Introduction to Disney Ideologies

"...many people worry that these films contain traditional and, they hope, outmoded gender stereotypes and reinforce the limiting idea that marriage between attractive people with large incomes is hte ultimate and only acceptable form of happiness" (Nodelman and Reimer 142).

This site is devoted to proving that Disney movies portray their own ideals in regards to gender: these ideological assumptions are shown in Disney's repetition of themes and archetypes, such as damsels in distress, marriage to handsome princes, etc. Most of these assumptions are about women, including how they should look and act. I will also relate these films and assumptions to children's literature.

Use the navigation on the left to explore different areas of this site. The "Assumptions" page lists patterns found in Disney films, such as the previously mentioned damsel in distress, wicked stepmothers, and the like. "How Disney Films Differ from Others," proves that Disney films are exceptionally sexist in this way. Classic Disney films are compared to Pixar films (though Pixar is teamed with Disney, it is a different film-making company and is therefore quite different in its portrayal of women.).

"Application to Literature," explains how these movies and ideologies relate to children's literature. It explains why it's so important to study children's culture (including movies) to understand children's fiction. Finally, the analysis of Disney movies takes six individual movies and dissects the occurrences and characters, indicating which assumptions are made in each film.

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