Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

[author_by_night]

[Error: unknown template qotd]Disney. The sexism - it burns.

Actually, I think "sexism" is a bit unfair, just because a, they're simplistic because they're for kids, and b, they weren't exactly written in progressive times. Still, one of the reasons I liked Enchanted was because it pretty much parodied all those themes. Not just that, but it was by Disney itself. (Granted, Disney decades later after these books and movies were written/made.) But old school Disney is just filled with anti "ugly" women themes and "ditch it all for lurve" themes.

And then there's The Baby-Sitter's Club books - not because they were sexist or anything, but the idea of a bunch of thirteen year old girls being trusted to take kids through NYC alone and stuff... *shudders*

Also, Harry Potter... though in that case, it was on purpose. But back when I first read them, I didn't think anything of a bunch of preteens fighting three headed dogs and dark lords and dealing with attempted mass murder. I mean, I always thought the books got darker in the third book, but when I think about it... yikes. O_o Obviously it was Jo Rowling's point, but I don't think I really got how chilling it was until later.

Comments

[eimajunknown.livejournal.com]

funny you mentioned disney. i was just watching 'beauty and the beast' a few weeks ago and was disturbed by some of the lyrics the townspeople, lead by gaston, are singing when they're storming the beast's castle. particularly: "We don't like / What we don't understand / In fact it scares us." i was like....way to be narrow-minded, you know?

also, i was a big bsc fan when i was younger. i liked those and sweet valley. i can't bring myself to read them now, though, lol. but it was fun at the time.

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

Although I think those lyrics are meant to be ironic - like, the townsfolk are being led by their ignorance into doing what Gaston wants, which is a Bad Thing? It's not meant to *endorse* being narrow-minded, I don't think (and the movie's theme of "reading is awesome, kids" does tie in there.)

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[eimajunknown.livejournal.com]

yeah, i got that part. i mean, it wasn't like they had a main character saying stuff like that. but i remember that was always one of the songs that i never really sang along with when i was younger, in part because i never knew the words, and when i actually sat down to listen to them with subtitles, i was surprised. i still love the movie, though =]