The representation of gender roles in Disney movies

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2017 , 21 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Communications - Movies and Television

Media is a big part of people’s everyday lives. It influences both how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. Media can be divided in many different types, for example: television, shows, movies, the radio, newspapers, advertisements and the internet. One of the most famous producers of children’s media is the Walt Disney Company. Since 1937 many movies, shows and other products were designed and published in order to entertain children. Thus, results a huge influence on children’s perception of the world and how they see themselves in the world. In all of them are images of women and men, which are represented in different ways and with different traits.

One popular production of Disney is the Disney princess line which was created 2001 and includes more than 25,000 different products. Currently, the line includes ten movies; four of them will be analysed in this term paper: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937), "Pocahontas" (1995), "Tangled" (2010) and "Frozen" (2013).

These movies have an influence on children and their images of gender roles. But, how are gender roles represented in these movies and is there a remarkable change over time? This term paper will give an overview about the most influential movies of the Disney Princess line and how the image of female characters is presented. It is difficult to analyse all aspects of gender roles but the most obvious ones are regarded and how many differences exist in these four movies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Gender Roles Theories
2.1 Gender Role Theory by Robin Lakoff
2.2 Gender Role Theory by Deborah Tannen

3. Walt Disney and the Walt Disney Company
3.1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
3.2 Pocahontas
3.3 Tangled
3.4 Frozen

4. Comparison of Characteristics
4.1. Appearance and Intelligence
4.2. Helplessness and Need of Protection

5. Conclusion

6. Bibliography

• College: University of Duisburg-Essen (Department of Anglophone Studies)
• Course: Applied Linguistics
• Grade: 1,3
• Publication Year: 2017
• Pages: 21
• Catalog Number: V386169
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668604032
• ISBN (Book): 9783668604049
• Language: English
• Tags: linguistics, linguistic, englisch, english, efl, disney, disneymovies, disneyprincess, princess, gender, genderroles, roles, anglistik, hausarbeit, termpaper, Gender roles, English term paper