shown a Disney movie by our parents on a regular basis. It was the foundation of many of our

Transcription

1 1 Everson Krista Everson Dr. Bednar Capstone 15 February 2018 Prospectus 1) Introduction. Disney films have without a doubt been a cultural influence on not the United States, but throughout the world. From the time we were very young, many of us, myself included, where shown a Disney movie by our parents on a regular basis. It was the foundation of many of our childhoods. It is where we discovered the imaginary worlds of wizards, princesses, heroes, and fairies. As children, Disney made us believe in the unbelievable and we were exposed to more and more of the films which all began that same way: with the Cinderella castle and Walt Disney s very own signature. And from then on many of us were hooked. Yet, as time goes by, and we outgrow our own childhood, we realize the films we were so mesmerized by, may have had some pretty negative effects on inducing societal norms, or gender stereotypes on our own upbringing. As we look back on childhood, we can realize just how manipulated our childhood mind could have been to the all the powerful Disney. It is well known that Disney has capitalized on remaking classic stories. Tales such as the ones told by the Grimm Brothers had been Disney s building block of the making of it s empire. These Disney movies are retold in ways which allow the viewer can escape to The Happiest Place on Earth. However, as of 2010, Disney s retelling of stories have side tracked from the usual storyline of having a good guy and a bad guy. Usually, the DIsney movies have a valiant hero and then a cruel, heartless villain. Now however, Disney has begun a new trend. A trend which gives these villains a chance to tell their side of the story. Villians from our own

2 2 Everson generation who had earned the name of wicked, evil, cruel and so on, are now being seen as individuals who were merely hurt in some way and are now acting in ways that justify whatever horrible act had been done to them. This is where one can only begin to question why the Happily Ever After path is becoming darker. My specific research question will encompass not why Disney is promoting this, or why this theme of accepting/not judging the villain has been so quickly absorbed by society. Rather, I want to ask what the possible outcomes could be for this new generation of children will be. In the past many scholars {Which will be discussed in the Literary Review} have argued that Disney movies, specifically those featuring the Disney Princesses, have had a negative affect on my generation. They suggest the Disney films promoted distorted body image, domestic abuse, and female gender degradation. Many of these scholars have run studies and provided more proof for their conclusions. However, it s time to move the discussion forward. If these scholars cared about Disney movies sending distorted and harmful messages to children back in my generation, then why should society and other scholars not care or take notice of the Disney movies done today. Late scholarship primarily held close to analyzing the heroes or the princesses in the movies and their harmful effects, well now that the tides have changed the the villains are being given a story, I want to suggest that these depiction are just as harmful, if not more detrimental than the hidden messages of Disney movies from my own childhood. So in short, I speculate that the Disney villain trend can cause detrimental outcomes and behaviors in the upcoming generation.my research will rely and put into context scholarly, and pop culture responses proof that Disney played a influence on my own generations behavior. For my research object, I focus primarily on the villain theme of Disney which will include the

3 3 Everson Maleficent film of 2014, the Descendants television series and movies, as well as the book productions by Serena Valentino. However, my distinct research subject is today s generation of children. In order to do this I will study a particular group of girls between the ages of 3-12 and their reaction to these productions. Since I am a dance teacher and have access to these girls and their parents, I will form my capstone around audience reception by the upcoming generation. I will investigate the girls own thoughts, feelings towards Disney Villians and produce a work highlighting how the upcoming generations are using the idea, or acceptance of the villains my generation and above had learned to fear. Overall, this will be a capstone of audience reception of Disney Villains through the eyes of the upcoming generation. I will investigate the girls own thoughts, feelings towards Disney Villians and produce a work highlighting how the upcoming generation is responding to the idea, or acceptance of the villains and what harmful implications that may attribute to their generation. 2) Literature Review. To begin, I ask my readers to look around them at society today. Disney is not the only one who has produced villain backstories. Instead Disney is merely one outlet for this. By placing our time into a greater context and by looking to other productions, one will understand better how villainous our society is becoming. Productions which surround the American society today, depict a society where children are growing up and will be subjected to the exposure of many media outlets and productions were villains are essentially glorified. What am I talking about? Specifically, one can look to the Broadway musical Wicked. To us, the character of the Wicked witch was the green, evil witch who terrorized the flying monkeys of the West and who wanted to kill both Dorothy and her small dog Toto to gain even more power with the Ruby Red

