Disney movies are popular among children of all ages and many of us grew up watching these classic films. As we begin our conversation on gender development and socialization, consider how some of your favorite films portray gender stereotypes and other stereotypes for social behavior.
Answer the following questions (commenting below) by Tuesday 2/5 at 8am.
Choose your favorite Disney movie...
1. Describe the main character's personality, behavior, and general characteristics (briefly... 3-5 sentences)
2. What gender stereotypes does this character reinforce?
3. Who is the villain in the film? Do you see any gender stereotypes in this character?
4. In general, what does this film teach children about gender and other components of socialization? What are the pros and cons of this film?
In Sleeping Beauty, the princess wears a boring tan dress at first. Then, at one point in the story, her fairy godmothers make her a big pink dress. She has long, blonde hair and a sweet singing voice as she sings to the animals. It's all about the damsel in distress; she has been poisoned by a witch and can only be awaken by the kiss of her Prince Charming. This reinforces the stereotype that women wear dresses, are fragile, and dependent on men. The villain in the film is the witch. The stereotype in this is that you wouldn't really see any male witches and only women can cause harm to other women (can't be a man).
ReplyDeleteIn general, this teaches children that men are the ones that must save women and that it's their responsibility to care for women. Children can learn that women must be fragile and physically attractive with their long hair and big blue eyes. The pros of this film is that it does show that everyone, including women, should be taken care of (to some extent) and that true love can do anything. The cons of the film is that men feel the need to be manly and find their princess and save her, when some guys aren't emotionally attracted to women. Women also are taught that it's okay to be soft and that it's normal.
My favorite Disney movie was the Little Mermaid and the main character was Ariel. She was a red head who was very adventurous and was the daughter of a King Tritan. She is a mermaid but when becomes a human she wears a pink dress and then eventually gets married. Through the whole movie she is trying to get the guy she loves to love her back. Gender stereotypes that this character enforces is that fact that Ariel is a princess and she has to listen to what her father tells her which i think is a huge female stereotype. She also ends up in a pink dress with the guy after he saves her... aka the damsel in distress which is a huge stereotype. The villain in this movie was Ursala and i think that a stereotype for her is that women can be nasty and manipulating at times and thats exactly what Ursala does.
ReplyDeleteThis movie teaches kids that they will live happily ever after with their prince charming, and it also teaches kids to be adventurous even if they are told not to do so. I think a pro of this movie is it telling people to explore the world because i think kids should explore the outside world and not just stay in their own bubble. I think the cons of this movie are that it gives girls high expectations of boys and how life will turn out. In the movie everything is perfect but in real life everything doesnt always turn out the way you want it to.
1. In Cinderella, the princess is a very high spirited young girl who likes to play with the animals and tries to enjoy her life. Cinderella is a sweet friendly girl who is very obedient. Since she is living with her step-mother and step-sisters she has to do all the house work and serve them. Even though her step-sisters and step-mother treated her horribly she still kept a positive attitude and did her work.
ReplyDelete2. Cinderella reinforces numerous of gender stereotypes. Cinderella is dressed in a pretty blue dress which most people stereotype as woman's attire. Cinderella also stays at home and does all the housework. She does not have a big money paying job like the men do. Also Cinderella obeys the demands that her evil step-sisters give her and this shows how women have to listen to what they are told. She never spoke out and defended herself for all the terrible things they made her do.
3. In this film the villain was the evil step-mother. The evil step-mother told her daughters that it was acceptable for them to treat Cinderella anyway they wanted. The step-mother is the villain because she orders Cinderella around to do unnecessary chores and treats her like her slave. She does not allow her to attend the grand ball which the entire family is invited to. The step-mother is stereotyped as wearing dresses, wearing make-up, acting like a princess, and pampering herself daily.
4. This film teaches children that men are superior to women. It also shows that men are strong and powerful and will be able to save them from their problems. It shows how women are weak and fragile and need men to come in and save the day. In the beginning it demonstrates how women are to stay at home and do the housework. The pros of this film show that things do have happy endings and are entertaining for children. The cons of this film is that it makes women feel inferior to men and that they need them to save them. Another con is that is follows the stereotypical image of women and men. Although it is a cute Disney movie it does not convey how women are strong individuals that can stand on their own.
1-3. My favorite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast. Belle is a beautiful young woman who lives in a small boring village and longs for adventure. She ends up a prisoner of a beast under a curse and she eventually helps the castle break that curse. She is friendly but isn't afraid to speak up for what she believes in. She also loves her father dearly and even took his place as prisoner. She is a great character. She always wears a dress (I don't think any Disney princess ever wore pants) and is very caring towards others. She loves to read which I think is a little un-princess like but she always tries to do the right thing. She doesn't always like to conform to society. The entire beginning song is about how "she really is a funny girl". She doesn't fit in and since she tried to break free, people mocked her. The villain, Gaston, is a very muscular, "handsome" man. The other women in the village fainted when they saw him. He told Belle flat out "it isn't right for a woman to read. Soon she'll be thinking". Wow. Gaston is the voice of society. He is the strong man who will take care of everything and she shouldn't do anything but take care of the house. He and the village people in the movie portray gender stereotypes, more than Belle herself.
ReplyDelete4. I think this movie is actually a small step away from severe gender stereotypes in Disney movies. This movie was produced in the 1990s, compared to Cinderella in 1950. A lot changed in those 40 years. Belle never wanted to be a princess, and could take care of herself, even standing up to the Beast and bringing out the best in him. While everyone else was in love with the strapping Gaston, she saw him for the monster that he was. Belle read a lot and was not a ditz. I always liked the message of the film that it is what's on the inside that counts. I think that is a good lesson for little kids to watch. Although Gaston was more "handsome" than the Beast, the Beast turned out to be kind and Gaston was a killer. I think Disney started to realize that they needed a stronger female character who could think for herself. Even though it was still a happily-ever-after ending which doesn't always happen, it had a stronger gender message than other Disney movies.
My favorite Disney film is the most recent Disney princess movie, Tangled. Tangled tells the story of Rapunzel, a princess with beautiful, long blonde hair who is taken away from her kingdom and is trapped in a tower. Rapunzel has very long, blonde, magical hair that heals and prevents aging if she sings a special song. She has big green eyes and a cute little purple dress. Though she spends her days trapped in her tower, she finds many things to do to pass the time, such as cooking, knitting, exercising, reading, and brushing her hair. Her biggest dream is to see the floating lights that appear every year on her birthday. When a thief, Flynn Rider, tries to hide in her tower, she convinces him to take her to see the floating lights, and on their adventure, they fall in love. Rapunzel does enforce some gender stereotypes. For example, she wears dresses the entire movie, has long hair, and relies on a man to bring her to see the lights. Also, many of the tasks she does when she's stuck in her tower could be seen as "women's work", such as cooking, cleaning, and sewing. The villain in this movie is Mother Gothel, the woman who kidnapped Rapunzel when she was a baby. Mother Gothel does enforce some gender stereotypes, because she doesn't use violence to get what she wants. She uses her "feminine charms" to convince men to do her will and hurt Rapunzel.
ReplyDeleteOne reason that I love Tangled is because I think it actually goes against many of the gender stereotypes. Rapunzel isn't passive, she isn't afraid to stand up for herself, even going as far as hitting Flynn Rider with a frying pan when he sneaks up on her. She is very independent, spunky, and fearless. Another thing I love about this movie that goes against the stereotypes is that, in the end, Rapunzel is actually the one who saves Flynn Rider and brings him back to life. I think that this movie teaches children, especially little girls, that it's okay to be who you want, and to take power into your own hands to get what you want. I also think it can teach little boys that it's okay for women to save them sometimes, because the hero in this movie actually ends up being saved by the princess. I think that Tangled is a great Disney film that actually works to go against gender stereotypes, and succeeds.
In Beauty and the Beast, the main character, Belle is an innocent girl who is always looking to do the right thing. She is sweet and she looks out for her dad. Belle is able to look past physical appearance and see people for who they really are. She also loves to read. However, the man that is trying to make her his wife, Gaston, wants her to be spineless woman who takes orders from men. Because she refuses to marry him and become the stereotypical wife that cleans and takes orders from the male, Belle does not reinforce the female stereotype. She chooses to be an independent woman who is in charge of her own decisions and choices. Gaston, the villain, is a stereotypical male who is constantly trying to be the alpha. He is physically strong and gives orders expecting people to follow. He thinks that because he is a male, he is allowed to take charge and boss women around.
ReplyDeleteIn general, this film teaches children that women are not inferior. Woman can have their own opinions and make their own decisions. It also shows that marriage should be based on mutual love. One pro of this film would be that it encourages men and women to be seen as equal rather than men being superior to women. Another pro to this film is that it shows respect is the best way to earn someone’s love. A con to this film would be that women need to initiate kindness towards males in order to receive respect. Respect should be mutual and should be expected from both genders.
My favorite Disney movie is Mulan. Mulan is a brave, determined, and quick-thinking woman who just wants to bring honor to her family. She has a very protective behavior about her that is a factor in her dressing up as a man and going to war so that her father does not have to. Even though Mulan is considered a Disney Princess, she shows some unique qualities about her personality and behavior that is not seen in some of the Disney Princesses. She is clumsy and generally outspoken to her elders.
ReplyDelete2. Some of the gender stereotypes that Mulan reinforces as being a girl is really primarily shown in the beginning of the movie before she goes to war. She goes to the matchmaker to find her a husband, but must impress the matchmaker by wearing a nice dress and putting on makeup. In the matchmaker scene, women are to act poised and graceful, quiet and demure, and delicate. You also see the women, such as Mulan's mom, working around the house everyday.
3. The villain in this film is Shan Yu, the leader of the Huns. Some of the gender stereotypes that he presents is that men are called to be leaders. He is also portrayed as this big, buff war hero. He is also very confident and arrogant in himself and in his army.
4. This movie teaches children, especially girls, that is okay to not act in your gender class. Mulan, who is a girl and in the beginning is portrayed as the typical girl of the time, goes to war so that her father doesn't have to. She cuts her hair short and puts on armor instead of putting on makeup and wearing a dress. When Mulan is at the base training, she is determined to show her strength. This shows girls that it is okay to be strong mentally and physically. Mulan is praised in the end as being a great war hero and shows that women can do everything that men can do which breaks the gender barriers, which is a pro. Another pro is that it emphasizes that women and men should be equals. A con of this movie is that men are portrayed as the stereotypical men.
1. My first Disney movie I that I can first remember watching was Cinderella, and has become may favorite Disney movie. Cinderella is the main character in the movie. She is portrayed as an independent young woman who does not pity in her sorrows, but eventually get the life she deserves; living happily ever after with Prince Charming. Cinderella was kind, caring, patient and beautiful. Cinderella lived with her Evil step mother and step sisters, who treated her horribly. However, Cinderella made the best of every situation with her little mice friends. In the end, Cinderella got the life she deserved.
ReplyDelete2. Cinderella was a beautiful, young girl waiting for her handsome Prince Charming to come and save her. As a little girl, I used to fantasize over how stunning and perfect Cinderella was especially when going to the Ball and at the end of the movie when she is driving away in the carriage with her Prince Charming.
3. The villain in the film is the evil step mother and step sister. these three women were portrayed as treating Cinderella horribly. They were not the prettiest girls and their wining voices always yelling "Cinderella!" came off as annoying and rude. The step mother was a mean, old lady who was jealous of Cinderella's beauty and young charm.
4. This film really highlighted how important it was to look perfect for the Prince. The movie also highlighted the main part of the Prince having a Ball to meet and choose his wife. The Pros of the movie show how Cinderella did not have the perfect life and was mistreated by her "family", therefore it makes viewers wish for Cinderella to have a happy ending. Cinderella was a hard working girl and it paid off in the end. The Cons of the movie are that materialistic objects like the glass shoe, and the perfection of the ball gowns are mainly highlighted.
My favorite Disney movie when I was a child was Cinderella. Cinderella was very pretty, kind, patient, and caring. She was also very obedient. She did all the housework and acted as a slave for her step mother and step sisters, without complaining. She always did what she was told. She was also very caring and loving the animals, she always helped them and put their own needs before her own. Cinderella portrays many gender stereotypes. Cinderella stays home and cooks and cleans and takes care of the people and animals living in the home. Usually the women of the house stays home and does house work while the man of the house goes out a earns money. Cinderella stays home and is miserable and waiting for someone to come rescue her. This portrays the stereotype that women need a man to come rescue them. The Villain in Cinderella is the evil step mother. The step mother orders around Cinderella and does let her go the ball. The stereotype is that step mothers are evil and they don’t love their step children.
ReplyDeleteCinderella teaches children that they need the women needs to stay home and take care of the house while the man goes out to earn money. It also teaches that the women need to be rescued by a man to have a good life. It teaches women that need to be obedient and do whatever they are ask to do. Some Pros of the movie, is that if you have a hard, tough, bad life that there is hope that things can turn out better and that happy endings can exists. Some Cons of the movie is that is does not portray women as strong and independent, it shows that they need someone to rescue them.
1.) My Favorite disney movie is and always will be The Lion King! The main character being Simba is a male in the beginning of the movie he starts out at a silly little lion boy and he is always looking up to be the King like his father Mufasa. Throughout the movie he faces many different challenges and tries his best to be like his father. Simba ( the boy lion) and Nala (the girl lion) are best friends and looked at kinda like a couple. Simba always is on an adventure and wants to discover more. As Simba grows in the movie he becomes a very muscular fierce lion.
ReplyDelete2.)Even though the characters are animals, the main character Simba still portrays the manly stereotypes. Simba is taught to be fierce and not scared. He is always on some sort of scavenger and out to "take on the world". While the girl lions are cleaning the other lions and taking care of things, Simba and the other male lions are searching for a prey. Simba is the stronger animal and one of the most power animals compared to the Simon and Pumba( the meercat and warthog).
3.)The villain in the film is Scar. He is portrayed as a dark male lion that lives in the caves of the land. From the start Scar's name expresses a mean rough kind of attitude. Scar is Simba's bad uncle and he is very sneaky/ sly and rude.
4.) It teaches that the boys are supposed to be the rough ones and adventure while the girls are suposed to stay close to home and care for each other. Also the funny caring character Pumbaa is a big fat warthog and the mean villian characters are Scar the sleek dark lion and his pack of hyenas. I think Lion King is one Disney movie that does not portray the perfect lifestyle. It seems to try to balance the gender differences and social classes. However, there are some parts of the movie that are very common themes. For example, the 'bad guy" is often dark skinny and scary looking and the nice characters are clean strong and intelligent.
1-3) My favorite movie would have to be Cinderella. In the beginning of the movie, we see the humble, sweet, Cinderella obeying every order given to her by her stepmother and evil stepsisters. Even though Cinderella wears dresses which have rips and dirt stains, her face is perfect, not one flaw lays upon her. Cinderella was fragile and not a single bone in her body was mean. She was all around a sweet, gentle, kind girl, who we see blossom into a mature princess. In the beginning of the movie, we see that Cinderella, seeming as if she were a part of the lower class due to what she was wearing and the chores she had to do, was always following what her stepmother and stepsisters said for her to do. This is stereotyping that those of the lower class do not come near the worthiness of the upper class. Towards the end of the movie, when Cinderella flaunts her beautiful, baby blue dress, and we see the other ball attendees wearing dresses that flow, and represent the colors pink, red, yellow and green, we, as the movie viewers, make the assumption that that was the way women dressed. The villains in Cinderella would be her evil stepmother and stepsisters. The stepmother and stepsisters always tried to ruin Cinderella's life by making her do all of the dirty work in the palace, and they tried to ruin Cinderella's chances with Prince Charming. We perceive the snobby stepmother and stepsisters as rude and bossy. The stepmother and stepsisters always try to bring Cinderella's personality down and they try to make her miserable, when Cinderella always looks at the positives in the situations that she faces. There is major stereotyping in this character portrayal, because you do not see any major characters who are men. Poor Cinderella is beaten down day by day and the villains are the evil stepmother and stepsisters, and through all of this, there are no men on scrubbing the floors, and no men yelling at the women telling them what to do.
ReplyDelete4) Cinderella teaches children that men are always the ones who come into the picture towards the end and save the day, which is not an accurate statement. Woman are strong, and in many cases, the men usually rely on the women. However, Cinderella teaches children to never give up, and follow your heart. In the movie, Cinderella is always getting yelled at, and she is always given orders, yet she never gives up. You do not hear one complaint come from her mouth, and in the end, look who lived happily ever after. Cinderella teaches young children that it does not matter how you are ranked in life, in the end, the happy ending will always find the one who is truly happy, inside and out.
