their outer appearance to make themselves look beautiful. Hanes explains, "Sexy's not about sex, it's about shopping." Because Disney princesses are gorgeous, the girls feel in their older age that they must rely on magazines and shows to help them make changes that appear sexy. Unfortunately, the girls do not associate the term "sexy" with sex. They think it is a style of clothing that makes them look pretty. The article proves to be quite useful as it shows that young girls who have Disney Princess merchandise will potentially be harmed in their later years.
Lieberman, Marcia. ""Some Day My Prince Will Come": Female Acculturation through the Fairy Tale." College English 34.3 (1972): 383-95. JSTOR. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Marcia Lieberman shares her view on the Disney Princess stories in respect to the original fairytales. Some of the princesses do have a sense of individuality, strength and courage, but the original stories did not make female characters look as appealing. Disney Princess stories are very selective as far as what is included in the stories by leaving out certain topics such as, "...sex, death, low humor, and female initiative." The article would support the negativity of princess stories because children learn from what they see and many of the original folktales in such a way that makes them understand that women were limited in their endeavors because they are simply not men.
The Little Mermaid. Dir. Ron Clements and John Musker. Screenplay by Ron Clements. Perf. Jodi Benson. Prod. John Musker and Howard Ashman. Walt Disney Pictures, 1989. Film.
The Little Mermaid is a primary source that shows that a Disney Princess can influence young girls to disobey their parents to get what they want. Sixteen-year-old Ariel wants to break free from her father's rules in order to do things her father tells her not to do. Because Ariel went above water against her father's rule, little girls might think that they are free to go places and do things their own parents tell them not to. Girls will think that Ariel got a prince by disobeying her father and they will also think they might benefit from disobeying as well. The film proves that Disney Princesses will not encourage girls to be obedient and respectful to their parents and will be useful in supporting the theory that the Disney Princesses are not so good after all.
"Notebook." New Statesman 135.4774 (2006): 31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
The article "Notebook" points out the vast availability of Disney Princess merchandise that little girls constantly want in their possession. Of course, it is a natural part of little girls as they develop into young ladies. The article suggests that, "Disney’s research found that as far as small girls are concerned, a Prince is a non-vital accessory" (31). The little girls can play dress up and not have to worry about having a prince by their side. The article is useful even if it is supporting the Disney Princess franchise. It encourages girls to continue using the Princess toys and costumes, because a lot of the other dolls in stores are dressed exceedingly sexy. Unfortunately, the article does not give information that discusses the negative impact of the Disney Princesses.
Palma, Shannan. "Enchanted." Marvels & Tales 23.1 (2009): n. pag. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Shannan Palma's "Enchanted" displays Princess Giselle as an airhead that falls in love with a prince at first sight and they immediately plan to get married. The story shows young girls that a fairytale relationship is desirable even if the couple has not had enough time to get to know one another. Palma argues that, "Enchanted, Disney's latest foray into the fairy-tale market, marks not only the studio's first animation/live-action hybrid, but also its first attempt to create an original fairy tale tangentially related to its "princess" line marketed to girls ages two to six." The article would clearly support the idea that Disney Princesses encourage girls at a young age to look at their future relationships defined by being superficial. The concept will prove to make relationships unsuccessful and young girls will find themselves distressed when they do not become what they see in the movies.
Ramin, Setoodeh, and Jennie Ya. "Princess Power." Newsweek 150.22 (2006): 66-67. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Setoodeh Ramin and Jennie Ya’s "Princess Power" describe adult women still having attachments to the Disney Princesses like they did when they were little. Because Disney has been selling merchandise with the princesses plastered all over them, women would certainly continue in their obsession with wanting to feel like princesses on their wedding day. Ramin and Ya explain the reality of what it is really like to be a princess when they explain that, "The desire for true love, especially served with a dollop of princess power, is all well and good--though considering what we know about the lives of actual princesses such as Diana and Japan's Masako you have to wonder why any woman today aspires to royalty. The answer may rest in something far less rarefied: the quest for financial security, class mobility and, in our divorce-ridden, war-pocked world, a few moments of life lived happily ever after." The article will be useful because it clearly shows that Disney has changed around what it means to be a real princess in order to appeal to the female audience of all ages.
