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

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

The thing I find creepiest about Disney's sexism is that they've often taken the original tale and made it *worse* - e.g., in the original Little Mermaid story she's trying to get a soul, not a man; in the original Beauty and the Beast, the Beast is kind and gentlemanly and Belle has to overcome her initial aversion to realise this, and that's why she loves him, rather than the Disney-fied "if you love a jerk, he'll change" version. And Beauty and the Beast is one of the *better* Disney stories, sexism-wise.

I also find the whole Aladdin thing really interesting because I wouldn't have thought twice about it until I started living with a girl from India, who is willing to explain in precise detail how and why it's racist as hell; she was in elementary school in America when it came out, so she had to deal with a lot of "do you wear clothes like that at home?" stuff. The worst thing about that one, I think, is how they made Aladdin look like Tom Cruise because making him look Indian or Arabic wouldn't make him attractive enough to be a Disney lead. Gah.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I'd never even thought of Aladdin as being racist, but the documentary also shows the song... and, well, wow.

Re: Beauty and the Beast, I didn't realize it was like that until the documentary showed the clip. I guess I just thought it was a general movie about a guy who only LOOKED like a beast. (Though you say the original was like that?)

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

The original was exactly like that; the Beast had originally been cruel and mean but handsome, and had been turned into a beast to reflect his inner nature, but over time had learned to be nice - but to break the curse he had to make someone fall in love with him for his now-changed personality, despite his looks. Whereas Disney has the Beast being *still* cruel and mean, and Belle changing him, thus following the bad-boys-will-change-if-you-wait-for-them story. Eugh.