Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disneys Snow White - Movie Review Example

Full 5 November 2008 Stereotypes of Happiness in Movies: Disney’s Snow White “Once upon a time...” is probably one of the most widely known phrases. It is the password that unlocks the portal to a world of imagination, magic and entertainment, the world of fairy tales. Each person finds a different type of asylum within the region of the make believe, as fairy tales can mean different things to various people. Children may appreciate fairy tales because good conquers evil; adults may be fond of them because they stir up childhood fond memories. However, traditional fairy tales are not simply a type of amusement for children. Alternately, these stories have demonstrated to be powerful in influencing the behavior and expectations of human beings. Fairy tales have influenced society’s interpretation of happiness and flaw, aside from promoting moral lessons intended to inspire and guide the individual; establishing traditional stereotypes, especially that of the happiness and roles; and serving as models of the human personality, routinely employing perspectives of a child, an adolescent, and an adult. Definition of Happiness in Snow White Fairy tales are significant in history because they supply children with information about a particular period. What they do not usually do, however, is to provide positive images about groups who are not Caucasian, middle-class or heterosexual (Bettelheim 5). Furthermore, a great number of fairy tales that remained alive into the twentieth century call attention to characters with young, beautiful princesses (Bettelheim 6). This bias reinforces the message to children that physical attractiveness is a valuable asset women should aspire to achieve. Fairy tales, still read by millions of children, communicate that to be beautiful is the key to happiness. The story of Snow White tends to put too much value on beauty and appearance. This may explain why it also happens in society that beautiful women and men are socially rewarded more than unattractive people. From early childhood, young children are read fairy tales about Snow White who achieves abundant wealth and happiness only because her attractive looks makes her special. That is a powerful message that can hinder young women who feel they do not meet societys expectation of what it means to be beautiful. This strong message in Snow White that says women need to be beautiful to attain happiness may force some women to look for beauty at the expense of other goals, such as careers or education. In addition, the fairy tale of Snow White also defines happiness in finding Prince Charming. It spins its story around true love and happiness. The prince and Snow White find true love after just one meeting. When the prince first sets his eyes on Snow White, he falls in love with her and sings to her. She climbs up to a balcony and watches with great admiration as he sings to her. Stereotyping of Happiness in Snow White The story of Snow White is fascinating as a fairy tale. The story provides a window to another world, a chance to look beyond the ordinary. It likewise provides a means of comforting from some of this worlds troubles simply in their extraordinariness. This extraordinary happiness is one of the many questioned stereotypes of fairy tales. In fact, the story of Snow White fairy tales does not seem to give a realistic interpretation of life. Snow White and most other fairy tales almost always have happy endings. Without at least the hope of happy ending, troubles may seem overwhelming and hopeless. Though to some happy endings may seem too optimistic, all people need the hope that they may find one in reality. Without the chance of a happy ending, there may be no reason to face up to a problem. If there is no hope of becoming victorious, there may seem no point in even trying. Fairy tales give hope that even amazingly impossible circumstances can be overcome, and encourage children that they too can be successful. Many times this happy ending is discovered by going out into the world, by learning to let go of home (such as when Snow White was lost in the woods) and moving on. By acquiring this knowledge, the hero of the story may find herself, her true love, and almost always her happy ending. Towards the end of the story of Snow White, after Snow White has to run away, the relationship with the prince ends. Soon, the prince gets word about the beautiful girl who has died but still looks alive in the forest. When he approaches her, he is surprised to find Snow White and recognizes her. He kisses her softly. This kiss brings Snow White back to life, asserting the power of love. The message of the story is that true love is the source of happiness, thus Snow White and the prince live happily ever after. The happy ending may have its advantages too as it encourages readers to possess optimism and to have a positive outlook. For example, the Snow White may often have to, for a while, make her way through on her own, but she always finds help when she needs it (with the help of dwarfs and other animals), and she always wins through. The fairy-tale hero and her faith help give children hope that they too can win through. However, happy endings could also render an unrealistic view of how to go through life. For instance, Snow White stereotypes about seeking happiness only through fantasies of my prince will come someday. The happiness stereotypes and layering of social functions established and promoted by Snow White can have a bigger influence upon human behavior and expectations than do other problems resulting from the telling of the stories. In addition, the male, apart from the villain, whether he is a bold, handsome prince, or a tough but respected hunter, is almost always portrayed as the hero. He is responsible for rescuing harassed maidens and innocent girls. This all too rosy picture of life may make young children too optimistic and render them unprepared to the harsh realities of life when they grow up. As in the story of Snow White, the love of a prince is expected to bring happiness to any girl. In reality, after growing up and finding a frog instead of a prince, many women may become depressed to realize that Snow White and other fairy tales do not always end as they do in stories. Thus, the fairy tale style of teaching fantasy over reality too much may sometimes not be beneficial. Conclusion Fairy tales have existed through generations of narrating and listening. As fairy tales are a compilation of the beliefs, wisdom, and advice of individuals of the past, fairy tales are easily absorbed into today’s culture. Because of their tendency to morally differentiate between right and wrong, promote ethnic and gender stereotypes, and provide observation on the development of the human being from childhood through adult life, fairy tales have a powerful influence on human behavior and expectations. Most young ladies’ dreams often spins around the idea of being a gorgeous princess, who one day will meet and fall in love with her prince charming, after which together they shall live a happily-ever-after life. Probably this is the reason why fairy tales, like those from Walt Disney’s Snow White, are still as well-known right now as they were many generations ago. A great number of people still fall deeply in love with the picture that each princess from these fairy tales often renders: a perfect western-beauty with long shiny blond hair, adorable red lips, and soft white skin. Stereotypes such as these have a huge impact on the perceptions of a child’s mind. It appears as if fairy-tale make it difficult for readers to move beyond the idea of “Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess…” and “…they lived happily ever after”. Every reader has perhaps silently wished that his or her life would be as half as gorgeous and romantic as the characters in these fairy tales. The prince discovers Snow White and gives her a kiss, which awakens her, whereupon he carries her off to live happily ever after. However, as hard as it is to believe, reality is in fact not a fairy tale. Therefore, when delving deeper into fairy tales as a whole, there resides different issues that often is not recognized, such as issues concerning roles and stereotypes of the so called “happily-ever-after” world. The fact that the complete and absolute meaning of these stories has been understood should thus never be accepted, because the tales of good winning over evil presents more than a simple “happily ever after”. The Snow White fairy tale, while taking the hero to the point of true love, does not tell what personal growth is required for union with the cherished other. Rather than depending happiness on looks or outside circumstances, the story could conclude that to find happiness, one must seek and find their true self, and be true to that self. Moreover, readers should realize that they do not have to have a hero on an elegant horse to be happy, but that they have already everything it takes to be happy. Works Cited Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1976. Read More