Disney’s Cinderella Is a Fundamentalist’s Wet Dream- Patheos

All topics relating to Disney-branded content.
Post Reply
User avatar
jazzflower92
Anniversary Edition
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:07 pm

Disney’s Cinderella Is a Fundamentalist’s Wet Dream- Patheos

Post by jazzflower92 »

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyat ... wet-dream/

Apparently according this author they see Disney's Cinderella as a fundamentalist's dream come true. Have they really have been watching the same Cinderella that many over the decades have been watching. Sure, she isn't Mulan but she is not a gold digger as people make her out to be. She wanted to go to the party to have a break not to snatch a husband. Not to mention the fact you can say that the movie shows the opposite that she wants to get away from her abusive home that is controlling and live a life where she can be happy for the first time in her life since her father died.

Not to mention there are several signs throughout the movie that Cinderella is frustrated with her abusive situation like in the beginning where she complains that the clock tells her to wake up. She also gets frustrated when Lucifer makes her life harder as well. Also its the mice that helped her in the end because its returning the favor after all her years of kindness to them all.

Also what if she openly rebelled against her family they would have kicked her out or abused her even more. At that time there would be not a lot of places for a woman with no money to go to. In other words how about please by more sympathetic to Cinderella because it really sounds like victim blaming which is very a un-feminist stance.

So, what if some fundamentalists like the movies so do other groups as well because there is something there for everybody to like about Disney. The author seems to forget that Disney was boycotted by the Baptists in the 90's as well so its not a perfect relationship. Speaking as a Christian I have always loved Disney and adored each new addition to the canon. I can say that I sometimes like making Christian analyses of the movies because for some reason I find some really good truths in their movies that should be repeated.

Not to mention I do not think Disney is as sexist as some try to make it out as. And this again is my problem with some people is that they have the theme park version of the Disney versions of the stories and actually don't do any research at all. They also said Pixar had to drag them into the 21st century kicking and screaming when the 90's was about creating more empowered female main characters.
DisneyFan09
Platinum Edition
Posts: 3707
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:28 pm

Re: Disney’s Cinderella Is a Fundamentalist’s Wet Dream- Pat

Post by DisneyFan09 »

Your points are quite true, actually. For all the criticism Cinderella gets, her rewards are completely justified. She's not a gold-digger and only wants to escape from her cruel opression. And to her defense, she's constantly working. The whole point of her story is that she's an opressed underdog who's rewarded for her hard work at the end. She's not a feminist, but she is a character that you should feel sorry for and is deservedly rewarded at the end.
User avatar
jazzflower92
Anniversary Edition
Posts: 1045
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:07 pm

Re: Disney’s Cinderella Is a Fundamentalist’s Wet Dream- Pat

Post by jazzflower92 »

If all criticism leveled at Cinderella was directed by a real life victim of abuse those criticizers would be rightfully portrayed as being insensitive jerks. It gets to the the point one can say see it as victim blaming. I think some feminists think that being an action girl is automatically what makes a strong female character.

I think some feminists look at Cinderella in the wrong way. One can say the true people to get angry at are her abusive stepfamily. One analysis says that they represent how women should not view their fellow women as competition or be willing to put them down for their own gain. Her stepsisters and stepmother view Cinderella as someone they should compete against because of her beauty and kindness. Not to mention the true gold diggers are Tremaine and her daughters who only care that one of the two marries the prince. Even to the point they prevent Cinderella from going to the ball and lock her up in the tower so she wouldn't be able to try on the shoe. Not to mention all the put downs she endures during the movie its just really maddening. Also the fact that Tremaine tries to find loopholes so that Cinderella can be prevented from going to ball shows how much of two faced witch she really is.
User avatar
Disney Duster
Ultimate Collector's Edition
Posts: 13327
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 6:02 am
Gender: Male
Location: America

Re: Disney’s Cinderella Is a Fundamentalist’s Wet Dream- Pat

Post by Disney Duster »

Yes, you are quite right jazzflower. Especially that some of it may be victim blaming.
DisneyFan09 wrote:Your points are quite true, actually. For all the criticism Cinderella gets, her rewards are completely justified. She's not a gold-digger and only wants to escape from her cruel opression. And to her defense, she's constantly working. The whole point of her story is that she's an opressed underdog who's rewarded for her hard work at the end. She's not a feminist, but she is a character that you should feel sorry for and is deservedly rewarded at the end.
I wouldn't say Cinderella is not a feminist. I'm sure as a woman she wishes women would be treated as equal as any person. She wants to be treated better by her stepfamily and at the ball, and at the ball she is. I also wouldn't say she is rewarded for hard work. Working so much for her stepfamily is not what she wanted to do. It is not that work which rewards her, but rather her faith in her dreams and her kindness that reward her.
Image
Post Reply