My favorite Disney princess is Mulan. She was the only daughter of a retired military man in China. She had always been a little different than what she was supposed to be. She enjoyed using her brain to ease the burden of her chores, she chastised her father, and she was good at chess. In the beginning, she ruined her meeting with the matchmaker, bringing dishonor to her family. When a draft comes along and her father is called to serve, she ends up in the army to protect him (going in as a man). She is brave and eventually saves her captain and the Emperor.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is full of gender stereotypes. Women were supposed to be docile homemakers. She was supposed to want a man and that was the end of the story. When her father is recruited into the army, he is old and injured, so she takes it upon herself to become a "man" and enlist in his place. She uses a "pet" dragon to help teach her how to act like a man. She learns to spit, talk, walk and even fight like a man. Within the movie, there is even a song called "I'll make a man out of you" where the men were going through training and learning to be tough. The men were supposed to be rougher, they fought over nothing, they were unclean, they had no concept of privacy, and they all wanted the submissive wife.
The villain in the movie was the Huns. They were large and ruthless with no morals. They burned and destroyed everything they came across.
This film taught two conflicting images. They taught young girls that they would bring dishonor to their family by not finding a suitable match. (this is in the beginning of the movie) Then it taught that this was also what men were looking for. It taught young boys to fight and look for submissive wives. Then it took a turn and showed young girls that if they worked hard enough, they could do anything. Mulan goes on to save China and is bowed to by the Emperor. This shows that women could go beyond what was expected of them and help their situations, family, and country. She also ends up with the Captain that she saved, but it is not in a submissive, match-made way. The film portrays him nervous about her rejecting him. She is not the needy docile wife she was portrayed to become in the beginning of the film.
1. Cinderella is a beautiful girl with blond hair and blue eyes. She is kind, caring toward animals, and obedient to her evil stepmother. Her stepmother forces her to clean the entire house and do many other chores while she and her daughters do nothing and makes her wear an old, worn out dress.
ReplyDelete2. Cinderella does all of the housework and chores, the stereotypical role of women. She cleans the entire house and works tirelessly on her hands and knees all day. Cinderella’s character reinforces that women need to be submissive to her stepmother and stepsisters. The only time she disobeys her stepmother is when she goes to the ball. Her fairy godmother creates a beautiful dress and glass slippers for her, reinforcing the stereotype that all women must wear dresses and high heels. Cinderella is saved by the prince when he marries her and takes her away from her evil family. This reinforces the stereotype that a woman needs a man to save her and that men need to fix women’s problems.
3. The villains in this movie are her evil stepmother and stepsisters. They are all seen in pretty dresses. They also have nice jewelry and wear makeup, stereotypical of women. Her stepsisters are also obsessed with making the prince fall in love with them, reinforcing the stereotype that women need to marry a man to be happy.
4. This film teaches children that girls should wear dresses and heels, do all the housework, and spend their time searching for a husband. It also teaches that boys need to be strong and rescue girls from all their problems. The pros of this film include showing children that they can overcome problems in their life and better themselves. But the cons are that the film teaches that women need men to fix their problems, girls should wear dresses, heels, and makeup, and that boys need to rescue girls.
1. In the movie Pocahontas, the character of Pocahontas is a daughter of a Native American chief. She is curious and loves to explore on her own. She goes against the norms of her tribe and in doing so makes change. When Pocahontas roams around she is accompanied by a raccoon and humming birth with whom she converses with. She also seeks a willow tree. In the eyes of John Smith Pocahontas is “uncivilized”.
ReplyDelete2. Pocahontas portrays the gender stereotype of a rebellious woman. She goes against the norms of her people and disobeys her father. She also forces John Smith to see the world through her eyes instead of seeing everything as a threat, she teaches him to appreciate nature when she sings “colors of the wind”.
3. The villain in the film is Governor Ratcliff. There is a certain stereotype with Ratcliff and that is one of a pompous, heavy set man.
4. This film teaches children that gender does not always have to hold a person back and anyone can stand up for something they believe in. The pros of this movie are that not only does Pocahontas stand up to her father for John Smith, but Tom also eventually stands up to Ratcliff. Some cons are that men are still shown to be more action oriented than women, because in the beginning of the movie women in England are see crying and saying good-bye to their husbands while the ship leaves and women in the tribe are seen picking up baskets of corn from the fields.
I think my favorite Disney movie is Pocahontas, which I watched all the time as a kid.
ReplyDelete1. Pocahontas is a conflicted character, who isn't sure what her place will be in a changing world, but using her animal and tree friends, she makes her decision and changes the course of history. She is a very strong character who manages to straddle both worlds of the Powhatan and the English. Additionally, she refuses to allow anything from standing in the way of true justice. Even though her father wants one thing for her, she makes her own decision in the end, which is something I really admire about her. She is strong and brave, but she is also gentle and sweet at the same time.
2. In the beginning, when it seems as though Pocahontas will marry Kocoum (not sure how to actually spell that), it reinforces the idea that a woman's place is married off. Also, she works in the fields picking corn, which she then cooks with the rest of the women, which reinforces the idea that women belong in the kitchen. Additionally, most of the women were very docile and obedient. Gender stereotypes were more apparent though with the men. Both the Native Americans and the English were physically strong (represented particularly in Kocoum and John Smith, Pocahontas' two lovers) and very quick to resort to violence when John Smith is captured.
3. The villain is the historically accurate Radcliffe. He is a very power hungry man who is trying to compensate for his lack of real power by forcing the men to obey him. This shows that men are expected to be strong and powerful and that they are not real men if they do not have power.
