Should we question the morals of fairy tales?
Questioning morals is part of getting older. If you look at the average Disney story, are the morals logical?
• Ariel: Known as “The Little Mermaid,” Ariel had responsibilities and a family, but decided to run off with a guy she just met! She ran away from a catered life to chase her dreams. Was this inconsideration or independence? She put her kingdom and family in danger for a guy she never talked to.
• Snow White: Sure, she had an evil guardian, but should Snow White have trusted seven strangers? Snow White enters a house that is not hers, touches things that do not belong to her and sleeps in a strange bed. She stays with seven strange men until she marries a guy that found her “dead” in the woods. He kissed her while she was “dead” then she married him!
Trustworthy or insane?
• Disney princes: Prince Charming is questionable character. Disney princes are handsome, kind, brave and absolutely perfect. They help girls set unreasonably high standards. Girls wait for a guy without flaws because they can’t wake up to reality. Not to mention older Disney princesses are seen as dependent on their prince. Happily ever after consists of working through problems and unconditional love, not “bippity boppity boo.”
• The body: Women don’t feel like a princess because they aren’t pencil thin with long, thick hair. Clear skin and a petite frame is what it takes to be a Disney princess. All princesses are beautiful inside and out, but is that too much? Men and women shouldn’t feel like they must fit the qualities of a cartoon character!
Love and acceptance are usually what movies end with. What happens when someone is scared about being accepted and loved because these movies make it look so grand?
The first kiss, the true love, the royal wedding and the happily ever after – sometimes while it is a bit sad, some people are fine on there own taking the world by storm.
Sometimes being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely. While I love Disney princesses, I worry they’ve altered my point of view.
I think everyone has flaws, but we should embrace that fact.