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September has started. Are you still on schedule? It the end of this post you can put links to your challenge page/post and every review you post on your blog. Please make this easy to navigate by putting it like this:
UPDATE @ your name/blog name.
REVIEW – book title @ your name/blog name.
Don't forget to tweet with the hashtag #fairytaleRC
I often hear people complain about Disney princesses and how they give ‘the wrong image and idea to younger children.’ I talked a little about it in my discussion posts
whether fairytales and Disney are done. Today I want to go ahead and defend my beloved Disney princesses.

Belle suffers from Stockholm syndrome, where you fall in love with your kidnapper. I say bull shit. Let’s go back to the basic of this story: her father is lost and enters someone else’s castle. The Beast thinks he is only there to gloat at him, so he locks him away. In the original tale it’s because Maurice steals one of his precious roses. If someone comes into your house, would you accept that? I know that Maurice had no wrong intentions, but I can see where the Beast comes from. He doesn’t kidnap anyone and Belle only comes into his life because she trades her life for her father. He never truly mistreats her and over time they grow a friendship that blossoms into something more. I don’t think it’s unnatural of Belle to fall in love with him. I was applauding when I read this article about
Why beauty and the beast isn’t about the Stockholm syndrome. This story is all about finding beauty inside. Yes, the beast was an unkind person in the beginning, but he developed into a likable person.
Cinderella is often portrayed as spineless and stupid, but I honestly understand where she comes from. I think we all want to feel accepted and loved by the people around us. I know I always look for that feeling of belonging, like I said in my
I am socially awkward post and
my bullying story. Imagine you have lost two of the most important people in your life and suddenly you have three new people left. You look for their appreciation and that makes you vulnerable. So yes, Cinderella is abused and horribly treated and she doesn’t do anything against it, but spineless? I see it as a way of her to TRY to be loved by them. She wants them to notice her and that does mean she accepts their treatment, but is it really that strange? She always try to maintain her kindness. I think that it’s a beautiful trait, even when it’s a little naive. To always try to see the good side of someone can be a strength too. In the end she does stand up for herself and realize how strong she was. She managed to survive and she was still able to see the beauty in others.
Ariel is portrayed as that stupid girl who fell in love with a guy after one glance and she traded everything to be together with him. The first thing we must remember is that she longed for a life on land even before she met her Prince Charming. I think meeting him, finally seeing a human up close, was just the last push she needed. I think she was struck by the fact he was the first one she met and that gave a special connection to her. I think it was brave of her to go through the transformation and to go after something she wanted. I would be terrified to leave everything I know behind. Even if that decision meant that her story ended unhappy in the real tale, I think Disney gave her a strength by showing that fighting for what you want pays off in the end. This story is NOT about a girl changing herself for the love of her life. She changed herself to become part of a world she ached for and Eric happened to be there too (not to mention the fact Eric never said he wouldn’t have loved her if she was a mermaid. This also shows in the sequel with their daughter Melody).
I think these Disney princesses shaped me and I am welcome I had them in my life while growing up. I still love them, because they all have their good features and flaws. I loved this article that explains, with some examples,
why Disney princess are NO bad role model and also this second article does a good job at portraying
why Disney princesses rock. I also applaud this article for showing
why Disney princesses are great role models.
How do you feel about Disney princesses? Do you think they are good or bad role models and why?