Generation 1: 1937- 1959

In Generation One, the beginning of the Disney princess movies, there is a prevalence in domestic work as a symbol of femininity and a way to gain love, and shallow princesses where beauty is their only remarkable trait. In each story, these women wait around for the prince to rescue them and do not try to attempt to get themselves out of these dire situations. These are not inspiring stories for young girls to watch and learn from.

Snow White

When Snow White enters the home of the dwarves, she notices the house is dirty and messy; therefore, she concludes that this means they clearly do not have a mother. Additionally, Snow White comes from royal ancestry; however, that means nothing since she is a woman. Only marrying a prince will guarantee that she can obtain wealth. Snow White is what scholars call “the peak European version of beauty.”

Cinderella

Cinderella is forced into domestic work by her evil stepmother and stepsisters; therefore, she performs domestic work as an act of submission. The men in Cinderella’s life control her wealth. First, she is wealthy due to her father but all of her wealth is snatched away once her father dies and her stepmother takes over. Then, she is once again wealthy when she marries the prince. Cinderella is typically described as being “the typical American girl” since she is blonde, blue eyes, weighing about 120 pounds.

Connection To US History

In the 1930s, various women were elected to cabinet positions and the senate. Additionally, The National Recovery Act forbids more than one family member from holding a government job, resulting in many women losing their jobs. Disney may want to promote domesticality since women don’t have many rights anyway. They put down women and delay change as young girls watch movies about women who clean, and see what they are destined to become.