When I was growing up, my favorite movie of all time was Disney's The Little Mermaid. I loved Princess Ariel, her best friend Flounder, and even King Triton's grouchy adviser, Sebastian the crab. The mermaid kingdom was amazing and the characters were captivating. "Mermaids" was one of most played pretend games in the pool every summer and by the time I was six, I had every song from the film memorized. I never thought I would see Ariel as anything other than a beautiful princess with pretty hair.
However, now that I'm over a decade older and a mom myself, some parts of The Little Mermaid bother me. In the beginning of The Little Mermaid, Ariel misses a recital put on just for her because she'd rather go explore sunken ships with her fish friend. As a child, I was wowed by her behavior. As a mom, I'm annoyed by her disregard for others and the planning that went into the ceremony she blew off. A few scenes later, she's arguing with her father over her exploring and the human boy she has "fallen in love" with.
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She claims that because she's sixteen years old, she is an adult and that she knows what's best for her life. When I was a kid, I felt bad for Ariel because I thought her dad was being unfair. Now, I laugh out loud at this part. Sixteen years old is still a child to me. I know when I was a teenager I thought I knew it all, too, but growing up has shown me how lost I would've been without adults to guide me. As for the "love" Ariel feels for the prince, that's a little dramatic. She cannot love someone she has never even spoken to. I think this behavior is the stereotypical rebelling and infatuation.
In order to obtain human legs, Princess Ariel gives up her voice. Ursula, the sea witch, assures her that she'll be fine because the prince will notice her beauty and "body language." I never gave it much thought as a kid, but I'm stunned Disney would even plant that idea in the heads of little girls everywhere. Even coming from a sea witch, isn't it kind of awful to tell a girl she doesn't need to speak because she'll get a man with her body?
It's not just Ariel and The Little Mermaid, either. Cinderella (more like Needs-a-fella) showcases that to secure the heart of a man, one needs to simply be obedient and clean house all day until a fairy godmother comes to save you. Why doesn't she save herself? Plus, does she really want a man who only knows her shoe size and doesn't even remember her face?
Belle from Beauty and the Beast is another character who I have issues with. She's totally book smart, but her look on life is a little naive. She's always talking about adventure and becoming someone, but she never does anything to accomplish her dreams. She hides away in books instead of facing reality. Furthermore, she's the very definition of Stockholm Syndrome. Who falls in love with someone who kidnaps her father and is verbally abusive? A Disney princess, of course.
While the newer Disney movies are getting better, with films such as Frozen and Brave, many of the older ones makes the adult in me roll her eyes. Many films for children showcase disrespect for adults, disregard to responsibilities, inappropriate body image, and the attitude that being a good housewife will score you a happily ever after.
I guess that's why they're called "fairy tales."
