Gender Stereotypes in Fairy Tales - 1307 Words

Fairy Tales have been around for generations and generations. Our parents have told us these stories and we will eventually pass them down to ours. In this time of age the most common fairytales are Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and The Beast and many more. Children idolize their favorite character and pretend to be them by mimicking everything they do in the stories. The character’s behavior is what is viewed as appropriate in society. These fairy tales show a girl and a boy fall in love and live â€Å"happily ever after†. The tales in many people’s eyes resemble a dream life that they would want to have of their own. However, have you ever really looked at what makes up a fairy tale? Many things are unrealistic but the†¦show more content†¦These stories, for example, The Little Mermaid, Arial wants to drastically change her body to be with a man she does not even know or has ever talked to yet she is in love with him. That story gives the wrong impression to young girls and gives them the idea that if they do not look like these princesses or look a certain way that they are not accepted in today’s society. Another example of this is the Victoria Secret Fashion show for two hours women who are size 0 with so much make up on who have spray tans and wear next to nothing and our society thinks it is acceptable and appropriate. Young girls watch the fashion show idolizing these â€Å"perfect women† just by the way they look but it is not their fault it is how we as a society have taught them to be like to be accepted. In addition to having to look like a model what comes next in these fairy tales? Of course it’s their knight in shining armor. In every one of these fairy tales, a man which most of the time does not come in until the very end of the story is the women’s savior. The men are often characterized as a prince and described as being handsome and brave. However, the attractiveness often comes second to their actions. Implying that even if they weren’t the most handsome man that it was okay because they are heroic for their actions. In most cases, the prince has to save hisShow MoreRelatedYoung Children And Adults Alike1515 Words   |  7 Pagesgenerations. Along with these stories come morals, values, and stereotypes. A prevalent stereotype found in fairy tales deals with genders and their norms and children in their early developmental years are exposed to these gender stereotypes. These are used as a tool to help children develop their gender identity. As they endure over time, fairy tales continue to teach gender stereotypes and this perpetuates our society’s current beliefs of gender. Children develop their sense of identity and gainRead MoreCorrelation Between Sales Of Fairy Tales917 Words   |  4 PagesAn in depth study orchestrated by Lori Baker-Sperry and Liz Grauerholz analyzed the correlation between sales of fairy tales and the emphasis the story placed on traditional feminine beauty standards in their essay â€Å"The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy Tales†. The study followed the sales of fairy tales from the 1900’s to the 2000’s to determine if feminine beauty in the stories was more common in times of â€Å"normative constraint† ( Baker-Sperry and GrauerholzRead MoreThe Tale Of Snow White1586 Words   |  7 Pagesback to his kingdom. Furthermore, earlier in the tale when Snow White is initially discovered and presumed dead, because of her beauty, the dwarves could not bring themselves to bury her and thus they persevered her in a crystal clear casket. Therefore, it i s because of her beauty that Snow White is not buried alive and this teaches the reader, particularly young girls, that possessing beauty can be protective and save their lives. To add, fairy tales, although perhaps unintentionally, depict thatRead MoreThe As A Girl s Self Esteem1514 Words   |  7 Pagesthe emphasis that fairy tales place on physical appearance can be very detrimental to a child (particularly a girl’s) development and ideas of reality. To add, fairy tales, although perhaps unintentionally, depict that attractiveness determines who is good and who is evil. The protagonist is often the princess, who is described as the prettiest in the land. The antagonist on the other hand is often less attractive and more than likely labeled ugly (Schussler). Because fairy tales often depict goodRead MoreGender Stereotypes In Disneys Mulan1172 Words   |  5 Pagesis born the division between genders is placed. The phrases â€Å"act like a lady† or â€Å"be a man† become everyday practices and lifelong slogans. Fairy tales are always focused on women who play the beautiful damsel in distress persona and on men who play the handsome k night coming in to save them. Whether you are female or male, it is important to remember that these fixed characteristics placed on genders are never to be reinforced. In a world full of gender stereotypes, the Disney movie Mulan challengesRead MoreHeroes And Heroines Essay1015 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Heroes and Heroines: A study of Gender Roles in Historical Folklore Historically, fairy tales and other folklore have followed relatively strict gender role profiles. The heroes or heroines of the story all tend to be handsome or beautiful, compassionate and kind, which always wins out. Meanwhile the villains and antagonists are almost directly opposite in physicality, are ugly or brooding in nature, which shows a clear contrast between themselves and the hero or heroine, and an ever-impendingRead MoreSociological Perspectives of Shrek966 Words   |  4 Pagesand segregates citizens based on their human and fairy tale attributes. He persecutes fairy tale characters without regard for their well-being. 4. When Princess Fiona is rescued, she is the embodiment of a damsel-in-distress who was waiting for her prince to come rescue her. Later on in the film, she stands up for herself and does not wait to be rescued, breaking stereotypes based on sex and gender. 5. There are several dragon stereotypes that are shown in the film, which include guardingRead MoreGender Roles In Cinderella In The Classroom By Ella Westland1717 Words   |  7 Pagesfeaturing distressed and docile princesses relying on a princely savior, fairy tales have recently prompted discussions on the gender roles being instilled in children with each â€Å"once upon a time.† In a world where women are still underrepresented in traditionally â€Å"masculine† environments, it is vital that young girls are empowered and inspired by capable female role models. Attempting to determine the extent to which fairy tale gender roles are instilled in children, Ella Westland organized an experimentRead More Gender Issues within Fairy Tales Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesGender Issues within Fairy Tales    Why is it that in a time when women were considered an inferior gender, they would become the main characters in fairy tales? One reason could be that fairy tales are one of the few genres created by women. The fairy tale originates in the seventeenth century when aristocratic women would gather in salons and play a game of who could make up the best story. This gave women a chance to demonstrate their intelligence and education, and to picture themselvesRead MoreCharles Perrault’s Cinderella1326 Words   |  6 PagesIn Cinderella by Charles Perrault, the story depicts an imaginative fairytale through the hardships of a mistreated daughter and the magic of a fairy; in essence, Cinderella demonstrates that focusing on materialism is more important and more effective other than working up the path to majesty. Cinderella is a character who is often mistreated by her stepmother and god sisters. Bearing unsuitable personalities, they treat her harshly, leaving all of the cho res to her. However, she admits that her