The Princess Process
The realistic life that a little girl has in her future is for her not be compared to the fantasy of being a princess. Most little girls dream of being a character from the Disney princesses which they can be identified by. Being either beautiful or heroic or is it the fairytale that catches there attention? In the other hand little girls try to identify everything perfect and pink like cotton candy. Then throughout their growth they start looking for more attractive manners to become women. Also the negative effect of commercial and media aspect on the perfect skinny figure and how is this affecting the ideal appearance. All of these were my experience in my childhood that I had to wake out of my fairytale. Being converted into a young mom with my happy ending fairytale broken made me realize that it was nothing like in the princess stories.
“The dangerous world of the princess,” shows the definition of what a princess should be “pretty, gentle, sweet, passive, tiny feet and a handsome prince” (Cochrane paragraph 1), that is why little girls fantasize of being all these things. They want to wear makeup, jewelry, dresses and have good manners while waiting for their charming prince to come and take them away and live that happily ever after fantasy.
But when little girls make their life around a fairytale and do not move on those thoughts it becomes a worry to adults if there ever going to move on from that stage. “The toddler had stopped running and jumping, and insisted on wearing only dresses. She sat on the front step quietly waiting, she said, for her prince,” (Hanes paragraph 1).
On the contrary, this has also had a terrible assumption on the dreams of little girls being boring while waiting for th...
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...ittle girls, the type of parents, teacher, and peers. “Monkey see, monkey do is what most little girls do”. I would say so because I was one of them .
Works Cited
Cochrane, Kira. "The Dangerous World Of The Princess." New Statesman 135.4799 (2006): 22-23. Literary Reference Center. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Hanes, Stephanie. "Little girls or little women? The Disney princess effect." Christian Science Monitor 24 Sept. 2011: N.PAG. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Hayes, SharonTantIeff-Dunn, Stacey. "Am I Too Fat To Be A Princess? Examining The Effects Of Popular Children's Media On Young Girls' Body Image." British Journal Of Developmental Psychology 28.2 (2010): 413-426. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Johnson, Matthew. "The Little Princess Syndrome." Natural Life 136 (2010): 34. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
“I grew up with hand-me-downs and once-a-year trips to Walmart. I’d never really been presented with a princess dress. But thinking back, if I had been, I’m pretty sure I would’ve been stoked” (Liechty 471). In February 2013, Crystal Liechty, a mother from Utah, posted this comment on the blog The Unexceptional Mom. She argues that although some children are not exposed to the princess culture, it is important that the parents are not taking away their imagination. Parents should not discourage their children about the princess culture. These princess movies allow parents to talk about certain topics with their children as they grow up. Liechty states, “And these princess movies give me a great chance to talk to her about what kind of guy she
Finucane’s daughter had seemingly been robbed of her creative imagination after trying to live up to the expectations of a Disney princess. Her daughter “seemed less imaginative, less spunky, and less interested in the world” (Hanes 1) after being introduced to the Disney princess line, willing herself to be just like the princesses. Young children know no better and are very susceptible to the world around them, and are very likely to imitate what they are shown or what intrigues them. Hanes was outraged at how Disney had stripped the child of believing in other imaginative creatures and activities, and was stuck on behaving as a princess. Hanes provides research in the article that supports that Finucane’s daughter is not the only one to catch the Disney princess symptoms. There is a whole book about this “diseases” as well as much research conducted on educators that seemingly all agrees that “[teachers] are unable to control the growing onslaught of social messages shaping their…students” (Hanes 1). Through her research Hanes discovered that the Disney Princess empire is a $4 billion dollar industry that leads to “self-objectification, cyber bullying, and unhealthy body image…” (1) causing problems for young girls. These “ideals” will stay with them throughout the remainder of their life, based on decisions that were made for them, to introduce such “ideals” into their minds. Hanes’ readers are most likely to be parents or adults who will likely become parents in the near future, and this article is a great introduction to the long road of making decisions that will impact the way their children think
Media is infamous for having a tremendous effect on teenage girls. The mass media have long been criticized for presenting unrealistic appearance ideals that contribute to the development of negative body image for many women and girls (Harrison & Hefner, 2006). Whether it’s the influence on their choice of friends, school, or their self image, media has played an important role in affecting those decisions. A growing number of experimental studies have demonstrated a causal link between acute exposure to "thin-ideal" images (i.e., images of impossibly thin and attractive female beauty) and increased body dissatisfaction (Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2003). It has recently been brought up that media influences girls in preadolescence, which is highly likely since most young girls idolize Barbie (Rintala & Mustajoki, 1992). “Were Barbie a flesh-and-blood woman, her waist would be 39% smaller than that of anorexic patients, and her body weight would be so low that she would not be able to menstruate” (Rintala & Mustajoki, 1992). Most young girls wish that they could look like Barbie when they grew up, but if they knew the reality of having her measurements their perceptions would probably change. Children frequently fantasize about who they will be, what they will do, and how they will look when they grow into adulthood.
Orenstein herself is a mother of a preschool aged daughter so the topic of what influences young girls is of great importance to her. She struggles with making the correct decisions for her own daughter, Daisy, as she dives into the girlie-girl world, because as even she has found out, it is impossible to steer clear of it. She talks with historians, marketers, psychologists, neuroscientists, parents, and children themselves. She returns to the original fairy tales, seeks out girls’ virtual presence online, and ponders the meaning of child beauty pageants. In the process, she faces down her own confusion as a mother and woman about issues of how to raise a girl and teach her about her own femininity.
In “Escape from Wonderland” by Deborah Ross, the writer explains how the fictional characters are admired. Although they seem to be sending a bigger message to young girls. The writer talks about drawing a line between fantasy and reality. In the end Ross’s objective is to show how some Disney characters break the femininity and imagination tradition. Which can have an effect in children and how they value their own ability to have unique visions. By comparing Alice in Wonderland (1951), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991) to heroines like Arabella from The female Quixote. “Charlotte Lennox’s (The Female Quixote illustrates both these conservative and progressive plot patterns, for it both draws upon and criticizes earlier romances, which themselves often both celebrate and punished female imagination and expressiveness. Therefore, like Disney’s movies today, which also use material from romance and fairy-tale tradition”, (pg. 473, Escape from Wonderland). Young women may not only begin to fantasize about a grandeur life more exciting than reality but to be disappointed with society in the workplace and relationships. For example, Meredith from Brave she is a princess that wishes to have a different life than what her mother has planned for her. She refuses to get married and have the duties of a princess. She wants to have adventures and be
In the case study “If Looks Could Kill”, the hiring process is down to three candidates: Jamal, Tanya, and Darrell. The Hiring committee has to decide which candidate to rule out. All of the committee members agree that this is a difficult decision expect for one. One member of the committee speaks up and says that they think Darrell has to be the one ruled out because of his poor looks. The decision to rule out Darrell based on his looks is the main ethical issue. There are also a few secondary issues that include the student’s reaction to Darrell after his teaching demonstration, the study on physical attractiveness and success, and the question one weather or not physical attractiveness should be a deciding factor on weather or not to hire someone. Below is a chart that includes an analysis of options the hiring committee can make and the people affected by the decision.
...hough she was brutally mistreated, Cinderella was able to find a solution for her problems and children can to. All they have to do is make the effort, try hard enough and success is possible. Adults should pay attention to this and see if Cinderella can help their children keep a positive attitude toward whatever situation they may be in - exaggerated as it may be. Cinderella doesn't only help show one how to overcome adversity it points out good morals, and sends the message that good always prevails. Both of these messages are crucial in a society that is slowly crumbling. All we can do is watch and hope the messages learned from Cinderella make a difference in the lives of Children all around the world.
At first glance, what makes a fairy tale a fairy tale may seem obvious—some kind of magic, hidden symbols, repetition, and of course it’s evident it’s fiction—but fables are more than that. As Arthur Schelesinger puts it, it’s about “[expanding] imagination” and gaining understanding of mysterious places (618). While doing this, it also helps children to escape this world, yet teach a lesson that the reader may not be conscious of. A wonderful story that achieves all of this is Cinderella, but not the traditional tale many American’s have heard. Oochigeaskw, or The Rough-Faced Girl, and Ashputtle would be fitting for a seven-year-old because they get the gears of the mind turning, allowing for an escape on the surface, with an underlying enlightenment for children of the ways of the world.