4 4 Everson slippers. However, to this generation, the Wicked Witch is actually Elphaba, an animal rights 1 activist who wants to find true love, and save the people of Oz from the now evil Oz himself. This musical has gotten much attention by top newspapers such as the New York Times where writer Ben Brantley even points out that Wicked even allows you to sing along to the Elphaba s, or in my opinions, the villains side of the story and is a literary article which should be taken into grave consideration of audience reception today. Moving onto another cultural media outlet, productions of Super Villains are now also getting their own backstory.villains from Batman the Joker, to Marvel s recreation of the Suicide Squad where it s a team of villians working together. All leave audience reception to nodding their heads while stuffing popcorn in their mouths at the movie theaters as they consume and cultivate this underlying aspect of tolerance or hesitation of labeling anyone or anything evil. Though this sets the broader trend of society today and makes one realize just how many villian productions are being made, my project in particular will add to this conversation by paying particular attention to audience reception in children. It will show a child's reaction to a new made up story by Disney {note that the Super Villains had had their own stories written in comic books far before this particular generation, while Disney had not}. Needless to say this upcoming generation will be surrounded by productions re-telling, and even justifying a villians side of the story, and my discussion will surround the possible questions of what the implications these new story lines of sympathizing with evil/wicked/villains may have on the children today. Now that the reader is at an understanding of the villain culture we live in today, from here, my literary review turns back on what scholars have already said and determined about the 1 Brantley, Ben. THEATER REVIEW; There's Trouble In Emerald City. New York Times, 31 Oct. 2003,

5 5 Everson harmful outcomes of Disney movies. In order to understand my particular argument though, one must understand the history and background of how Disney films have been argued to be detrimental to children s upbringings. I will highlight particular sources of scholarly and cultural productions. Knowing Disney has seeped into the lives of most certainly every American child since the baby boomers, and also too many individual across the globe. Which is why scholars dared to question the outcomes of these movies. Scholars such as Elizabeth Belle, Sarah M. Coynes, Lynda Haas, and Laura Sells exposed to us that the Disney experience in the past constructed both negative and positive outcomes in childhood audience reception. These scholars primarily focused their attention on the classic and most prevalent characters Disney produced : the Disney Princesses. From a literary review standpoint their research into what these princesses taught American culture ultimately turned into how America enveloped these stories into everyday and created them as cultural beliefs. This is to say, these scholars found out that Disney had pitfalls in their Happily Ever After. What these pitfalls were and which one can reference 2 in the footnotes below is that the Disney movies now included messages of domestic abuse (as 3 seen in Beauty and the Beast ), hidden messages, distorted body imaging (truly any Disney 4 princess, but primarily Ariel or Jasmine), racist undertones (must we relive Pocahontas, or 2 Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. The Curse of Masculinity Disney s Beauty and the Beast From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 193). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition Discussing the views of masculinity of both the Beast and some references to Gaston. It excuses male aggressive behavior, because the movie makes young children believe that even if he hits you there s a sweet Prince Charming on the inside. 3 Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. Somatexts at the Disney Shop Constructing the Pentimentos of Women s Animated Bodies From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 107). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition. 4 Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. Voice and Body in the Little Mermaid From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 193). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition Specifically it is argued in depth here not just on women s looks being promoted as highly feminine by Disney, but actually suggests the Little Mermaid is a representation which promotes anorexia and eating disorders in young females. It makes females believe they must be skinny as a corset and hardly eat.

6 6 Everson Jasmine or even more recently Moana) and the list of bad messaging goes on and on and on. These articles have produced massive outcomes of people discussing they problems with hidden messages in Disney movies. Parents were concerned at how much exposure their children should have to these movies, or even if they should show their kids the movies at all. These scholars sparked a conversation and laid out the academic work which questioned the morals, values, and possibly dangerous outcomes Disney could be responsible for. They made society care about what was being shown to children, and made people second guess if they should really be encouraging their children to act like Prince and Princesses. However, all these topics have now been clearly discussed and argued about, but I want to add to this discussion by beginning a conversation on today s Disney movies. I want to ask after reading this scholarship what messages and detrimental outcomes are children being exposed to in the villain movies. Though most scholarship is done featuring the harmful affects the princesses had on our generation, I also moved onto researching how villians affected us. Gregory Fouts article Demonizing in Children s Television Cartoons and Disney Animated Films, which suggests the original Disney movies and television programs for children labeled certain types of people, who looked a certain way, and who committed certain actions should automatically and subconsciously be labeled as a devil, or as evil, wicked, and so on. To Foust, this is problem because it created stereotypes or prejudices against certain individuals. He believes by repeated exposure to the dark scary not average individuals Disney presents, children will thus begin and prejudge individuals in a negative way. However, now that Disney has produced back stories to the villains, my question is how is this dynamic of prejudgment changing, and is it more or