4. I think that, overall, this movie teaches girls that they can be strong and that they don't need saving and that, in fact, sometimes their men are the ones that need the saving just as Pocahontas saves John Smith. It also teaches them that It's okay to fall in love/ be friends with with someone who is different than you, even if your family is closed minded (conveniently ignoring the fact that the English basically tried to wipe the Native Americans off the face of the Earth). The pros of this movie include how Pocahontas makes her own decisions and how she ends up being a strong independent woman with no man at all and how she always does what is right, no matter what she is expected to do. The cons are primarily the horrific historical inaccuracy of the film and the excessive focus on "manliness" that all the men in the film are expected to obtain, since the ones that don't, such as Thomas, get ridiculed by the others. Overall though, I think the film is a good one.
The main character of my favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid, is a mermaid named Ariel who wishes for nothing but to become a human. She attempts to be independent (from her father, King Triton, and the other merpeople)as she explores the sea and later sells her soul to the sea-witch, Ursula. She is also very curious about things she does not know, and tends to be a bit forgetful (like when she forgot about her father's concert). Ariel breaks certain "female" stereotypes through her independence and her desire to learn, but she falls into the classic trap of needing a man by her side. Instead of becoming human for the sake of being human, the story was about being human so that she could marry Prince Eric. She reinforces the idea that women always need men by their sides.
ReplyDeleteThe villain the story was the evil sea-witch Ursula who used her powers to steal the beautiful voice of Ariel in exchange for making her human. This woman is large and bitter because of all that she has lost. She reinforces the stereotype that women hold grudges longer (since she always had a grudge against King Triton). She also speaks to the devious, plotting side of women.
In general, The Little Mermaid teaches girls that it is okay to think outside the box, to get answers, and to be independently curious. These pros make the movie more progressive than other Disney movies. However, after the curiosity subsides, it teaches these girls to just look for a prince charming to save them instead of to remain independent, fitting right into the "typical female stereotype" and removing any sort of independence as girls move on later in life.
Snow White is a princess that has to run away from home where she found a prince that loves her, because her step mother, the queen was trying to get her killed. Snow white hid out in the forest, with seven dwarfs who were mine workers. She stayed with them in their cottage in the woods. Snow White would sing about her prince coming to rescue her, but in the mean time she cooked and cleaned all day, in return the 7 dwarfs provided her with a home. She has a very motherly and nurturing kind of attitude; she is also portrayed as very naive and frail. The character of Snow White reinforces the gender stereotypes of the woman being the care taker of the men. She is also spending all of her time just waiting and hoping her prince will come and find her, she is reinforcing that women need a man to come and rescue them. The villain is the Queen. She wants to be the “fairest in the land” and because Snow White is, she now wants her killed. This character cares about the way she looks, and spends her time looking in the mirror, showing that women are supposed to spend the time and make the effort to present themselves as attractive and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe film teaches children that the woman is supposed to spend their days in the house, cooking and cleaning, waiting for the “man” or in this case the men to come home. This is seen when the dwarfs asked her why she should be allowed to stay with them, and she said that she could do all the cooking and cleaning. It is portrayed as the woman’s duty to look after the household and act as a care taker; where as it is the men’s roll to work all day. Snow White is also portrayed as naïve another characteristic often shown through female figures because she falls for the Queens poisoned apple. She is also helpless throughout the movie because she dreams and sings about her prince coming to save her, and take her away to live in a beautiful castle. This gives young girl the idea that they need to wait for a prince to save them from any dire situation, and the young boys the idea that they need to be that prince. This film also sends the message that the beautiful girl gets the handsome prince, and the evil or ugly queen does not, as well as the dwarfs because they are not portrayed as strong and healthy man because of their physical being they are all left single.
My favorite Disney movie is probably Cinderella. Cinderella is kind, compassionate, and always taken advantage of because of her genuinely nice attitude. All of her life she has been well behaved and followed the norms of her "role" in her household. Cinderella reinforces the everyday perfect girl stereotype along with the stereotype of a woman in her society. She reinforced that stereotype due to the fact that she was constantly doing house work (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.). The film has multiple villains, her step mother along with her step sisters. In these characters you definitely see the gender stereotype of a girl needing to be fashion forward and look perfect.
ReplyDeleteThis film teaches children that looks do matter and also a man does matter. The whole moral of the story is Cinderella having her prince charming instead of her step sisters. The pros of this film would be the happy ending and the good personality traits Cinderella holds but the cons would be that having a man in your life is extremely important and looks do matter.
1. My favorite Disney movie as a child was Mulan. In the beginning of the movie, Mulan was forced to dress and act in all the stereotypical ways women were portrayed.According to her family, her main goal in life should be finding a husband. She was very against it and knew she didn't want to live that type of life.
ReplyDelete2. Mulan reinforces that women were helpless and needed to depend on a man. Their goal in life was to find a suitable husband who was supposed to take care of them. This shows how people thought women couldn't take care of themselves.
3. The villain of the film is Shan Yu, the general of the Huns. He is a cruel leader who is bent on conquering China. He is stereotypical because he is portrayed as a very muscular big man with an vil looking face. He defines masculinity and is supposed to be superior to women.
4. This movie teaches children that change is good and you should never be confined to stereotypes. I think I loved this movie so much because it was different. There was still a romantic component to it, but Mulan stepped outside of the boudaries of a typical woman and showed us that you can truly do anything you set your mind to.