Stone, Kay. "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us." The Journal of American Folklore 88.347 (1975): 42-50. JSTOR. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Kay Stone's "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us" presents the female characters in the Brothers Grimm fairytales as rather opposite from Disney's depiction. Stone explains that, "Of the total of 210 stories in the complete edition, there are 40 heroines, not all of them passive and pretty...but also unusually patient, obedient, industrious, and quiet" (43). The article shows that Disney's representation of females are always attached to beauty, while traditional folktales include females that are more interested in growing in their personal traits. It supports the concept that girls are, yet again, mislead by princess stories that suggest that they have to sit around, be beautiful and wait for a prince to save them. Stone cleverly says that, "Heroes succeed because they act, not because they are" (45). In other words, a heroine is not a heroine because she is a heroine, but because she faces her fears and overcomes obstacles.
Sweeney, Meghan, M. "'Where happily ever after happens every day': Disney's official Princess website and the commodification of play." Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures 3.2 (2011): n. pag. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
In her article, Meghan M. Sweeney suggests that the Disney Princess franchise was not always popular. Because of new princess stories coming out every few years, little girls have increasingly displayed interest while in search for what it means to be beautiful. One of the ways Disney reaches out to the girls with the young generation's dependence on technology is through the Disney Princess website. Sweeney discusses that, "Like other websites geared toward children, the Disney Princess site is frenetic: it almost bursts from the screen with huge blobs of bright, oversaturated." The article would certainly be a useful support in the negativity of the "Princess" franchise toward girls as it draws in girls to be interactive with the website and feel that their identity is found in learning what it means to be a princess.
Velasco, Schuyler. "New battle in 'Princess Wars': Disney Dolls Featuring ... Your Daughter's Face." Christian Science Monitor (2012): n. pag. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Schuyler Velasco introduces the new toy that little girls want so that parents can see that they may not be making the best choice. For one hundred dollars, little girls can have a Disney Princess doll with a face that looks like them. The Princess industry encourages the girls to look up to the Disney Princesses as role models, but a four-year-old will not be able to understand the difference between being shallow or being humble. " data- Velasco points out that, "The figurines aren't really toys to be played with, but more of a keepsake, like a very expensive version of getting your picture taken on a roller coaster." The article is quite useful in supporting the negativity from the Disney Princesses because it shows that parents spend far too much money on their daughters to make them feel like they have a personal connection to being a princess and makes them have selfish attitudes thinking they should always be treated as though they are the center of attention.
Whelan, Bridget. "Power To The Princess: Disney And The Creation Of The 20Th Century Princess Narrative." Interdisciplinary Humanities 29.1 (2012): 21-34. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Bridget Whelan's article displays an insightful view on the modern day princess franchise. Of course, Whelan describes the Disney Princesses as bad role models and instead encourages young girls to look up to Sara Crew from the film A Little Princess. Instead of being air-headed, living in an enchanted castle and having people rescuing her, Sara is seen as a little girl who simply gets called a princess while living in a boarding school. Whelan describes the story by saying that, "Fortunately, clever, thoughtful Sara decides to appropriate her new identity, and to use it as a means to remind herself to be kind and generous towards others" (22). She even explains that the Disney Princess franchise is about money and not about helping young girls develop strong character and good morals to grow up to be respectable and successful women. The article will support the issue of the negative impact on young girls because it gives multiple examples of Princesses and how each one is not suitable for little girls to look up to.
Wohlwend, Karen, E. "Damsels In Discourse: Girls Consuming And Producing Identity Texts Through Disney Princess Play." Reading Research Quarterly 44.1 (2009): 53-83. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
Karen Wohlwend's article cleverly follows studies on how little girls play with their Disney Princess dolls. Girls who play with the princesses are proven to follow into the gender identities and stereotypes and feel as though they should fulfill what they see in the movies. As a result they are indirectly being told how to play and who they are supposed to grow up to be. Instead of making up their own storylines with their dolls, many of the girls were found to be staying with the storyline found in the princess films. There are some classrooms, however, that are encouraging girls to use the dolls to make up their own stories and interact with their classmates without trying to be the better princess because of all the merchandise they own. Wohlwend goes into much detail when she says that, "On one level, Disney Princess toys inspire children to replay remembered plots and recite memorized scripts, providing explicit narratives that shape children‘s play; on another level, the film scripts and characterizations convey more subtle narratives about identity and status that relate to global markets and societal beliefs about gender and childhood" (7). The article allows readers to understand that when girls play with dolls, they both experience what they remember from the movie story line and also what they know of their own lives. The article will be useful as it presents many passages concerning how little girls depend heavily upon the Disney Princesses to develop imagination and shape their own lives with who they want to ultimately become.