Emily Cruse's List: Disney

• • While Aurora may not make choices for herself, what choice does she have? She is a woman who has no idea what her situation really is: she doesn't know she is a princess, or that an evil queen wants to kill her.  All she has ever known is her life with her three "mothers".
• • Really? While it does take a bit of spunk to run through the forest and not have a complete breakdown because her stepmother is trying to kill her, I don't see how her decision to stay with the dwarfs is particularly admirable. Snow doesn't have much choice...it seems to be her only place to live.  
    
    Not to mention, she KNOWS that the queen is trying to kill her, but she is naive and believes that the queen has no way of finding her hiding spot. 
• • "She's too oppressed." Yeah, because women have NEVER had to fight oppression.  I think Cinderella tries to make good out of being a maid.  Even though she relies on a lot of help from her fairy godmother, in the end she stands up against her stepmother and announces her intention to try on the slipper, thereby claiming her own destiny.
• • I'm so confused by this placement. While Ariel's main curiosity is to see what it's like to live on land, she doesn't take action until she falls in love with a boy she SEES. Then, in order to get close to him, she gives up her ability to speak, meaning her only way of communicating is through body language (which can be seen as pretty sexual).
• • No. Belle's "strength" comes from reading (woo!), resisting Gaston's marriage proposals, and sacrificing herself for her father.  But that doesn't change the fact that she is basically in an abusive relationship.  
    
    Moral of this story: even if someone is cruel and abusive, love them, because they can change!

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• • Yeah, she wants more from life, and yes she doesn't like the idea of being forced to marry someone.  She does take the initiative to escape and her declaration that she is "not a prize" is great.  However, she does use sexuality to distract Jafar, but that ends up helping her situation and defeating the evil.
• • Yeah, she is naive. Is it her fault? Nope. While she could have escaped before, she believes that there are people outside who will treat her like an object. Once she realizes the world is not scary, she decides to stay outside her tower, and she has the gumption to resist Goethel, to the point she has to be subdued with chains.
• • Tiana = all work and no play.  However, she has a clear goal in life that involves more that vague "adventures" and "love".  The only problem is that she removes herself from most friendships and fun in order to achieve her financial dream.
• • While she is a strong character, what does she really do? She spends most of her time exploring and not contributing, and then she falls in love.
• • NO! Mulan kicks ass, she is clearly capable of just as much action-packed greatness as the men of China's army.  That would be great, except for the fact that she is doing all of this under the guise of masculine power. It implies that the only way a woman can be strong is by pretending to be a man.

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