tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post3077768780613895121..comments2024-03-18T05:14:17.841-04:00Comments on The Book Rat: Beauty and The Brave... ~ from NafizaMistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-8303027986665632142013-03-31T08:44:01.435-04:002013-03-31T08:44:01.435-04:00I've always been disturbed by the fact that fe...I've always been disturbed by the fact that female characters have to make great sacrifices in order to obtain the things that they want which is usually the Prince but can sometimes be the freedom of her family (and then she also gets the Prince as a "reward")<br /><br />The Little Mermaid had her voice taken away. I think that is the most powerful metaphor. Men don't need to see your personality to fall in love if you are pretty.<br /><br />I'm not even going to go into the fact that she has to walk in searing pain for her whole life in order to stay in human form...<br /><br />Anyway, great essay.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-2565092615058764182013-03-30T16:44:27.748-04:002013-03-30T16:44:27.748-04:00Wow, you put a lot into that. Being a tremendous &...Wow, you put a lot into that. Being a tremendous "word nerd" myself (who also loves academic arguments on fairy tales), I was struck by your initial argument about the prime importance of beauty in women in all fairy tales. I would agree that this is true in the well-known fairy tales (especially the ones you quote), but a lot of the high quality fairy tales I've come across don't emphasize beauty first.* In some cases, it's never mentioned, though I would certainly agree it becomes an assumed factor to the audience. And there are two factors in story-telling that you didn't pay much attention to, that I do believe influence the use of beauty in a female protag. One being the age of the story-teller. As we get older, often our perspective changes to recognize almost all youth as being lovely, if for no other reason than the potential of the life ahead. Two being the way a disposition can impact someone's appearance. People who smile are perceived as cheerful, and generally come across to others as more inviting and welcoming than serious or scowling faces, and subsequently this invitation is granted an extra boost of loveliness in the eye of the beholder. I don't think age or cheerfulness account for all of the emphasis on beauty in the top ten fairy tales, but they are factors to consider. <br /><br />* For your Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White, I would counter with The Six Swans, The Devil's Three Golden Hairs, East of the Sun/West of the Moon, Silver Hands, and (arguably) Hans, My Hedgehog. I prefer a story where the girl's appeal is less on her looks and more on the character she exhibits. Though, it must be admitted, that a fairy tale is its own kind of fantasy (i.e. wish fulfillment). Given the option of sitting at home or working in the kitchen, who wouldn't imagine that they were lovely and noble and kind? Lex Keatinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06615789417676118852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-69893753462149140662013-03-26T12:00:20.095-04:002013-03-26T12:00:20.095-04:00I love Princess stories. I think this will be one...I love Princess stories. I think this will be one I share with my girls. Thanks for a great interview!J Whitushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05922646115121894785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-26116445645467564082013-03-26T04:50:12.769-04:002013-03-26T04:50:12.769-04:00Wow! Thanks for the fantastic post.
I had a simil...Wow! Thanks for the fantastic post.<br /><br />I had a similar revelation not too long ago (shame on 27-year-old me) when my boyfriend showed me a documentary about Disney movies (meaning their version of the popular fairy tales) and how they represent women.<br />I was particularly struck by Beauty and the Beast, which is, essentially, a clever girl thrown into an abusive relationship. "If she won't eat with me, she won't eat at all" has become a sort of funny meme between my boyfriend and I. Of course, in the movie, the Beast becomes nice and ends up treating Belle well. However, this gives young girls the impression that if they find an aggressive, mean man, they just have to stay with him long enough and <i>he'll change</i>. Because that's what fairy tale men do, right?<br /><br />Anyway, this shocked me especially because I could see how it had impacted my own life. I think of myself as a smart adult woman but these childhood memories are hard to get rid of. Your post shows another aspect - beauty being the absolute goal for any woman - of the same coin. It's terrifying. If I ever have a daughter, I want her to read and enjoy fairy tales. But I'll definitely take the time to talk about these issues. And smuggle in some fantastic books with heroines who have agency and flaws. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com