Psychoanalytic Analysis Of The Disney Film 'Cinderella'

Cinderella Article titled “What’s Wrong with Cinderella” written by Peggy Orenstein, covered five areas about the “Princess” trend in the 21st Century. Orenstein states facts, feminist views and third party, reasoning to support and oppose her views on the princess craze. The opposing data does not prove there are long or short term health or well-being effects or damages from the data collected. Orenstein gives an inter-dialogue with the pros and cons of marketing to young girls on its health effects and its well-being damages to young girls that experience the princess craze. Orenstein agrees young girls are not allowed to be themselves.

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

In Peggy Orenstein’s book, she effectively argues that a princess-like society immersed in America's culture is damaging to young girls through her interviews, evidence, personal experience, and humorous tone. Starting towards the beginning of her book, Orenstein exposes to the audience that she too liked Disney. She says that "God knows I was a Disney kid. I still have my bona fide mouse ears" (Orenstein 13). By doing this, Orenstein conveys her knowledge of the two sides of her argument: Disney is damaging to young kids or vice versa.

Cinderella is one of the most common archetypes used today, along with her deep story put into different perspectives. Three examples of this are Cinder by Marissa Meyer, “Cinderella” by Brothers Grimm, and “Adelita” by Tomie de Paola. Each of these stories used the archetypes of her common important family member or pet, her stepmother, and her terrible family, along with how she always has some form of work or job. Next, in all three of these books “Cinderella” always has a terrible step-family.

The benefit for Cinderella and the prince is long term, while the benefit for the stepsister is only temporary. However, both are results of their determination to get what they want, and they are all willing to do whatever it takes to experience the benefit. The characters did not give up and were persistent, which is a value that many children and adults consider highly. “Cinderella”, teaches the audience that determination can lead to benefits and is worth the consequences that may come with the value of not giving up until one fulfills their

Cinderella's step family treats her very poorly so she runs away into forest and meets a charming prince who she then falls in love with. The prince assists she goes to a ball being held soon to see her again. Right when Cinderella gives up all hope to go to the ball her fairy godmother appears and makes her a beautiful dress, glass shoes, and a carriage out of a pumpkin with a spell that will make everything disappear at midnight. Ella goes to the ball and as soon as she knows it she is at the ball dancing with the prince. She was having so much fun she barely notices it is about to strike midnight and rushes out leaving only her glass slipper to track her.

The magic person also changes animals to help Cinderella go to the big party. Cinderella had to leave suddenly, but left her shoe. Prince try to find girl to who matches the shoe. Cinderella and the prince get married and live happily ever after. All the tales have a similar plot and theme.

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.

Cinderella once again breaks down and explains her entire life story to a stranger she just met. The floating woman once again gave a small twitch of annoyance, but again it was only detected by the man hiding in the brush. The woman smiles down at Cinderella and flicks her wand at Cinderella. Like magic the blonde’s clothes change to an elegant blue dress and all the dirt and grime of her life is washed away only to be replaced by makeup and cleanliness. A gasp escapes Cinderella’s lips, but the huntsman’s eyes just narrow in suspicion.

The slipper reveals the flaws and cracks in the values that form the foundation of our society by being the embodiment of the human spirit. In order to comprehend how the slipper illustrates the lack of integrity in society’s morals, the influence it has on the populace needs to be considered. All three interpretations of Cinderella paints a picture of a materialistic world obsessed with wealth and status. Each variation, however, emphasizes different levels from the actions of an individual to the movement of an entire kingdom. In the Grimm Brothers version of this tale, the composition of the shoes change each day, ranging from “slippers embroidered with silk and silver”(Grimm 33) to slippers “of pure gold”(Grimm 46).

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?”).

Disney princesses started off to demonstrate poor morals for young girls, but the recent princesses do a better job of displaying that women are strong and independent and do not need to rely on

Princesses’ in Disney movies are tied down to a recurring theme: the princess that must be saved from the evil woman by the charming prince. A significant contrast to the usually weak and easily persuaded figure of the father. Even though the women are portrayed as weak, nobody stops to think how strong they have to be to carry the responsibility of an entire household on her shoulder, while the men always seem to be traveling or ill. Fairytales are based on a patriarchal way of thinking and as time passes by, it’s proven to be detrimental to society Women and men are constantly being bound to a series of stereotypes.

The fairytale of Cinderella is among the most popular and enduring classic stories. It exists in a variety of versions written by authors from different countries and cultures. The story exhibits various themes that are relevant to the field of humanities, including cruelty, injustice, ambition of girls to marry a wealthy prince, the desire to be loved and cherished, and beauty and grace. In all the versions, the story revolves around a beautiful and kind girl, who suffers cruelty in the hands of her step sisters, but she is eventually rewarded for her patience. Her rescue and fortune comes by the help of magical assistance from fairy beings, in one case a fairy godmother and in another a fairy hazel tree.

In general, the princesses range in age from fourteen to nineteen years old and the plot of their movies commonly revolves around the common theme of needing to be saved by a man. For Princess Ariel, age sixteen, and Princess Jasmine, age fifteen, they are not strangers to this idea. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, of PsychologyToday.com, emphasizes the impact of role models on children, which the princesses are to many, by sharing her perspective through the results of studies. In her research, Whitbourne has found that children tend to model their behavior off of individuals that seem to be rewarded. This idea can be used to describe some of the more questionable scenes in both Ariel’s and Jasmine’s movies.