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Introduction
Kathi Maio, in the article Disneys Dolls, argues that despite the transformation of the images of the princesses, Disney uses the same pattern for each of them. In particular, using the example of various studio projects, the author examines how a man and romance are portrayed as the ultimate goal of a womans life, pushing other values into the background. Maio concludes that regardless of the princesses initial motives for adventuring, they all find happiness solely in relationships with a man, which creates a misconception about lifes values. However, the author gives arguments that do not have a logical basis, but builds the article solely on an emotional appeal.
Brief Summary
The author of the article considers several stories of Disney princesses as examples of the fact that despite the details of their adventures, their fate follows a specific pattern. Maio emphasizes that the studio uses images of pristine women who can only find happiness with a man. The author especially emphasizes that the studios approach to depicting female heroines has changed, but fundamentally their characters and roles have remained the same. Maio sees the stories of the princesses as examples of how, in various forms, they still identify with male authority instead of seeking their own empowerment. The author examines the studios projects from Snow White to Mulan and identifies various aspects that depict the romance as the purpose of womens lives, regardless of their activities.
Arguments Validity
Maio gives quite detailed breakdowns of several Disney cartoons to illustrate her arguments. In particular, the author consistently considers how the development of characters and their images took place, which, in fact, did not change the essence. Maio gives examples of how Disney tried to meet the needs of the audience, as well as address more diverse topics. However, even in these cases, each heroine was presented as a woman without a social support system, investing her entire life in a romance (Maio). For example, the author explains that in The Lion King, although Simbas girlfriend can beat him in a playful fight, an entire group of lionesses is powerless against the tyranny of Scar without the help of a male character.
Maio also pays close attention to how Disney interprets the stories of real women, arguing that they also aspired to romance. In particular, the focus is on the story of Pocahontas, who, despite her difficult real-life and forced assimilation, is depicted in the cartoon as a romantic girl in love with a colonist. Maio states that Pocahontas is not a fictional character to be casually re-interpreted. With regard to the above arguments, it is difficult to assess objectivity since artistic works are considered. Thus, the author gives only interpretations, the variations of which can be endless depending on a viewer. However, Maio, in her analysis of each cartoon, convincingly supports her central argument with the details of the story, which makes her opinion compelling.
Points of Agreement and Disagreement
I agree with the author of the article that such a depiction of female characters can be dangerous for the audience. In particular, as described in the Beauty and the Beast example, women can misinterpret their role in a relationship. Many may think that sacrificing and saving men from their own psychological problems can lead to happiness, but the likelihood of a tragic outcome for a woman is high. Thus, Maio makes an important point about how patriarchal values shape womens often erroneous ideas about happiness and the role of romance in their lives, taking away their real goals. Although the interpretation of historical facts is a secondary topic in the article, I do not agree that works of fiction should accurately describe historical events. Disney tells their own stories inspired by historical figures and does not require them to be accepted as true.
Logic, Emotional and Ethical Appeals
The article appeals to readers through emotions rather than through logical reasoning. First of all, when describing the stories of the princesses, the author does not focus on the original purpose and reasons for the princesses journey. The claim that Disney represents romance to them as an ultimate goal is logically unsound. Men for them are rather an addition to the successful completion of the story than its only value. The ethos of the article in this case is also not clear, since the astor of the article does not say anything about her other works or field of professional activity. Thus, the astors arguments are based solely on the emotional description of events and the representation of his own vision of stories.
Conclusion
The arguments presented in the article extremely convincingly build reasoning in support of the central claim. The author concludes that in the end a good-looking boyfriend remains the truest measure of feminine happiness and success. Using the stories of various princesses as examples, Maio identified how their original goals are secondary to the ultimatum appearance of a man in their lives. The arguments given by the author, although dependent on interpretation, are convincing as an opinion that is a framework for considering studio projects from a feminist perspective.
Work Cited
Maio, Kathi. Disneys Dolls. New Internationalist, 1998.
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