Representation

Bennett and Jones stated that “representation is the process by which images, words or sounds are used to indicate issues or debates beyond what they literally mean” in the AS Media Studies textbook.

Growing up, almost every young girl aspires to be just like their favourite Disney Princess and these characters have been seen as ‘ ideal women’ since they were first created in 1937.

Snow White is the heroine in the first full length Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She is a very feminine, beautiful and dutiful woman and is described as “the fairest of them all”. This quote refers to not only her beauty, but also outlines her obedience as an inferior woman. As an early Disney film, traditional gender roles are presented, showing her cooking and cleaning and mothering the seven dwarfs; this reinforces the stereotype of women being housewives.

The idea that a woman cannot cope without someone to protect her is shown in the film; this reflects the sexist gender politics of that era. Snow White, who could be described as the damsel in distress according to Propp’s theory, is saved by a ‘hero’ in the form of a handsome prince. This also displays the old fashioned belief that males are superior to/are relied on by women.

In our production, Cassandra is an evacuee who has been taken away from her home, along everyone who cares about her. This fits with the idea that women need looking after and are vulnerable and weak.

In the film, the queen is told that she is not the ‘fairest of them all’ any longer, causing her to become full of hatred for Snow White.  This role too is a typical female role, reproducing the image of the femme fatal into a self-centred, jealous woman who would do anything to be seen as beautiful again. This could show how women can lose control of themselves and become evil without stability and support, contradicting the gentle and caring stereotype.

This character is similar to who Cassandra becomes after she dies; she returns as a heartless, and evil spirit who wants revenge on the people that made her life a misery.

Representation of women in the media has changed a lot since the first popular Disney Princess films were made. Females playing lead roles in recent films such as The Hunger Games and Divergent portray women as strong, brave and independent people that do not rely on others.