Disney Princesses Are Bad Role Models For Young Girls

I see what you mean in your argument, but changing the storylines of the fairytales makes them no longer fairytales. To make it so that Aurora never touches the spindle of the spinning wheel makes it so that she is no longer Sleeping Beauty. One can modernize the fairytale, but it does not make sense to change such a significant plot point in the story. Further, while the stories took place centuries ago and the Disney retellings were much more recent, women still did not have significant rights. They could vote, sure, but they were still expected to cook and clean and do housework and be good wives. Princesses like Cinderella and Snow White are exemplifying this belief of the times, serving as role models to the young wives of the age (since women were often discouraged from getting real jobs outside the house). Looking back on this, we – as liberated, young women – are horrified by the fact that Snow White and Cinderella cooked and cleaned and were obedient, but this is what was expected of women at the time. Moreover, you argue that the earlier princesses like Cinderella were obedient to their parent(s) but that the middle-aged princesses are not obedient enough. This is contradictory, and, again, is based a lot on the circumstances of when the movie came out. Back in the 1930's and 1950's and so on, young women were encouraged to be obedient to their parents, as well as to their husbands. Men always held authority over women, and parents unquestionably held authority over children. However, the middle-age princesses (Ariel, Belle, Pocahontas, and Mulan) had their stories retold by Disney in a time when women were independent, and when it was encouraged for young women to engage in what some call "teenage rebellion." The middle-age princesses are headstrong, determined, unique, and not afraid to fight for what they believe in. While Ariel did sell her voice to a sea witch to be granted a shot in the dark with her prince and in doing so disobeyed her father, it is clear that she wanted to be a human long before she met Prince Eric. She had collected thousands upon thousands of "thingamabobs" and "gadgets and gizmos" from the human world and even sings her Disney anthem, "Part of Your World" before she sees the prince's ship afloat. She is not so much dependent on a man so much as she is just wildly ambitious and entirely determined to live out her dream of being human. She is the princess who is willing to leave home to find out what more there is to the world. She is curious and adventurous. She does not conform, unlike her sisters who all seem to wait with baited breath for their father's next order, to what is expected of her. She has spunk and drive, enough of it to make her a fan favorite amongst Disney Princess enthusiasts. Belle is the smart Princess, the one who doesn't care about what others think of her, who refuses to settle for an arrogant, one-dimensional man as a husband, even if he is rich and handsome. She also searches for an adventure outside of her small French town and makes brave and noble sacrifices for those she loves. Her story embodies the idea that "beauty" in its most known definition is only skin deep and that true beauty comes from within. Pocahontas is arguably the least dependent Disney Princess there is. She does not look for a husband, though she is urged to do so by her father, and refuses to marry Kokoum, the village war hero, because she does not love him. Instead of being overly cautious and taking the safe path, Pocahontas chooses instead to be like a river, to be strong and to sacrifice knowing what is coming next in her life. While she does fall in love with a man of whom her father does not approve, John Smith does eventually gain Powhatan's respect and blessing. Having seen John Smith's sacrifices, taking the blame from Thomas for killing Kokoum and taking Ratcliffe's bullet for Powhatan, Pocahontas can make the decision for herself that he is a good guy and that his intentions are pure. Furthermore, she, herself, also made her own sacrifices. Fighting for peace between peoples, Pocahontas bravely stands her ground against those who are determined to fight each other. She is courageous and headstrong and open-minded, willing to follow her heart and her dreams in order to foster friendship between starkly different peoples. Mulan also disobeys her father and takes his place in war, but in doing so gains the honor that she never could have acting as a Chinese maiden. She, too, is independent and makes sacrifices for her father, and later for others she cares for. Knowing that her father cannot fight, and that she is more likely to survive the war, she breaks the mold and runs off to war in his stead. Her bravery, determination, and "no-man-left-behind" attitude are what make her a skilled warrior. Putting oneself in danger, while not always being a very smart thing, is something that teenagers, especially during their "rebellious phases", do. Whether it is by not cleaning her room or by sacrificing your livelihood in order to foster peace, friendship, and prosperity amongst peoples, teenage girls always disobey their parents. In the latter example, however, girls are encouraged to dream big, to want to make a difference, to positively impact those around them, and to serve, themselves, as a role model for others. Many of the Disney Princesses do not let their lives revolve around finding a husband or a prince. Examples of this are Pocahontas, Mulan, Belle, and Tiana. Tiana, especially, does not center her life around love. In fact, she is also headstrong and determined, driven to start her business and working hard to do so. She works multiple jobs, saving up her money in "Tiana's Restaurant Fund." In facing diversity because of her race, she is not discouraged, and instead decides to work even harder. She has big dreams and is not afraid to live them out. Love finds her, and during her journey, she opens herself up to it, becoming a better-rounded person, one who is willing to work hard for her dreams but still appreciate the love of those around her.