Finding Stereotypes in The Movies
Classic Princesses:
In sleeping beauty and snow white both princesses are quiet and reserved. Aurora is an innocent girl where the only way she can be saved from the dragon is by a prince. When Snow white is cast under a spell the only way she can be saved is by a prince. These movies show that the girls will only get a happy ending if a boy comes and saves them. It is known as the “cinderella complex”.
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Pocahontas:
She is often seen as a strong female character. At the end of the movie she decides to stay back with her tribe instead of going to England with John Smith who she has formed a close bond with. She decides to stay largely to prove her independence. She values her freedom and decides to create her own life path rather than follow John Smith's even though she is really close with him. This is an example of a newer movie (1995) where we see the princesses begin to make their own choices and not get bossed around by other people.
Men Express Themselves Physically
In Cinderella, when the king is talking to his son about how long it is taking him to get married, he yells and throws things around the room. In Beauty and the beast Gaston uses threats and violence to try and get Belle’s attention. Robin was the one movie to show the opposite where boys were able to show emotion without being physical. A lot of the time in the movies, men are unable to show their emotions. Dumbo is encouraged not to cry, Bambi’s mom says to him “you're not afraid are you?'' As if it's a bad thing to be scared. In Jungle, Mogley pretends like he isn’t scared of anything, and in Mulan LiShang sees his father’s dead body and his reaction is to get on a horse and go straight to war.
Men Can't Control Their Sexuality
The movies show that the men lose their senses when they see a pretty girl. In Cinderella, all the men stop and stare when Cinderella comes into the room. In Hercules, Hercules finds himself unable to say no to Meg when she asks him to play. In Hunchback, Judge Frolo blames Esmeralda for poisoning his mind because he is so tempted by her.
Men are Naturally Strong and Heroic
men are shown as strong and are the ones who save people. Pinnochio saves Gepeto from the belly of the whale. In Lady, Tramp saves the babies from the rats. Robin protects Marion. Simba always walks in front of Nala to protect her, and Alladin saves Jasmine.
Woman's Looks is more Important than her Intelligence
In many Disney movies a woman is valued based on just her appearance. In sleeping beauty, the first present given to a newborn baby is beauty (showing how much they value beauty). In Little Mermaid, Prince Eric falls in love with Ariel even though she has no voice showing he is in love with her for only her beauty and not anything to do with her personality. In Beauty and the beast, Belle is very independent and loves to read; the movie is called BEAUTY and the beast because they are ashamed that Belle actually has a personality and they want her known for nothing else besides her looks.
Women are helpless and in need of protection
In Dwarfs, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter pan, Lady and the tramp, Sleeping beauty, Robin, Oliver and Company, Little mermaid, Lion king, and Hercules, this theme occurred. For example, in Oliver and Company, Oliver and his friends are constantly seen having to save Jenny including jumping into a moving car to save her. Even in Aladdin, where Jasmine is constantly standing up for herself to her father, she still has to end up being rescued by Aladdin.
The Depiction of Snow White
Snow white is an example of a Disney princess who acts exactly like a woman from the domestic era. She is a homemaker; when she walks into the house of the seven dwarfs, her first instinct is to clean the house proving the stereotype that women should stay home cleaning and not have outside jobs. Additionally, when she was poisoned by the apple, the only way to be saved was to kiss a man. There was no way to save herself without a man being involved.