Most people have heard of Disney princesses. They are familiar with the storylines, and maybe they know a child who dressed up as one of the princesses for Halloween. Or maybe you are that child who dressed up and got ready for the ball. Disney princess stories are very prominent in society and many wide-eyed children dream of visiting Cinderella’s castle in Disney World.
But are these stories the ones that we should be reading to our children?
Let’s explore what the most prominent images and messages were for children growing up in the 1980s. At this time, there were only three Disney princesses: Snow White (1937), Cinderella (1950), and Sleeping Beauty (1959). These three princesses are still prominent, children dress up like them, and Disney has put time into making live-action recreations of their stories. However, these stories don’t offer the best lessons for children.
To start, all three stories emphasize that the end goal is marriage and that to reclaim their position as princesses they need to be with a prince. Snow White is prayed upon by the evil queen because she is the “fairest of them all” and is saved by a prince. Cinderella is miserable living as a housemaid, gets one wish that she uses to go to a ball, and meets a prince who saves her from her life only to be domesticated as a wife. Sleeping Beauty is awoken by true love’s kiss, even though she did not have the power to consent to that kiss.
The tales are focused on love at first sight – or the first song in Sleeping Beauty’s case – and provide messages for children about what female power looks like, that is, only in the terms of beauty and kindness. None of the princesses have much character development or are displayed as being strong and having actual personalities.
At this time, author Robert Munsch was reading original stories to children at the daycare in which his wife was employed, and he was going through a dragon story phase. One day his wife asked him why the prince always saves the princess. Munsch thought about that and changed one of his stories into what became The Paper Bag Princess.
To sum up the story, Princess Elizabeth is set to marry Prince Ronald. One day, a dragon comes and burns down their castle and takes Ronald. Wearing nothing but a paper bag (the only thing not burned in the fire) Elizabeth sets off to save Ronald. She shows up at the dragon’s lair and uses her cleverness to have him do all of these tricks that eventually wear him out to the point of falling asleep, and Elizabeth can save Ronald. But Ronald isn’t so happy too happy to be saved because Elizabeth looked like such a mess, and he tells her to come back when she looks like a real princess. Elizabeth tells Ronald off because he cannot appreciate what she did, and they did not get married after all.
When Munsch began sharing this story with the children, the parents were a lot happier and the children didn’t seem to mind. The book was then published on May 1, 1980, and illustrated by Michael Martchenko, and ended up being a success. It has sold over 12 million copies worldwide, is published in 12 different languages, is publicly endorsed by the National Organization for Women (NOW), and is even sold on its website.
Still today, the majority of children’s books portray females in passive roles, if there are even any females in them, to begin with. According to the University of Florida, in 2011 25% of children’s books in the 20th century had no female characters whatsoever, and 37% had no female characters who spoke. This is a problem because the media presented to children is crucial to their cognitive development and how they view their place in the world. At a young age is when people begin to form their ideas about gender roles and self-worth.
The Paper Bag Princess defies the stereotypical visuals presented in children’s media for how a female should act. Princess Elizabeth teaches children that girls are smart and can do anything they set their mind to, that the princess isn’t always the one that needs saving, and that if your partner doesn’t treat you like you deserve then you should not be with them.
Today, instead of dressing up as Disney princesses, some children dress up as Princess Elizabeth.
More and more authors are realizing the importance of diverse representation in children’s literature.
The Paper Bag Princess has always been my favorite children's book. I strongly believe I would not be the proud feminist and liberated woman I am today if my mom did not raise me on books like The Paper Bag Princess that taught me I am clever enough to fight the dragon and that I do not need a prince to save me.
I can be the hero. I can save myself.
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