Personal Narrative: Disney Princesses

Improved Essays
Television and movies have been the first to introduce me to any job I ever wanted to have. My fervent electronic media consumption started young, and my tastes were not extraordinary by any measure. Disney Princesses convinced me that being a princess was not a title, but rather a fairly unoccupied career path. I wanted to be an unabashed social climber. This all seemed so very reasonable, since they all seemed to have to work hard at being kind to local villagers, animals, and inexplicably enchanted objects to achieve their goal of being promoted to nobility. Or rather, they had to do all of this to remain in power. Never were they asked to write down their goals, or to visualize what they wanted. They never had to consider how to “have it all.” My ambitions seemed in reach, as the most popular female characters preoccupying my screen time were princesses, and so I saw their role as not unusual, but rather the normal. The normal being so pervasive, that until I decided that princesses were “babyish,” it was the only thing I ever considered doing. …show more content…
I made cooking videos and bought a juicer, convinced that I would join the ranks of Rachel Ray, the Barefoot Contessa, and Giada De Laurentiis. When I actually started cooking meals for my family, and decided it was too much work, I marched into Mad Men. With a spunky attitude and penchant for nostalgia, I was going to take over the advertising world, proving to everyone that companies weren’t heartless, but rather misguided. This didn’t last long. And while I’m part of a politically heated family, and spent large swarthes of my summer days with my dad’s history channel documentaries droning on in the background, there is no doubt that The West Wing was the one who convinced me that 40 years out, I too could take the oath of office and become the President of the United

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Fairytales’, being around for several generations, have evolved through time and caught the attention of many folklorists, and demands an explanation of how feminism plays an essential role in today 's culture. Folklorist and author, James Poniewozik wrote, “The Princess Paradox” to raise an attempt to explain the “girls-kick-ass culture” (323). Peggy Orenstein published, “Cinderella and the Princess Culture” to examine and identify the belief of feminism within fairytales. Even though two different authors studied and evaluated the same topic, being feminism in fairytales, their approaches and conclusions on the topic tend to differentiate slightly, but also come to an agreeance in other areas.…

    • 891 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In both “The Princess Paradox” by James Poniewozik and “Cinderella and Princess Culture” by Peggy Orenstein, the princess culture is agreed upon; however, the authors vary their opinions of how the fairytail dream of pink dresses and sparkly crowns came to be. Poniewozik opens up his article by addressing the “kick-ass culture,” while Orenstein focuses on how princesses have diminished the feeling of confidence and independence that young girls should experience. While some may believe that princesses show the younger generation that females possess the ability to accomplish anything a male can, others believe that this trend aggressively encourages the idea of “perfection” in our modern society. Both “The Princess Paradox” and “Cinderella and Princess Culture” discuss the rules and…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Girls On Film Analysis

    • 1459 Words
    • 6 Pages

    This particular article is also geared towards mothers of daughters who would have an interest in Disney’s princess brand. Bartyzel’s writings examine the portrayal of women in media as evidenced by the overarching title of “Girls on Film”. Bartyzel believes that there is often an issue with the way women are portrayed and that it has a detrimental effect on young women. There has been a lot of discussion around Disney in particular and the culture created by it’s princesses. Many, like Bartyzel, argue that Disney princesses are only showing girls one very narrow view of femininity and it’s an archaic one.…

    • 1459 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Since the time we were little, we became invested in childhood tales. We became connected to the characters and their stories. They teach us to be brave, kind, and adventurous. Little did we know, we were also being taught another lesson. Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and many others all have something in common; an absent mother.…

    • 1157 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In the article “The Princess Paradox,” Poniewozik discusses Hollywood movies produced for the public that convey an idealistic culture. Poniewozik claims that the princess culture is not despicable for young girls to know or experience and promotes feministic ideas by introducing certain movies. Poniewozik introduces that in 2001, many cinderella stories were produced bringing in a gross profit of 108 million dollars. Since then, Hollywood has decided to keep producing these cinderella stories and fairytales to continue bringing in this profit. “Call it nature or nurture, harmless fantasy or insidious indoctrination, but Hollywood is discovering that it still pays not to fight the royal urge” (323).…

    • 277 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    Toddlers In Tiaras Summary

