Video courtesy of DisneyMusicHighDef.
Dear Disney,
The Little Mermaid was one of my favorite Disney movies when I was younger and now that I'm 18, it still is. When I was younger, I loved the fairytale of a mermaid becoming a human and finding her true love. However, when I watch the clip of Ursula singing "Poor Unfortunate Souls" to Ariel now, a couple of things bother me.
The first thing that bugs me is the fact that Ariel is willing to give up her life under the sea (including her family and friends) in order to get her man. Ariel mentions what she'd be giving up for the chance to be human, but she doesn't give it a second thought as Ursula continues her monologue. It seems like The Little Mermaid is telling little girls that true love is worth throwing your old life out the window and leaving your family and friends forever. In the words of Ursula, "Life's full of tough choices, isn't it?" The choice doesn't seem so tough for Ariel, though. She's all for going after her man and leaving her friends and family.
The second thing that bothered me was when Ariel was considering giving up her voice so she could become human. She starts to say "without my voice how can I win the prince?" To which Ursula replies that Ariel has good looks and body language is always important. She goes on to say that "the men up there don't like a lot of blabber" and "on land it's much preferred for ladies not to say a word...it's she who holds her tongue who gets her man." What is this teaching young girls? To be passive and let the men talk while the women hang on their every word?
Young girls are very impressionable and movies such as The Little Mermaid can easily influence them.
I hope you consider this when making your next movie,
Brianna
Sources
DisneyMusicHighDef. "Disney's The Little Mermaid : Poor Unfortunate Souls : 720p HDTV."
Youtube. 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 9 Oct. 2011.
Youtube. 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 9 Oct. 2011.
What would you think would be a different different message they could have done for this movie instead? Do you think if they would have written the song differently that it would not be so bad of a message?
ReplyDeleteNow that your older and can understand the meanings in the disney movies do you find it harder to watch them without looking for the unseen morals? Do you think Disney still puts the same morals from the old movies into the newer ones?
ReplyDeleteKimmy- A different message for The Little Mermaid could've been that you don't have to leave your friends and family to get the guy. You can have the best of both worlds. I think they could've written the song differently for a lighter message.
ReplyDeleteKearsten- Now that I'm older, my eyes have been opened to the implied morals of Disney movies. I do think that the same morals are in the newer Disney movies. There's the repeated theme of the "happily ever after" ending, too.
I agree that young girls can often be very impressionable. Do you feel that movies such as The Little Mermaid and others have a strong influence on you as you watched them as a child?
ReplyDeleteYes, I do. I always had the dream of the fairytale ending.
ReplyDelete