Disney Myths

 

Being a child in the '80s and '90s I grew up watching many Disney movies and cartoons. I remember when Aladdin, The Lion King, and Pocahontas each came out and how excited we were to go see them in the theatre. My favorite princesses were Cinderella and Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Although I never felt like I was hugely influenced by this media, now as an adult I think I bought into the idea of a "happily ever after". As if there was some event, not necessarily a marriage, but some rite of passage like graduating or getting your first "real" job or buying a house where you suddenly just became an adult and things just got easier after that. I am also struck by how often I catch myself rethinking the gender roles that I grew up thinking were normal.

It wasn't until I was in high school that I was even aware that there might be underlying messages or lessons in any of these films. Although I have since learned about some of the dangerous messages that cartoons and animated films can have, Christensen's chapter helped me to think about it in a way that I had not considered. On page 176 she says, "Children's cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential genre "read." Young people, unprotected by any intellectual armor, hear or watch these stories again and again, often from the warmth of their mothers' or fathers' laps." I don't often think of media, in the same way, I think of literature, but for little ones, especially those who do not read on their own Disney and other animations are often their primary source of entertainment, and hence observation, besides their family. This makes them much more influential than I had originally thought, especially when their family is supporting that message by making it feel safe.

In rewatching Frozen I was pleased to see that there was a more progressive take on the gender roles. Although some of the more traditional prince/princess conventions are present both male and female characters also take on non-traditional characteristics. For example, Anna being outspoken and adventurous, whereas Kristoff is more of a social outcast and humble character compared to a traditional prince. I also liked that the "true love" in this movie was not the traditional heterosexual romantic love. Although that was still a part of the movie, it was not what "saved" either Elsa or Anna. Another site I found that supports this opinion is called gender norms thaw in Disney's Frozen.