StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White - Movie Review Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disney’s Snow White" discusses how fairy tales have influenced society’s interpretation of happiness and flaw, aside from promoting moral lessons intended to inspire and guide the individual…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.5% of users find it useful
Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White"

Full 5 November 2008 Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disney’s Snow White “Once upon a time...” is probably one of the most widely known phrases. It is the password that unlocks the portal to a world of imagination, magic and entertainment, the world of fairy tales. Each person finds a different type of asylum within the region of the make believe, as fairy tales can mean different things to various people. Children may appreciate fairy tales because good conquers evil; adults may be fond of them because they stir up childhood fond memories. However, traditional fairy tales are not simply a type of amusement for children. Alternately, these stories have demonstrated to be powerful in influencing the behavior and expectations of human beings. Fairy tales have influenced society’s interpretation of happiness and flaw, aside from promoting moral lessons intended to inspire and guide the individual; establishing traditional stereotypes, especially that of the happiness and roles; and serving as models of the human personality, routinely employing perspectives of a child, an adolescent, and an adult. Definition of Happiness in Snow White Fairy tales are significant in history because they supply children with information about a particular period. What they do not usually do, however, is to provide positive images about groups who are not Caucasian, middle-class or heterosexual (Bettelheim 5). Furthermore, a great number of fairy tales that remained alive into the twentieth century call attention to characters with young, beautiful princesses (Bettelheim 6). This bias reinforces the message to children that physical attractiveness is a valuable asset women should aspire to achieve. Fairy tales, still read by millions of children, communicate that to be beautiful is the key to happiness. The story of Snow White tends to put too much value on beauty and appearance. This may explain why it also happens in society that beautiful women and men are socially rewarded more than unattractive people. From early childhood, young children are read fairy tales about Snow White who achieves abundant wealth and happiness only because her attractive looks makes her special. That is a powerful message that can hinder young women who feel they do not meet societys expectation of what it means to be beautiful. This strong message in Snow White that says women need to be beautiful to attain happiness may force some women to look for beauty at the expense of other goals, such as careers or education. In addition, the fairy tale of Snow White also defines happiness in finding Prince Charming. It spins its story around true love and happiness. The prince and Snow White find true love after just one meeting. When the prince first sets his eyes on Snow White, he falls in love with her and sings to her. She climbs up to a balcony and watches with great admiration as he sings to her. Stereotyping of Happiness in Snow White The story of Snow White is fascinating as a fairy tale. The story provides a window to another world, a chance to look beyond the ordinary. It likewise provides a means of comforting from some of this worlds troubles simply in their extraordinariness. This extraordinary happiness is one of the many questioned stereotypes of fairy tales. In fact, the story of Snow White fairy tales does not seem to give a realistic interpretation of life. Snow White and most other fairy tales almost always have happy endings. Without at least the hope of happy ending, troubles may seem overwhelming and hopeless. Though to some happy endings may seem too optimistic, all people need the hope that they may find one in reality. Without the chance of a happy ending, there may be no reason to face up to a problem. If there is no hope of becoming victorious, there may seem no point in even trying. Fairy tales give hope that even amazingly impossible circumstances can be overcome, and encourage children that they too can be successful. Many times this happy ending is discovered by going out into the world, by learning to let go of home (such as when Snow White was lost in the woods) and moving on. By acquiring this knowledge, the hero of the story may find herself, her true love, and almost always her happy ending. Towards the end of the story of Snow White, after Snow White has to run away, the relationship with the prince ends. Soon, the prince gets word about the beautiful girl who has died but still looks alive in the forest. When he approaches her, he is surprised to find Snow White and recognizes her. He kisses her softly. This kiss brings Snow White back to life, asserting the power of love. The message of the story is that true love is the source of happiness, thus Snow White and the prince live happily ever after. The happy ending may have its advantages too as it encourages readers to possess optimism and to have a positive outlook. For example, the Snow White may often have to, for a while, make her way through on her own, but she always finds help when she needs it (with the help of dwarfs and other animals), and she always wins through. The fairy-tale hero and her faith help give children hope that they too can win through. However, happy endings could also render an unrealistic view of how to go through life. For instance, Snow White stereotypes about seeking happiness only through fantasies of my prince will come someday. The happiness stereotypes and layering of social functions established and promoted by Snow White can have a bigger influence upon human behavior and expectations than do other problems resulting from the telling of the stories. In addition, the male, apart from the villain, whether he is a bold, handsome prince, or a tough but respected hunter, is almost always portrayed as the hero. He is responsible for rescuing harassed maidens and innocent girls. This all too rosy picture of life may make young children too optimistic and render them unprepared to the harsh realities of life when they grow up. As in the story of Snow White, the love of a prince is expected to bring happiness to any girl. In reality, after growing up and finding a frog instead of a prince, many women may become depressed to realize that Snow White and other fairy tales do not always end as they do in stories. Thus, the fairy tale style of teaching fantasy over reality too much may sometimes not be beneficial. Conclusion Fairy tales have existed through generations of narrating and listening. As fairy tales are a compilation of the beliefs, wisdom, and advice of individuals of the past, fairy tales are easily absorbed into today’s culture. Because of their tendency to morally differentiate between right and wrong, promote ethnic and gender stereotypes, and provide observation on the development of the human being from childhood through adult life, fairy tales have a powerful influence on human behavior and expectations. Most young ladies’ dreams often spins around the idea of being a gorgeous princess, who one day will meet and fall in love with her prince charming, after which together they shall live a happily-ever-after life. Probably this is the reason why fairy tales, like those from Walt Disney’s Snow White, are still as well-known right now as they were many generations ago. A great number of people still fall deeply in love with the picture that each princess from these fairy tales often renders: a perfect western-beauty with long shiny blond hair, adorable red lips, and soft white skin. Stereotypes such as these have a huge impact on the perceptions of a child’s mind. It appears as if fairy-tale make it difficult for readers to move beyond the idea of “Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess…” and “…they lived happily ever after”. Every reader has perhaps silently wished that his or her life would be as half as gorgeous and romantic as the characters in these fairy tales. The prince discovers Snow White and gives her a kiss, which awakens her, whereupon he carries her off to live happily ever after. However, as hard as it is to believe, reality is in fact not a fairy tale. Therefore, when delving deeper into fairy tales as a whole, there resides different issues that often is not recognized, such as issues concerning roles and stereotypes of the so called “happily-ever-after” world. The fact that the complete and absolute meaning of these stories has been understood should thus never be accepted, because the tales of good winning over evil presents more than a simple “happily ever after”. The Snow White fairy tale, while taking the hero to the point of true love, does not tell what personal growth is required for union with the cherished other. Rather than depending happiness on looks or outside circumstances, the story could conclude that to find happiness, one must seek and find their true self, and be true to that self. Moreover, readers should realize that they do not have to have a hero on an elegant horse to be happy, but that they have already everything it takes to be happy. Works Cited Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1976. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words, n.d.)
Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words. https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1717603-stereotype
(Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words. https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1717603-stereotype.
“Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”. https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1717603-stereotype.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White

