YOUR TASK:
You will be required to choose a Disney product and analyze how that
YOUR TASK:
You will be required to choose a Disney product and analyze how that product impacts or influences Disney’s demographic. You may choose one of the following products to analyze:
A token Disney character (archetype), Disney Prince/Princess, the evil characters, the servants, the mothers/fathers, etc…
A specific Disney character (Ariel, Raya, or Luca, for example)
Disney Theme Parks (If you choose this one, you are required to also read Susan Willis’s essay “Disney World: Public Use/Private State” available on our course readings page)
Your own idea. Be sure you run it by me first.
We will be reading Ken Gillam and Shannon Wooden’s essay “Post-Princess Models of Gender: The New Man of Disney/Pixar” to delve into the Disney model. It should be six pages double spaced. Remember, you are not simply explaining what your Disney product is but examining how this product influences its demographic. I will be looking for an argument.
Sample Themes:
The Bumbling Fool: The Portrayal of Men in Brave
Aladdin: Misrepresentation of Arabian culture
Snow White as Servant to Seven Little Men
Frozen: Saved by Men No More
The Disney Model=Perfect Business Model
“The Happiest Place on Earth:” Selling Disney
Luca: A Coming Out Story
The Hero’s Journey in Onward
Mental Health Issues in Finding Nemo
Remember, themes are used as the overall topic of your paper. You will use these themes to guide your research, however, you will then need to narrow your theme to develop your thesis/argument. We will look over sample thesis statements in class.
GOALS AND EVALUATION OF YOUR ESSAY:
The goals for this assignment are as follows:
your analysis of the Disney
how you break down your theme and chosen topic
how well you use and incorporate your resources
the interest, significance, and/or originality of your argument
the quality of your support (reasoning, examples, details)
your development of an appropriate persona for your purpose and audience
the unity and coherence of your paragraphs
your use of standard English conventions
REQUIREMENTS:
Resource requirement: 2 secondary, reliable resources (not including your film) required. Can use up to 4 sources total. You may use any readings from our course. There are several other essays on the library course reserves page you might find of interest:
Specifications: Typed, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12 pt. Times New Roman
Format: Paper should be formatted as an MLA academic paper with a Works Cited page.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
Rough drafts are uploaded to Turnitin
Final Drafts are uploaded to Turnitin and Canvas
Be sure to review all rubrics which will be posted under the final essay dropboxes in Canvas
THESIS EXPECTATIONS:
Weak
The female princesses in Frozen are strong compared to the older versions, like in Cinderella.
Working
Frozen depicts stronger female characters when compared to older Disney princess movies, such as Cinderella, because of a gender shift in culture.
Strong
The protagonists, Anna and Elsa, stray from the original roles of past Disney princesses, such as Cinderella, showcasing girls who live in a postfeminist society which offers the Disney demographic strong female role models and a realistic societal scope.
Possible Counterclaim:
While Anna and Elsa’s story is progressive, the film still navigates within the confines of traditional family and societal expectations, indicating that while they mark progress, they might not yet fully embody the comprehensive and diverse experiences of women in a truly postfeminist society.