April 02, 2009

Response to "The New Man in Disney/Pixar"

"The alpha male model is thus not only present and challenged in the films but also is, in fact, the very structure on which the plots unfold. Each of these films is about being a man, and they begin with an outdated, two dimensional alpha prototype to expose its failings and to ridicule its logical extensions. The phrase "alpha male" may stand for all things stereotypically patriarchal: unquestioned authority, physical power and social dominance, competitiveness for positions of status and leadership, lack of visible or shared emotion, and social isolation."

(Gillam, Ken and Shannon R. Wooden. “Post Princess Models of Gender. The New Man in Disney/Pixar.” Journal of Popular Film and Television. 36.1 (2008): 2-8)

This statement is entirely true. In almost every Disney movie there's a damsel in distress and a courageous prince that will always save the day. Who died and made us women "damsels in distress?" Last time I checked, women are fully capable of taking care of themselves. Disney, being such a prominent name in society, should know better than to expose children to these? stereotypes. I know I'm guilty for growing up wanting to be a princess, but can you blame me? Disney made it look like the best thing on earth. The princess always gets the prince in the end and they live happily ever after. Sounds pretty good to me! However, by making every movie follow the same basic plot line, children grow up thinking this is how life really is. The alpha male is described as being the dominant and strong man whereas the women in the story are weak and fragile. The alpha male is always the knight in shining armor that rescues the town and is praised for decades. Nowadays, there's barely anyone that comes close to that. Lately, Disney has been trying to shift its traditional story plot line consisting of a princess being saved, and has tried to incorporate family members, such as The Incredibles, and strong woman characters such as Mulan. By changing up the plot, children are now exposed to more realistic movies.

No comments:

Post a Comment