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disney_pocs2012-10-09 02:48 pm
weber_dubois22) wrote in disney_pocs2012-10-09 02:48 pm
Mothers and Father's Day Article on the role of Disney parents
2. The "Overbearing" Father
Sometimes our main characters get the pleasure of a father who is top notch. He is wise and full of great life advice. Sadly, this type of father figure is just too good to be true, so they must be killed off quickly. Think of Mufasa from The Lion King. Simba is kind of a dumbass as a cub but his father is always there to steer him back into the right direction with wise words about his kingdom and his life. Sadly, the story takes a Shakespearean turn and Mufasa dies at the hands of Scar. This gives Simba an excuse for running away and forsaking his responsibility and voila: a plot develops.
Then there’s Tiana and her father James in The Princess and the Frog. They are a family with not too much money but they enjoy good food and friends and live happily in New Orleans. Tiana’s father teaches her that if she works hard she can accomplish her dreams. He dies and she grows up to be a hard-working young woman who wants more than anything to open her own restaurant. While his advice makes her one of the most admirable Disney princesses, it also gives her a one-directional mindset which leads her character development.
Mothers - The Good:
While the majority of Disney characters suffer from being motherless, there a few lucky ones. Hercules actually has two mothers. His biological mother is a Goddess and has to watch silently as he is raised by a human couple down on Earth. Both of his mothers loved him and we can only guess that his human mom gave him love and guidance while he was growing up. Mulan also has a supportive mother. She pushes her daughter towards marriage but understands that she’s different from the other girls and supports and loves Mulan anyway. The same thing goes for Tiana’s mom in The Princess and the Frog. After the death of Tiana’s father (I guess it would be asking too much for her to have both parents), her mother supported Tiana in her quest to open her own restaurant, despite the odds against her.
Disney’s non-human characters seem to have some luck with mothers as well. Aristocats features the feline Duchess and her three kittens. Throughout the movie they get into heaps of trouble but she never stops being the best mother she could be. In 101 Dalmatians, Perdita is an excellent mother to her 15 puppies, and even adopts 84 more after they are rescued from the evil fur-wearing Cruella. Now that is deserving of the mother of the year award.
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This type of father is one many are familiar with in their own lives; they want the best for their children but as a result can come off controlling. These fathers’ overbearing attitude offers a plot device for the movie. In Pocahontas, her father urges her to marry Kocoum even though she is reluctant to do so. In Aladdin, Jasmine’s dad is also obsessed with her getting married (seriously though, these girls are still teenagers). Mulan’s father too wishes her to become a respectful lady and make a good match, however he seems to accept her for who she is a bit more than the other fathers in this category. Regardless of the extent, each of these fathers present a reason for these characters to work harder for what they want, despite the consequences.
3. It’s Better to Have Loved and Lost…
Sometimes our main characters get the pleasure of a father who is top notch. He is wise and full of great life advice. Sadly, this type of father figure is just too good to be true, so they must be killed off quickly. Think of Mufasa from The Lion King. Simba is kind of a dumbass as a cub but his father is always there to steer him back into the right direction with wise words about his kingdom and his life. Sadly, the story takes a Shakespearean turn and Mufasa dies at the hands of Scar. This gives Simba an excuse for running away and forsaking his responsibility and voila: a plot develops.
Then there’s Tiana and her father James in The Princess and the Frog. They are a family with not too much money but they enjoy good food and friends and live happily in New Orleans. Tiana’s father teaches her that if she works hard she can accomplish her dreams. He dies and she grows up to be a hard-working young woman who wants more than anything to open her own restaurant. While his advice makes her one of the most admirable Disney princesses, it also gives her a one-directional mindset which leads her character development.
Mothers - The Good:
While the majority of Disney characters suffer from being motherless, there a few lucky ones. Hercules actually has two mothers. His biological mother is a Goddess and has to watch silently as he is raised by a human couple down on Earth. Both of his mothers loved him and we can only guess that his human mom gave him love and guidance while he was growing up. Mulan also has a supportive mother. She pushes her daughter towards marriage but understands that she’s different from the other girls and supports and loves Mulan anyway. The same thing goes for Tiana’s mom in The Princess and the Frog. After the death of Tiana’s father (I guess it would be asking too much for her to have both parents), her mother supported Tiana in her quest to open her own restaurant, despite the odds against her.
Disney’s non-human characters seem to have some luck with mothers as well. Aristocats features the feline Duchess and her three kittens. Throughout the movie they get into heaps of trouble but she never stops being the best mother she could be. In 101 Dalmatians, Perdita is an excellent mother to her 15 puppies, and even adopts 84 more after they are rescued from the evil fur-wearing Cruella. Now that is deserving of the mother of the year award.