    • 1712 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Beauty standards are a common struggle in girls and always have been. Throughout the years the standards have changed, and they are now becoming more prominent in young girls. Research has been done, and it has shown that young girls no longer want to do “little” girl activities; but want to change their looks, wait for their prince charming, and become big girls. Stephanie Hanes, with a background in play therapy, wrote an article concerning Disney Princesses effects on young girls. Hanes has a young daughter who is not herself anymore because she “is waiting on her prince”; a concerned and confused mother is able to create an article pointing out her research on what has changed in her three year old daughter, and it all comes back to Disney…

    • 1712 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    After feminist Peggy Orenstein’s three year old daughter expresses her enjoyment in dressing as Cinderella, Orenstein begins to worry, thinking that dressing as a princess “can undermine girls’ well-being” (Orenstein 327). Wanting to get to the bottom of the princess culture, Orenstein sets out on an investigation, learning that “princesses” are a money-making machine. Through the director of consumer products at Disney, Inc., Andy Mooney, Orenstein is persuaded to think that the princess culture is just a phase; however, she still provides evidence of the dangers of the expectations to be a “princess” in society. In Orenstein’s article “Cinderella and Princess Culture”, appearing in the New York Times, originally titled “What’s Wrong with…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    These younger generations of girls/ladies have learned that not only can they be a princess and look beautiful both inside and out, but they are strong young ladies that have the world at their finger tip. This generation can become whatever their hearts desire as they increase their learning and social involvement. Parents should take it upon themselves to discuss with their children the visual display that is exposed by media such as Disney’s Princesses and today's modern idols; because their child might be going through the discovering phase or like Orenstein's daughter understands that, being a princess is a phase, but being a fireman is for…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I worked at Ahead with Horses at Sullivan Canyon for my community service. Ahead With Horses is an organization that helps many different disabled people, mostly kids, to help them overcome some aspects of their disability. Ahead With Horses throws many different activities like fairs and parties that many of the clients attend. They have a “horse show” where the kids walk around on the horses and sit in different places on the saddle. Ahead with Horses goal is to help disabled, disadvantaged and special-needs children by providing developmental therapy, education and recreation through horseback riding.…

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over the years, young girls all over the world have fallen in love with the princess culture. Peggy Orenstein, a contributing author for the New York Times, writes about her strong feelings on how princesses have adverse effects on children in her article, “Cinderella and Princess Culture.” The author does not see princesses as just a passing interest for young girls, but as a leading reason for their self-confidence issues. Orenstein wants to make sure that the generations of girls to come stay individualized and do not fall into the trap of what society wants them to be. Using strong feminist ideals, Orenstein allows the reader to see eye to eye, expanding on how princesses are digressing the progress that has been made in the lives of woman…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Who doesn’t like a good movie? For many, it is the most joyous form of escapism. Viewers could break from their social and humanly limitations, and immerse themselves into the life and role of the star character; the hero or the heroine. One would find love, romance, innate super-powers, and finally, social acceptance (sometimes even reverence), all within the gratifying time frame of two hours. Like sex, their transferred-to-on-screen alter ego would build up to a climax, to at last explode into a blissful finale of physical and mental transformation.…

    • 2228 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Two Princesses We are just two princess, sitting in our circular castle. Today I am Belle, but tomorrow I will be Cinderella. Annabelle was Jasmin today, but tomorrow will be Belle. Jasmin is her favorite and Belle is mine.…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over time, it has been evident that Disney has promoted a different message within their princess movies, which is a shift in rhetoric. At first, the princess movies displayed unrealistic goals for young girls and now, there is a paradigm of different princesses that set an example for those who have goals and wish to achieve them. From a classical princess such as Aurora to a modern one such as Elsa, the messages are displayed in the princesses goals and obstacles. Prior to Frozen and other movies alike, Disney princesses all had one common goal: to fall in love. Aurora met her prince in the forest and instantly fell in love.…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    I've done many things over the course of the summer. All of these things have been done with my friends or family. It was really fun to spend a lot of time with the people I care about. During the month of June I did a couple of things.…

    • 132 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I’ve always had the impression that fairytales were innocent stories of finding true love and living happily ever after, like the way Disney depicted them to be. I never thought about where these stories came from and the different themes and symbols that were relevant of that time. Some of the things I’ve learned about fairytales have not only shocked me, but has also made me reevaluate everything I know about fairytales. Something I never knew about fairytales is that they weren’t always for children. I’ve always associated them with a younger audience so thinking that these stories were written for adults enjoyment is really crazy to believe.…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays