The Magic of Disney

I was born in 1985 and a bulk of my childhood entertainment was watching VHS Disney movies at home. When thinking about my relationship with Disney, I immediately called up my Mom to ask what she thought. Mom claims I was obsessed with watching The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella movies. In addition, I also loved Disney movies where animals were the characters. I grew up on movies such as The Lion King and The Fox and the Hound. She claims I was so obsessed that I had every VHS and watched them over and over. I never dressed as a Disney princess for Halloween (see this news story on parents weighing in on their little girls dressing up as Moana) nor did I have all the Disney themed toys and games, but I was always entertained by watching the movies. I do specifically remember making my mom fast forward through the parts in certain movies where the villain was present and threatening the princess. At one point, I felt I connected most with Belle from Beauty and the Beast because I felt as though I looked most like her. When my friends and I would pretend to be characters, we would try to be the character we most resembled, and I always wanted to pick Belle. I was a brunette and I felt she best captured who I was. This further proves that every child needs to feel like they can see themselves represented in the media and, although improving, we still have failed to represent all.

In “Unlearning The Myths That Bind Us” by Linda Christensen , she mentions the Black Cinderella, a modern twist on a traditional Cinderella story called “Cincy Ellie” that celebrates the beauty of African Americans. Although she offers a change of race, she fears the reality that the same myths exist in the traditional fairy tale. The myths that remain are that, happiness means getting a man and that transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption (clothes, hair, external changes to become more beautiful). Now that I have read Christensen, and I reflect back on my relationship with Disney and more specifically, Belle, I am feeling a bit like I was manipulated by this media without even knowing it was happening. I never really noticed the racism and misinformation these movies brought to me, but I enjoyed them immensely. I always wanted to be like the princess character, looking for my “happily ever after” as a child, and I grew up to believe that could and would happen. I never thought of the “Secret Education” that she points out for us and the old Disney values that are present. My mother never analyzed or thought these movies were anything but wonderful. I was never asked or told to challenge the dominant values. The values of Disney greatly mirror Leslie Grinner’s S.C.W.A.A.M.P. acronym about dominant ideology and power. It is crystal clear how each ideology is represented in my childhood favorites.

        

After watching Frozen, in some way it both meets and challenges my memories of princess culture. Physically, Anna is not considered as stereotypically beautiful as Elsa and there are many points which emphasize this in the movie beginning with her opening song and feeling like she is never noticed and is crazy to even think she would find romance with anyone. She lives in Elsa’s background and wears duller clothing, isn’t magical, has red hair, is awkward, clumsy, and, in a way desperate by “falling in love” with the first man who gives her attention. She has an “it’s all my fault” attitude and always feels responsible and protective of her sister. Yet, on the contrary, she does possess many attributes that are not typical of the Disney princess. She is bold, takes risks, assertive, brave, and daring when she goes to find Elsa and in her interactions with Kristoff. She seemingly is Elsa’s caretaker and protector and saves her life in the end by self sacrifice, which also saves herself.

Elsa on the other hand represents so much of the traditional princess. She is blonde, beautiful, blue eyed, wears a gorgeous dress that she turns even more beautiful. She is magical but this power makes her different and dangerous so at a young age her father tells her to learn to control and conceal it. The whole entire song “Let it go” is about concealing who you really are and not letting it show. She gets to be crowned the queen. In the movie she even says “conceal, don’t feel, be perfect!” She assumes it is best to run away from her problems and when she gets to the ice castle realizes what she was capable of with her powers. In watching, I felt like she was hiding her true self for so long she did not know who she really was, and she exiles herself, feels like that is what she deserves, and that she needs to “get it together, control it, and don’t feel.” The only one that challenges this and tries to help Elsa get out of her, what seems like, depression is Anna. My favorite part of the ending was that the happily ever after was NOT a true love's kiss and a knight in shining armor, like most Disney princess films have been, but rather a strong loving bond between two sisters who love each other greatly. (Although they couldn’t avoid the male figure completely, and had to include Kristoff in the ending as well, of course.) Tread lightly, Disney, I see you.

One thing I can't get away from is that Elsa is still the more popular sister as far as Halloween costumes and Elsa appearances at kids birthday parties. Why? She wasn't the hero, she wasn't really even the focus of much of the movie, Anna was! We have to ask ourselves SO WHY is Elsa more popular? I think we know the answer...

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