The Little Mermaid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Little Mermaid - Essay Example The plot might be conventional but still relatable. At the time of its release, target audience majorly consisted of children. The film adhered to the values of the patriarchal society we live in as it advocated that triumphant women are those who direct their men. They serve as the object of desire; this also reflected the cultural norms of the epoch when this tale was written. The Little Mermaid sacrifices her legs for a pair of legs to marry the man of her dreams, this holds true for women in the so-called modern age (Stoll 16). The only difference is that in reality, plastic surgery assists them in accomplishing this goal rather than magical spells. It should be noted down how Disney films modify their narrative style and content in consideration of the changes in the target audience. A consistent pattern emerges from their earlier films such as Snow White (1937), Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1958) etc. This pattern depicts that heroines spent their entire life waiting to be rescued by prince charming, who ultimately showed up. Through a series of such animations, it is emphasised how only a man is the road of happiness for a woman (Stoll 33). This is in conformance with the patriarchal values of those ages. However, Arial emerges as slightly dissimilar and more defiant character than her earlier friends. In the film, she rebels against her father’s orders and falls in love with a human, which was against the norms of the Mer society. She also exhibits wit when she sighs, â€Å"I just don’t see how a world that makes such wonderful things can be bad.† Like all heroes, the prince charming possesses endearing qualities; his affectionate nature is portrayed by the closeness with his dog. Therefore, Prince Eric is the stereotypical prince... It should be noted down how Disney films modify their narrative style and content in consideration of the changes in the target audience. A consistent pattern emerges from their earlier films such as Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc. This pattern depicts that heroines spent their entire life waiting to be rescued by prince charming, who ultimately showed up. Through a series of such animations, it is emphasized how only a man is the road of happiness for a woman (Stoll 33). This is in conformance with the patriarchal values of those ages. However, Arial emerges as slightly dissimilar and more defiant character than her earlier friends. In the film, she rebels against her father’s orders and falls in love with a human, which was against the norms of the Mer society. She also exhibits wit when she sighs, â€Å"I just don’t see how the world that makes such wonderful things can be bad.† Like all heroes, the prince charming possesses endearing qualities; h is affectionate nature is portrayed by the closeness with his dog. Therefore, Prince Eric is the stereotypical prince charming. The opening scene of the film revolves around the male world as the introductory scene starts with Eric’s boat and not surprisingly, everybody on the boat is a male. Then, Arial is enlightened with the requirements and characteristics of the ground people. As credits start appearing, we are taken to the sea and again all males! Thereby, the purpose and focus of the film are made explicit that males have a dominant part to play in this world.