Tirzah, a 2 year old that I babysit, came to mind instantly for my photo blog model. She needed no direction or placement. Instead, after asking to watch The Little Mermaid, I got out my camera and waited for the perfect moment.
Disney has been trusted in millions of family’s homes to teach, entertain, and inspire young children and parents alike. While Walt Disney’s innocent intentions have been upheld, there are also negative effects on raising your children on these fairytales. The hidden ideals on gender roles may seem like no big deal, but growing up on films that teach values such as a damsel in distress needing her prince charming become rooted in young minds. Princesses, castles, and happy endings; if these are being taught at such a young age, how are we to raise children without these expectations?
The cookie cutter mindset of raising a child with their gender’s toys, colors, and hobbies comes with many strings attached through stereotypes. Children whose heads are filled with these ideas and stories are left with little room for their own imagination. Tirzah is only 2 years old. She already has adapted the mannerisms of a little princess and can sing along to most of Disney’s hits. Her wardrobe consists of girly colors and Disney character clothes. With her eyes glued to the screen, they symbolize Disney’s hold on children. To go even further, the viewer cannot see Tirzah’s eyes in the first place; as if her identity is lost in the influence of characters and fairytales. As Ariel swims, sings, and rubs her shoulders to her face, Tirzah joins her. A video camera watches on to signify the eerie idea of a world where children are raised the same way and taught the same ideals. While it is a simple set up, the image is to the point, centered, and clean.
3 comments:
This is just as if Ariel is the leader of teaching Tirzah what she should be and what she should stand up for. Tirzah imitating Ariel and owning much of Disney princess clothing and toys resembles the fact that she wants to be a princess or at least has the initial idea of knowing what she wants to be gives her hope in spite of the negative effects of learning how to be a damsel in distress and needing to be saved by a prince or someone that has a prince's qualities- bravery, aggression, boldness, confidence, and so forth. This photo ties into the fact that Rebecca Walker was the Founder (and leader) of the Third Wave in 1997 because she supported those that worked towards gender, racial, economy, and social justice. Since she supported those individuals and groups that were fighting for those reasons, they seemed to be given a sense of hope that things will turn around. Just as the negative effects of learning how to be damsel in distress that needed to be saved, so were the barriers that these groups faced during the Third Wave. They faced sexism, racism, and classism barriers that were fought with irony. For example, violence was looked at as a sense of survival and exclusion was looked at as being an activist and being a democracy. The negative effects that Tirzah is learning (despite not knowing yet) as she watches Disney moves and dresses the part is fought with symbolic relations- hope, love, compassion, and so forth. Ariel, Disney princess, and Rebecca Walker are leaders that give hope and teach others to believe in themselves and stand for what they believe in regardless of its effects.
It seems that Tizah looks up to ariel as being her role model; the way she imitates ariels pose, and is being highly intirgued by ariels charm. She might already have in her mind that she wants to be like Tizah and can aspire to be like her. Children the age of Tizah see that this is how she should act and look as a woman. Disney channel makes there characters look appealing. They are either handsome or gorgeous. The children growing up watching the disney channel films or shows, can have a big affect on the way they think, act, and look as they get older. For instance, Tizah looks at the way ariel poses and does the same exact pose as ariel. Many children are influeneced by disney channels characters and the happily ever after fairytales. It can make children feel as if they are not pretty enough or have other self imaging issues. Disney channel should teach children that beauty is not everything and incorporate real life scenarios into there movies and t.v shows that would be more influential to young children.
From: Madeline
The set up for this photo is so reflective of the control that Disney has in our society. With Ariel taking up most of the photo it emphasizes the dominance of the message of the movie. I also really like the movie choice, as The Little Mermaid is a story about a woman literally having no voice and having to use her body to her advantage, a message that seems to be very engrained into our culture. Though we can't see the little girls face in the photo, her body language is important. It is one of someone at rapt attention. Even though she may not be old enough to comprehend the message being given, it;s still being absorbed and internalized.
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