Disney Haters

     Disney fairytales have played a significant role in the lives of children worldwide. Audiences of all ages find themselves captivated by the idea of a happily ever after. Could this ideology pose a threat to "the young, the ignorant, and the idle"? Deborah Ross, in her article titled, Escape from Wonderland: Disney and the Female Imagination, writes of the dangerous nature of imagination, contradictory acts of feminism, and the politics linked to the Disney cooperation itself. She does this by closely examining several classics, including The Little Mermaid, exposing the transparency within the plots.
     Ross claims that Disney stories result in woman and young girls fantasizing of a world more vivid and exciting than their own, leading them to feel entitled and socially displaced. Fairytale story lines encourage youth to defy their adolescent self- will to embark upon adventure, personal growth, love and lust. To exemplify this, the writing recalls the character of Ariel who dreams of life on dry land were "fathers do not reprimand their daughters". The lack of realism imposes an unfair advantage upon the children who receive these ideologies and take them to hearts they encounter quests of their own-- soon they may be wondering what happened to their happy ending.
      Strong female roles are criticized as Ross questions why our beloved Disney princesses break the bounds of "traditional femininity" just to settle for marriage. Ariel's anthem of independence is contrasted by her narrow desire to experience land, mainly to acquire a male figure whom she is already enamored with. "Ariel imagines this other world as in a sense more her own... she believes it to be a utopia of free movement... for 'jumping' and 'dancing' and strolling,' and only secondarily for marrying," Ross states. A world so full of possibility is abandoned as she decides to become submissive and settle. The idea of independence is negated by the need for companionship.
     The identical storylines presented in different variations exploit Disney's "reluctance to embrace imagination with both arms". Ross claims the cooperation's false claim to political affiliation continues to grow, influencing public tastes and culture itself. The encouragement of individuality is broken by the inescapable homogeneity of our childhood favorites.
      While these ideas withstand close examination, Ross attempts to get her point across in a manner that is rather crass. The authorial tone of her article is quite disappointing; who enjoys being told their childhood was merely full of propaganda and hidden politics? As much as the reader would like to disprove of these examples of contradiction, the harsh reality of the matter is that we have in fact grown up under the impression of false hope.
     In order to be more persuasive I believe Ross should have presented her ideas in a manner less, dare I say, dream- crushing. Rather than shattering every enjoyable moment of our adolescence, I would offer less pessimism. Although it is true that our favorite princesses abandoned their dreams by settling, I ask, why must we do the same? Our lives are not in fact Disney movies; the unrealistic fairytale endings have proven this valid. Don't let neither cookie- cuter story lines nor Disney haters keep you from commencing your vey own adventures and pursuing the lifestyle of your dreams.