Everyone knows and loves the enchanting childhood fairytales of magic, princes, and princesses, but very seldom are privy to the detrimental impacts of “happily ever after” on the developing youth. Fairy tales are widely studied and criticized by parents and scholars alike for their underlying tone and message to children. Peggy Orenstein, feminist author, mother, and fairy tale critic, has made it her personal mission to bring these hidden messages to the surface. In the article, “What’s Wrong with Cinderella?” Orenstein dissects the seemingly innocent tale of love and magic, and the princess many know and love, and points out its flaws and dangers. Fairy tales, Cinderella in particular, are not suitable for children because upon deeper evaluation,
The Paper Bag Princess is a counter point to traditional fairy tales about Princes and Princesses as it displays characters in altered roles. Princess Elizabeth challenges the modern view of the masculinity of a hero by reversing gender roles when she chooses to save Prince Ronald herself. By taking on the fire breathing dragon and outsmarting him, Princess Elizabeth defies typical princess roles and fairytale plots. Although lacking Cinderella elegance, Elizabeth's determination, self-confidence and awareness of her inner be...
of the Cinderella story are psychologically harmful to women.” (p648). The fact that Cinderella is a limited character may give the girl an impression that she should be happy with what she has and not have any or aspirations in her life. That is, until her Prince comes to rescue her. Since these comments were made, the Cinderella story has been modified and changed. In order to see how gender roles have changed in fairy tales from the old to the new, let’s compare the classic version of Cinderella by Charles Perrault to a recent version which is a movie that was released in 1998 called “Ever After”which was directed by Andy Tennant.
Fairy Tales have been around for generations and generations. Our parents have told us these stories and we will eventually pass them down to ours. In this time of age the most common fairytales are Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and The Beast and many more. Children idolize their favorite character and pretend to be them by mimicking everything they do in the stories. The character’s behavior is what is viewed as appropriate in society. These fairy tales show a girl and a boy fall in love and live “happily ever after”. The tales in many people’s eyes resemble a dream life that they would want to have of their own. However, have you ever really looked at what makes up a fairy tale? Many things are unrealistic but the most unflattering aspect of these tales is how women are depicted in them. Fairy tales give an unrealistic view to how women should look and behave in real life.
I am writing this paper because I was assigned to write it as a class project. Along the way I realized the importance of sharing the real meanings of all these stories. Stories are important because in the society we live in things are constantly changing. Fairytales change but the base of the story always remain the same no matter how many times it has been retold. It’s important to reveal the true meanings of these stories, even with its dark characteristics, because the world is dark .Children need to know that there are people that have told stories relatable to what they are going through. Fairytales help the development of children; it helps their maturity as they confront someone else’s tough situations, instilling hope of a more positive ou...
In today 's society, it is normal for young children to believe in fairytales. These fairytales are normally seen throughout books and movies but also through parents reading them as bedtime stories. These tales in our society have unrecognized hidden guidelines for ethics and behaviors that we provide for children. One such children 's story is Disney’s Cinderella, this film seems to be a simple tale of a young woman whose wishes work out as to be expected. This tale reflects the expectations of women 's actions and beliefs of a proper women.
Cinderella’s mother passed away and her father remarried a woman who had two daughters from a previous marriage. A few weeks passed and a prince is holding a three day festival and all the beautiful young girls in the town were invited. Cinderella wanted to go but her evil stepmother gave her two impossible tasks to complete before she could attend the festival. Cinderella completes the two tasks with the help of her bird friends and her mother’s grave. Cinderella goes to the festival and she dances with the prince all three days. Finally, the prince has fallen in love with her and eventually they get married. Fairytales and Disney productions threaten gender politics and women’s role by portraying women in certain areas like domestic behaviors