Little Mermaid = Entertainment

When discussing the Little Mermaid in class, I agree that female and male stereotypes are highlighted and played on to make the story enjoyable for the audience. But I also think that this movie wouldn’t be a Disney Classic if these themes were not an integral part of the plot because these stereotypes are the basis of our present day culture. I think people can criticize the movie, and I do see that Ariel is the stereotypical good-figured, beautiful, submissive girl, but in watching and liking the movie, the audience also has to agree partially that they are ok with passing on this stereotype. Because in order for our children to understand this movie, they will have to have the same gender stereotypes in their minds as we do today. I don’t think these stereotypes are going anywhere, or that our culture will go through a sudden change in our beliefs, so our children will definitely have the same stereotypes in their minds. In criticizing the Little Mermaid, or other typical Disney movies, we can point the finger at the horrible views of our culture but there is no short term way to change them. Beliefs and cultural thoughts have to be gradually erased from society, which will probably not happen in our lifetimes. So does that mean we just submit to the common way of thinking; that women are based on physical beauty and more submissive, and that men are dominant and controlling? I think we need to take what we read, see, and watch and take it all with a grain of salt, and teach our children to do the same. What we see on TV is not real life, especially not what is found in Disney movies. They are for entertainment.