Cinematic Influence In Poniewozik's Cinderella And Princess Culture

The topic of gender equality, culture and environmental effects on girls and young women has brought up the discussion of princess culture - dressing up, waiting for prince charming, the importance of beauty. Both “The Princess Paradox” and “Cinderella and Princess Culture” discuss how companies such as Disney are responsible for girls falling into princess culture and influencing them. However, there is a parallel drawn between Orenstein and Poniewozik on how they feel about the effects of cinematic influence. On one hand, Orenstein believes that Disney animations push princess culture that negative impacts on mental health and development of girls. On the other Poniewozik believes that princess culture has changed to be a positive reinforcement.
In

the chapter “Cinderella and Princess Culture”, Orenstein a mother and author of The New York Times expresses her concerns about companies marketing princess culture to girls. Orenstein starts by giving personal anecdotes describing her frustration with people calling/labeling her daughter as a princess. Orenstein does this to build ethos with her readers as she demonstrates that she is a mother herself. She then goes on to write about how many corporations are making in sales on princess merchandise. She gives the readers this information to show the influence of Disney Princesses. She compares today’s toys and trends to her childhood and is rather surprised that there is a “princess craze”(Orenstein 327). As to Orenstein, this shows a regression in the movement against gender roles Orenstein then writes about how companies enforce gender roles within their movies and merchandise that affects girls mental health and takes away from the empowerment of women. Later she writes of her interview with Andy Mooney, the marketer for the Disney Princesses. In this interview, Mooney expresses that there was already a demand for princess merchandise and that girls wanted to be princesses prior to their marketing. He then adds that it is a phase and that all children go through it without affecting self-esteem. Orenstein agrees but believes that the feminine beliefs do cause an overwhelming pressure to be perfect.
Similarly, to Orenstein, American journalist and TV critic for The New York Times James Poniewozik in the Chapter “The Princess Paradox” starts a personal anecdote off with trying to help his daughter to stray away from princess culture but to no avail as his daughter wants to be a princess for Halloween.

He continues similarly to Orenstein about the wealth that has accumulated by Hollywood from princess movies. Both Poniewozik and Orenstein discuss their childhood in comparison with today’s. Poniewozik describes the change from girl action media including Powerpuff Girls and Charlie’s Angels. But Poniewozik believes that the new princess culture empowers girls. As the new films give the women characteristics like self-determination and independence. Poniewozik ends with an interview with Sherry Lansing chairman of Paramount discussing the change in the plot of Ella Enchanted. She expresses that it is important for films to have contemporary values such as sacrifice for others. Poniewozik agrees and ends with the thought that it is easy for older audiences to see the messages of a movie than children. He believes princess culture has evolved to where films empower the women to make their own choice to become a

princess.
Both Orenstein and Poniewozik are credible as they both work for The New York Times and are parents to daughters. They both use experience from being a parent and their own experiences in their childhood. However, Orenstein uses more statistical facts and dives into the issues and effects that feminine beliefs have on young women. Orenstein also voices the opposition’s side unlike Poniewozik who does not give insight to the opposition.
In conclusion, both writers illustrate the importance of the empowerment of women in a similar fashion. The two authors used personal anecdotes to demonstrate their credibility as a parent and received insight from filmmakers to lead to their conclusion. Though they convey their thoughts through a similar way they pose different views on princess culture. Orenstein believes that the feminine pretense that princess culture brings causes harmful pressure to be perfect. On the other hand, Poniewozik believes that princess culture has evolved to empower women and encourages them to make their own choices. But Orenstein does a better job at voicing both perspectives on the topic.