Comparing Poniewozik's Cinderella And Princess Culture

In “Cinderella”, by the Grimm Brothers, the authors utilize a multitude of fairy tale genre conventions such as frequent usage of rhetorical devices, magical creatures, and the classic “Happy Ever After” fairy tale ending, to emphasize the importance of genuineness and the dangers of pursuing superficiality. The authors use several rhetorical devices such as symbolism and juxtaposition

He begins to say, “You give your daughter legos and soccer balls, not barbies” (323). Poniewozik proceeds to argue his point by explaining how Hollywood finally discovered that it is pointless to fight the urge of the astonishing pink princess epidemic, while producing many more princess themed items because it is what girls seem to want. Similarly, Peggy Orenstein opens with a story about a mother who is simply appalled by anything and everything princess based on how her daughter gets treated by other adults. However, Orenstein tried to keep a consistent theme of not accepting the whole idea of being picture perfect throughout the article, but while making an argument, she would then come up with a contrasting argument. The question of, “Does every little girl really have to be a princess?”(Orenstein 326), arises when thinking about all of the times how even strangers assume little girls always want pink.

This quote shows that Orenstein conducted interviews with teenagers, as well as adults. She gets an inside view of a teenager's mind through her interview; this boosts her credibility. All of Orenstein's research and interviews effectively argue that a princess-like culture is dangerous to

In the essay “Cinderella: Saturday Afternoon at the Movies, ” Louise Bernikow explains women’s relationships and their life goals in the story of Cinderella. She believes that the ultimate goal for women in this fairy tales is to get and a life that can not achieve on their own by marrying a powerful and rich man. In order to achieve this goal, women must compete with each other and be pretty to catch rich men’s eyes. Bernikow uses Cinderella’ stepmother as an example to describe this situation. In the story, the stepmother mistreats Cinderella because Cinderella is beautiful and her daughters are in competition with Cinderella.

In the beginning, Disney's earlier princesses set unrealistic beauty expectations for young girls. Princesses like Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty show girls that as long as they are beautiful, they will be "successful" in life. Disney's newer princesses have been given flaws and have more independence than their predecessors. The newer princesses like Mulan, Elsa, and Merdia show girls that they do not have to fit the mold set by earlier Disney princesses. Slowly, Disney is changing the typical aspects of beauty in their princesses to set a better example for young girls in the future.

In the excerpts from both James Poniewozik's "The Princess Paradox" and Peggy Orenstein's "Cinderella and Princess Culture", the authors address the growing market of princess products and how big ticket companies are using this knowledge to turn a profit. Both authors are highly respected journalists who have been published in the New York Times multiple times. Each has done their own intensive research on the media's use of princesses and their culture to make money. While both authors address how corporations are finding profit in "princess culture", Poniewozik focuses on how movie studios found princess stories to bring money in from young audiences, while Orenstein appears more concerned with how Disney branded princesses.

While reading and watching films of different cultural Fairy Tales, you notice that in every Cinderella Tale there is a girl who is tired of living a life where they just want to be better. Also from all the different versions of Cinderella stories, all of them are surrounded by jealousy, hate, and negative vibes. However, there are cultural differences that are expressed in each of the different versions of these Fairy Tales. In my paper I am going to express these differences, the two versions that I’ll be talking about is “Aschenputtel” which is the Germany version, and a modern version “Maid in Manhattan”. My goal in this essay is to compare the historical context between the two, and also the cultural differences that is shown while reading

In the New York Times article “Cinderella and Princess Culture,” Peggy Orenstein investigates princess culture in today’s society. Orenstein is a successful writer for the New York Times and has published a best-selling memoir. In her investigation into the growing phenomenon of princess culture, Orenstein discovered that large companies, such as Disney, turn a substantial profit by selling costumes, dolls, and various princess themed must-haves. She argues that the princess hysteria sweeping the nation is not teaching kids life lessons, but rather further stereotyping little girls. Orenstein is a feminist herself as well as a mother.

The movie “The Princess and the Frog” is not your typical “boy saves girl” movie. Instead, this Disney movie presents us with a strong female lead who doesn’t need a man to achieve her goals. In many previous Disney movies, it is demonstrated that a girl needs a man in order to get her happily ever after. Without a prince, she is nothing. In “The Princess and the Frog” the gender roles are presented to us as equal, even reverse at times.

Who does not love Disney, with movies for all boys and girls alike? From Cars and Big Hero 6 to Cinderella and Mulan people love these types of movies and want more and more of Disney. On the other hand, people also criticize these movies endlessly. Peggy Orenstein argues that Disney is a huge influence on young girls. She believes that it pushed her daughter to want to play dress up and to be fragile or to like the color pink like every other girl because that is how girls are, they like to follow the example in front of them, but is that true?

Poniewozik focuses on the movie industry in which she describes many fairy tale movies to be rather popular among both parents and daughters even though they are aware of the importance of being a strong, self-determined woman. Poniewozik states that, “Hollywood is discovering that it still pays not to fight the royal urge. Following 2001’s $108 million - grossing The Princess Diaries” (Poniewozik). On the other hand, Orenstein focuses on the profits of the products sold as a result of the princess movies. Orenstein describes a new chain of mall stores called Club Libby Lu in which “girls ages 4 to 12 can shop for ‘Princess Phones’ covered faux fur and attend ‘Princess-Makeover Birthday Parties’.

Ever since I was a child, fairy tales have influenced my life, as well as others, in ways we do not even notice. Fairy tales have influenced the gender roles, body images, sexuality, race, and class of society. I practically dressed up like princesses for Halloween every single year when I had an obsession over them. My favorite princess happened to be Ariel. Whenever my family went to the beach, I would attempt to sing like Ariel because I thought I could be her or turn into her.

From its onset with its first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, Disney has grown to become a worldwide phenomenon today. But over the years, various parent groups, scholars and film critics have accused Disney for creating shallow, stereotypical princesses whose ultimate aim was to find her 'prince charming ' and live happily ever after. In her article, “What’s Wrong With Cinderella?” in the New York Times, Peggy Orenstein expresses her concern over the effect of princess figures like Cinderella on young girls ' perceptions of themselves and how they should behave (“What’s Wrong With Cinderella?”).

The topic of self confidence is a subject that is heavily discussed when it comes to girls of all ages. Journalist, Stephanie Hanes, examines the current trend of sexualization amongst young girls. In the article “Little Girls or Little Women: The Disney Princess Effect”, Hanes examines the current trend of sexualization amongst girls. She addresses the issue of desiring to become a women too soon. Hanes develops her article by using the literary techniques of pathos and logos to describe the emotions young girls feel when they see images of women with unattainable features.

It is a common theme shown in a majority of princess tales. Princesses are not allowed to define their lives, instead the men in their lives define it for them. For example, rendered motionless until true love 's kiss set her free, Aurora would lay in bed desperately awaiting the arrival of her prince charming. Not only does this highlight the weakness that Disney denotes women to, it represents these horrifically impossible standards of love. Disney’s fairy tales implement gender roles and irrational expectations of love and life, which affects the mental perspective that children have on these topics as they grow