One of my favorite Disney movies is Cinderella. Cinderella is pretty, kind, patient, and caring. She acts very girly and is always in a dress. She is kind to everyone and does what she is told. Her evil stepmother forces her to do all the chores in the house such as cooking and cleaning. She is rarely allowed to leave the house and always obeys orders. She never stands up for herself or does what she wants to do. Eventually, she goes to a ball and meets her prince charming and they live happily ever after. This movie exhibits the stereotypical woman, which is someone who only cooks and cleans and is always in stereotypical clothes that women are supposed to wear, such as dresses and skirts. The villain in the film is Cinderella’s stepmother and this is stereotyping stepmothers as being cruel and mean to their stepchildren. The stepmother is also always in fancy dresses and wearing fancy jewelry like a woman supposedly should be. This Disney movie always stereotypes woman as being superficial and only caring about the way they look and what they wear and how they act.
ReplyDeleteThis film teaches children, especially little girls, to look up to this princess and act just like her. It stereotypes girls into thinking they are responsible to cook and clean and do as they’re told. It also teaches girls not to stand up for themselves and to just wait around for a “prince” to come and change their life. It teaches them to be dependent on men and to not take control of their own life. This always shows how are society portrays woman as not being independent and needing a man to be happy. The cons of this film are that it does stereotype woman, but I do believe there are always pros to the movie Cinderella. The movie exhibits a kind, patient, caring girl, which are all good qualities to look up to. Also this movie allows little girls to have dreams about being a princess and although it is not very realistic, it teaches them that no matter how bad life may seem you can still find a happily ever after.
1. One of my favorite Disney movies is Tarzan. Tarzan and Jane, I would say, are the two main characters. Tarzan, as a child, is a typical little boy. He is funny, full of energy, and is always playing rough and getting dirty. As he grows up, his personality and behavior toward the gorillas never change; he treats them with respect and what he longs for most is to find his place in a true family. Jane, on the other hand, was raised with humans in England. He is very punctual and proper; she is a typical girly girl.
ReplyDelete2. Tarzan and Jane definitely reinforce gender stereotypes. For instance, Tarzan is very muscular and athletic. Men, especially in movies, are known for being very built and good at everything. Jane portrays gender stereotypes as well. For example, she is a very big girly girl. He wears dresses and skirts for the entire movie and her hair is either in an elegant bun or down. Jane, like a stereotypical girl, is kind of inept in the forest when she is by herself.
3. The villain in the film is Clayton. He really is the classic male. He’s this big, strong tough guy who thinks he knows everything. He carries a gun and machete and just thinks he is above everyone and everything. He would kill and do anything as long as it is for his own benefit. He acts as the alpha male with Jane and her father. The other villains of the movie, Clayton’s team, are filled with the typical “manly men”. They are gross, dirty, strong, and probably smell.
4. As a broad generalization, I would say that Tarzan teaches children that the men are the alphas of the family and the women are the caretakers of the children. For example, Kerchak is the leader of the gorillas and the female gorillas are the ones who are always with their babies and feed and take care of them. These gender stereotypes are the cons of Tarzan. Society is changing and because of that, men are not always the leaders of a group and women are not necessarily the caretakers. Although there are a few gender stereotypes, there are also components of this movie that move away from what society views what males and especially females can and cannot do; these are the pros of Tarzan. In the beginning of the movie, Jane is just this rich woman from England who wears dresses all the time and is very serious about her work. However, by the end of the move, Jane has transformed. She teaches young girls, and even little boys, that girls can do anything guys can do. She, like Tarzan, can swing on vines and slide on tree branches. She also can take out a big, fat guy to save someone. Another way Tarzan steers away toward gender stereotypes is with Terk, Tarzan’s best friend. She is a tomboy. She is always hanging out with the guy gorillas and she even acts like them too (that’s why many viewers think she is a boy). I think it’s so funny that mostly everyone thinks Terk is a guy because of how she acts. People in society don’t think that the way she acts is how a girl should act so they assume that Terk is a boy.
1,2,3. My favorite Disney movie would have to be Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In this classic movie, Snow White is a hardworking, caring, and compassionate person. She works as a scullery maid for her evil queen stepmother. Every time Snow White encounters a person, she is friendly and shows affection. In addition, she is always willing to help others in any way she can like what she does for the seven dwarfs. There are many stereotypes in this movie. Snow White is portrayed as doing what a woman usually does, which consists of cooking, cleaning, and staying at home to keep the property in good condition. The main antagonist is Snow White’s queen stepmother who plots to kill her because her Magic Mirror informs the queen that Snow White is the fairest in the land rather than herself. The Queen endures the usual characteristics of a villain, which include being self-centered, having jealousy, plotting to kill, and feeling that their integrity is being threatened. In regards to gender stereotypes, the queen wants to be the fairest one in the land, which many women want to be in society.
ReplyDelete4. This film teaches children to not be vain, to appreciate what you have, and to stop thinking that being perfect is what life is all about. The pros of this film show that people can overcome adversity when it is encountered and do not let anyone bring someone down. On the other hand, the cons of this film are that it emphasizes gender stereotypes. When Snow White is in her “sleeping death”, the only possible way to wake her up is for a charming man to kiss her. This conveys that message that woman can only overcome adversity and be rescued by a man. Woman are just as strong enough as men to conquer their hardships.
1. My favorite Disney movie is Aladdin. One of the main characters of Aladdin is the Princess Jasmine. Jasmine is kind and caring person who wants to explore outside her palace. She wants to be independent and able to make her own decisions.
ReplyDelete2. Gender stereotypes this character reinforces are that women cannot make their own choices and they need a man in their life.
3. The villain in this movie is Jafar. Jafar, is an adviser of Jasmine's father and hypnotizes him to arrange Jasmine to marry him. A gender stereotype Jafar reinforces is that evil people are ugly. No body expects someone beautiful to be evil, so this Disney movie portrays an ugly person as evil.
4. In general this film teaches children that they need a man in their life who literally sweeps them off their feet. The pros of this movie are Jasmine stands up for herself, it's what matters on the inside that counts, to keep your promises, and to be true to who you are. A con to this movie is that even if someone lies to you about who they are, you can still marry them.
1. My favorite disney character is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She is brave, compassionate, kind, and compassionate. She will do anything for her father and she knows what she wants. She does not judge others.
ReplyDelete2. Belle reinforces the stereotype of females by wearing a dress. She also has a petite frame. She has pretty dark hair that is tied back. She loves to read and is book smart. She cleans the house. She is caring and consoling and when Beast gets physically hurt Belle gets a warm cloth to make it feel better.
3. Gaston is a villain in the film who is conceited. He is full of himself. He is portrayed as strong, handsome,tall, and powerful. Beast can also be seen as a villain in a way. He is big, strong, tall, mean, and doesn't know how to use his manners properly (when he is eating dinner he doesn't use a fork)
4. This film teaches children that women are compassionate, soft, kind, and loving. It teaches children that men love to fight, are highly confident in themselves, are tall, and strong. The pros of this film is the lesson it teaches. It teaches kids to not judge people based on their looks. Gaston was handsome but ugly on the inside and Beast was ugly but handsome on the inside. The cons are how much they dramatically show gender differences. There was a part in the movie when a mother was with her four kids begging a man for money and the man shoved them away. I don't think kids would pick up on this, but it's portraying females falsely. Also, with Gastan wanting to win Belle over. Throughout the movie, Gastan sent out the message that just because he is well liked, handsome, and powerful he automatically deserves Belle's love; but Belle was portrayed well because she was a strong independent woman that denied Gastan's love because she didn't date for looks.
My favorite Disney movie is Cinderella. Cinderella is a princess who now has to obey and take orders from her evil step mother. Cinderella is kind compassionate and she is very respectful of everyone around her. Her evil step mother forces her to do all of the chores such as cooking and cleaning. Some of the gender stereotypes that Cinderella has are the clothes she wears and the way she acts (obeying orders), are just a few that exemplify what a woman is supposed to act like. The villain is the evil step mother and she is very rude just like the stereotype of a stepmother is. The stereotype is that the stepmother treats the daughter like garbage and that is exactly how she treats Cinderella.
ReplyDeleteThis film teaches children that dreams can come true and that there is really a prince charming out there for everyone. It shows little girls that the right thing to do is to stay home and do chores and to never disobey authority. This is a very good point because it teaches girls to have respect for their elders but women can do much more than just stay home and clean. By going to the ball Cinderella disobeyed her step mother but that is how she met her prince. In my opinion i think this shows how she overcame the expectation of just staying home all the time and this is how she got her happily ever after.
My favorite Disney character growing up was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Her personality was curiosity and wonder. Her behavior was always looking for the answers to what was in the human world. Ariel was always sweet to others but she felt misunderstood. She was young but felt as though she was treated as a child. She was always searching for new adventures in life. The gender stereotypes that Ariel reinforces is that she is "just a little girl" and she did not really know anything about the world. The villain of this film is Ursula and the gender stereotypes she reinforces is overly-chested, wears a lot of makeup, her nails are painted, she wears a lot of jewelry, and how she is manipulative. She is jealous of Ariel's singing voice and decides to be manipulative in order to take her voice.
ReplyDelete1. My favorite character is Mulan, she is kind and compassionate about her family and would do anything to help them. Mulan shows her compassion when she defies her father and enters the army under his name to protect him.
ReplyDelete2. This character reinforces the gender stereotype that women have to grow up to be married. She also defies this stereotype in the end.
3. The villain in Mulan is Shan Yu, he reinforces the stereotype that men have to be strong and not show weakness or mercy.
4. Mulan teaches children that even though you are a man or a women you do not have to stick to your presumed gender roles if you do not want to, all you have to do is fight for your right to do something if you really want to. I think that one of the pros of Mulan is that during the whole movie she was fighting for the honor of her family and not for herself. One of the main cons of this film is that in the end Mulan does fall in love and I think that this kind of backtracks from the fact that Mulan makes all this success on her own. The fact that she fell in love hints to the fact that she cannot live on her own, which is what the main problem was in the beginning of the film.
My favorite Disney movie growing up was definitely the Little Mermaid. Ariel was a mermaid with red hair and daughter to the king of the sea, King Triatin. She falls in love with a human and in order to be with him and get married; she has to give up talking. The female stereotype I saw in the movie was the submissiveness of Ariel, when her father told her to do something she HAD to do it, there were no if, and's, or buts about it. Also, she gives up her voice for a man and that just shows that women should give up whatever they value for men as well. She gets into a rut when the villain Ursala gets involved, but they guy she’s in love with comes to save, living up the gender stereotype that men are masculine and should be able to save women.
ReplyDeleteThis movie teaches children that there will also be a happily ever after, that sometimes you need to be independent and listen to your heart. I feel that it also teaches girls to give up whatever they value for the man that they love, I don’t think you should have to give up anything for anyone but in the circumstances she felt it was her only option if she wanted to be happy. The cons in this film are teaching girls to live up to the female stereotypes conveyed in this film, such as, needing to find a prince charming, giving up something for him, following orders, and lacking independence at the end of the day.
1. My favorite Disney movie is Cinderella. Cinderella is a young, pretty, blonde, thin girl who is treated as a servant by her step mother and step sisters. Even though they are cruel to her, she treats them respectfully and with the same amount of kindness she would anyone else. Cinderella also expresses her gentleness by the way she treats the mice and other animals in her home.
ReplyDelete2. a gender stereotype that is enforced by this character is the fact that she is the one who must cook and clean the house just like most women do, the only reason why it is different is because she is working for other women and not for a spouse.
3. the villains in the film are Cinderella's stepmother and step sisters. the gender stereotypes that i see between these three characters is that they are all very materialistic and seem to only care about status and the way they look.
4. In general, what does this film teach children about gender and other components of socialization? What are the pros and cons of this film
4. This film could teach children that men are superior to women in the way that women are so weak when they are on their own and need someone to come save them. Most princess movies portray this message
Choose your favorite Disney movie: Cinderella
ReplyDelete1. Describe the main character's personality, behavior, and general characteristics (briefly... 3-5 sentences)
My favorite Disney movie/ Disney character is Cinderella. Cinderella is very kind, sweet, and a hard worker. She lives most of her life in a very rough way. She is mistreated and disrespected constantly by her step mother and step sisters. Through all of this, she keeps her head up and always manages to do what she is told out of the goodness of her heart.
2. What gender stereotypes does this character reinforce?
As a woman, she lives by the stereotypes that woman are meant to cook and clean and provide for her home in a non-monetary sense.
3. Who is the villain in the film? Do you see any gender stereotypes in this character?
The main villains are most definitely her step mother and step sisters, the only general gender stereotype they have are that they are obsessed with their self image and invest much time in their physical appearance.
4. In general, what does this film teach children about gender and other components of socialization? What are the pros and cons of this film?
This film teaches children that all girls deserve and may receive their happily ever after through hard work and dedication. Cinderella, after living the life of the downtrodden ended up with her prince and her own happily ever after. the pros of this are that it teaches us that in the end everyone is happy but the cons are that it creates an unrealistic image of how people are treated.
1,2,3. My favorite Disney character is Cinderella. She is very kind, very consistent and patient. Cinderella usually gets all her chores done to try to please her stepmother. She reinforces the stereotype that the women has to cook and clean around the house, pretty much be a maid around the home. She brings up the typical stereotype of a woman in any kind of household during that time; unlike her stepsisters and her stepmother, Cinderella had to work all day, everyday to get the house clean and wait to her stepsisters and stepmother. The villain in the film is her Stepmother, Lady Tremaine. I do not really see any gender types in her character; she is the head of the household because Cinderella's father had died and he left everything to Cinderella, Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters. Lady Tremaine, to me, reinforces the independent kind of woman, trying to do anything she could to for her own daughters (dis-including Cinderella).
ReplyDelete4. I think the film taught children that women are inferior to men. With the the Prince it showed that men have to sweep women off their feel and save them when they are in distress. The pros of the film show that there are happy endings to captivate the children. The cons are obviously that men are superior to women, that women are always dependent on men.
In the Disney movie beauty and the beast we see the stereo type of how woman are the compassionate human beings who look for “personality” in relationships. Today, men are stereotyped to be jerks or “beasts” in relationships by only going for physical attraction. The villains in the film are the town’s people who don’t like the beast because of his appearance. The towns people could resemble a daughter’s father because many fathers and family today are judging of who their children are dating based on appearances such as tattoos, piercings, etc. This film teaches children to be compassionate and understanding. The pros are that the children watching can understand that physicality isn’t everything, and the con is that they make it seem like society is against a “pretty person” being with an “ugly person.”
ReplyDeleteI chose beauty and the beast. The main character belle is a beautiful woman who is sweet and kind. she is caring and accepting. She tries to accept the beast for how he is. She re enforces the women are timid and sweet stereotype. The movie also shows the stereo type that society is harsh and judgemental because the towns people judge the beast and they dont even know him. I think this has pros because it shows how to be accepting to people that are different but its con is that its always a happy ending which isnt realistic.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Disney movie is one of the more recent ones: The Princess and the Frog. The movie follows an African American, Tiana, trying to reach her dreams in a more modern time. She is a hard-working waitress trying to save enough money to start her own restaurant in the memory of her later father. Tiana is a stubborn and persistent woman that knows that she doesn't need a man to succeed.
ReplyDeleteTiana herself doesn't reinforce any stereotypes, but her best friend Charlotte, who is seen as a character foil to Tiana, does. Charlotte's goal in life is to find a husband and live off of his money. She wears pink and never does anything for herself. It seems that Tiana defies the stereotypes that are thrown at her by society, but she refuses to take it.
The villain in this film is the "Voodoo Man" that uses black magic in order to get what he needs. Yes, there are some obvious stereotypes, but for the most part I don't think he is a stereotypical villain. He is reliant on spirits from another world in order to survive and also, instead of being strong and brute, he is slimy and deceiving.
Personally, I have no negatives about this film. It basically defies everything that Disney has done in the past. Tiana is a poor working African American who refuses to rely on a man in order to reach her goals. Also, I think she is one of the first female protagonists, where she saves others instead of the other way around.
My favorite disney character is Cinderella. The movie tells the story of Cinderella's life; how she is a servant at home to her step mother and step sisters. Cinderella is a very shy, kind, hard working, loyal, intelligent, sweet and friendly young girl. Cinderella fits the typical stereotypes for house wives. Cinderella is constantly cooking, cleaning, and doing house work. Her step mother and her step sisters are 3 of the main villans in the story and they also fit stereotypes. Her step mother fits the stereotype that step mothers are always evil and out to get their step daughters. Cinderella's step sisters fit the stereo type of a stuck-up teenage girls. They are always trying to be better than Cinderella, they are always dressed up and looking their best, and they want to maintain their image in society. I think this movie has many stereotypes that apply to every day life. It teaches kids that women should be house wives. how teenage girls should act but it also gives off the feeling that men are superior to women.
ReplyDelete