White Power USA

white Power USA, several groups are represented who feel strongly that the white race is somehow threatened, demoralized, and in a position that requires them to be more aware of the socio-economic changes going on in the country … white Power USA.... white Power USA, several groups are represented who feel strongly that the white race is somehow threatened, demoralized, and in a position that requires them to be more aware of the socio-economic changes going on in the country (http://www....
5 Pages (1250 words) Movie Review

Queueing: featuring Disney World- Memo

Queuing at Disney: Concepts to Business Name: Instructor: Task: Date: Memorandum TO: FROM: DATE: 19 SEPT 2012.... SUBJECT: Queuing at Disney: Concepts to Business Disney World offers a variety of attractions for park visitors.... The tourist attraction point receives a surge of visitors from a wide area....
3 Pages (750 words) Movie Review

Pure Country and Stereotype

Hillbilly became derogatory as it denotes the stereotypical dwellers of the rural and mountainous areas of southern Appalachia who are described as "free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him" (Harkins 1900).... This stereotype portrayed in the movie bridges the gap between audience and celebrities by stressing that fame does not bring the complete happiness that an individual desires....
3 Pages (750 words) Movie Review

Disneys Pocahontas - History And Entertainment - A Study In Collision

From the essay "Disney's Pocahontas - History And Entertainment - A Study In Collision" it si clear that “Pocahontas” the Disney version hold some records worth mentioning Disney's first time to show an on-screen of a human protagonist and the biggest movie premiere ever- 100,000 people.... hellip; Does historical accuracy matter in the making of a movie?...
4 Pages (1000 words) Movie Review

Evaluating the Gender Performance of Anna and Olaf in Disney's Frozen

It is Anna who releases a powerful punch to the enemy to be the heroine of the story, something typically reserved for the masculine persona under traditional male stereotypes.... The movie review "Evaluating the Gender Performance of Anna and Olaf in Disney's Frozen" states that Anna is a complex character sustaining both masculine and feminine behaviors, in comparison to what society expects from typical female attitude and behavior....
4 Pages (1000 words) Movie Review

The Stereotypes in Disneys Cinderella

This paper ''The stereotypes in Disney's Cinderella'' tells that The 1950 animated film Cinderella by Walt Disney Studio is one of the most famous of American children's entertainment.... hellip; However, the character and the movie reinforce negative stereotypes about women....
5 Pages (1250 words) Movie Review

History, Gender and Bodies

This perception is easily propagated to most people who were bred on a buffet of chauvinistic folklore such as snow white and the 10 dwarfs, Cinderella, and other fairy tales (Ross, 2004).... There is a predominant culture of overt chauvinism in most of the movies screened today, owing to their portrayal of male aggression more so in the form of violence....
10 Pages (2500 words) Movie Review

Aesthetic Choices in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

This review uses the genre theory to analyze and identify important attributes in the film "snow white and The Seven Dwarfs".... hellip; The film is about snow white, a beautiful princess who lives with her wicked foster mother, the Queen.... One day, the enchanting mirror informs the Queen that snow white is the prettiest woman.... The outraged Queen commands her huntsman to murder snow white and come back with her heart as evidence....
7 Pages (1750 words) Movie Review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us