7 7 Everson less unhealthy than being scared of some people or if labeling someone as evil should as Foust suggests be looked down upon. With this is mind I turned now to today s villains depictions. Since 2010, Disney produced countless movies, books, and television shows depicting the villains. Many of these stories show that character as being merely a troubled soul and one who has a back stories which justify their actions towards the characters which used to be the real victims. Movies such as Maleficent (2014) and even the most recent Beauty and the Beast (2017) films all show the villains, {in not cartoon form but in real life form which could create the ability to bond easier with a human than a green cartoon character} such as Maleficent, the Beast, and Gaston as all sympathetic individuals with a troubling backstory. Looking at the movie Maleficent (and works publicizing it s success after the release), the movie explores the story behind as Disney Consumer Products points out... the untold story of Disney s most iconic villain from the classic Sleeping Beauty and the elements of her betrayal which ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. The same report highlights not only the multitudes of toys, clothes, books, and 5 accessory material children can purchase to encompass the look of Maleficent. They go on to explain the reasoning for Maleficent s actions by giving a good synopsis of the film by stating, Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes Aurora may 5 Disney Consumer, Products. "Disney Celebrates Its Most Iconic Villain with New Collection of Products Inspired by Disney s Maleficent." Business Wire (English), 5. EBSCO host, The company goes to great lengths to explain how Disney is profiting and how society is vastly consuming this image of the villain by purchasing these evil products.

8 8 Everson hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever. This same company produced multiple articles such as Disney Store Reveals Exclusive New Disney Villains Designer Collection, and Introducing an All-New Disney Villains Beauty Collection Exclusively at Walgreens. Both articles focus on the ways children can take on the role, and looks of the notorious villains from not only Maleficent, but also from the new television series Descendants, as well as other villains such as Ursula (the sea-witch in the Little Mermaid) and even the Beast (from Disney s Beauty and the Beast). Children of today are literally being surrounded by villains not only through movies, but through fashion and how one 6 should look as well. To expand on the television series called Descendants, as well as two Descendents movies, these productions feature the children of villains. Thus, the villains are now living vicariously through their children and the generation of today gets to hear a different side of the original story. My literature review moves into articles which show that today s children have many princesses, and other characters to choose as their absolute favorite or whom they hope to emulate in day to day childhood life. Putting this into perspective, it's no longer the time of Snow White and Cinderella, instead it s the time of Ursula, the Evil Queen, and the Beast. To highlight how big of a hit this actually was, by looking into news articles such as Chuck Barney s piece written for the Contra Costa times in California, puts into perspective just how big a hit the villain productions are. His article, 'Descendants 2': Disney villains return in bigger production highlights how Disney realized that Descendants," a 2015 TV musical about the teenage sons and daughters of Disney's most infamous villains, was a smash hit -- seen by more than This will be referenced and referred back to the effects of body and fashioning girls as princesses as having negative effect on my generation. Now the questions proceeds into what will be the effect on children dressing as Villains or as Evil individuals have on this upcoming generation.

9 9 Everson 7 million viewers across the globe. So what to do for an encore? Go even bigger and badder. He points out that the series was such a hit that it broke into being shown on major television networks including not just Disney XD but also Lifetime, ABC, Freeform and more. This is important because by understanding the success of the villain trend, and that there are multitudes of ways Disney is selling the idea of the villian, can start of conversation on what effect this may have on children of this generation. Finally by reviewing Disney s production of the book series Villains, one will take note to the amount of exposure these kids have to the villains. The books feature backstories for Maleficent, the Beast, Ursula, and the Evil Queen. Here, kids can read a diary, written by Serena Valentino, from the villain themselves and sympathize with the villains reasoning for their less than acceptable behavior and actions.the most striking factor is the fact that it s no longer good guys and bad guys, everyone has a story to backup their actions, thus producing shades of grey. Disney produced new movies, shows, and books to create a common theme of accepting evil. By reviewing these works, and reviews of this series one will realize that children are now exposed to movies, shows, books, costumes, makeup, toys and more. All, silent messages which can seep negatively into the minds of today s generation, just like authors such as Elizabeth Belle suggested it had done to our own generation. This relates to my observance of the girls because I will be watching how and if their role playing of these characters is more heavily motivated or more aggressive. 3) Methodology. 7 Barney, Chuck. "'Descendants 2': Disney Villains Return in Bigger Production." Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA), 19 July EBSCO host, He continues his article to glorify the success of the movie overall.

10 10 Everson My methodology will be based on how recent scholars have done research and audience reception analysis on children. Since my research object is the girls reaction and reception to these villain productions, I will need to analyze particular girls, expose them to enough Disney villian and Disney hero items/songs/references/ in order to see their reactions. The best method I have found to mimic my research on is by approaching it in a similar manner to scholars such as Melanie Lowe, which was a study which observed adolescent girls in order to analyze their connections/behavior towards Britney Spears. Her study is found in her article Colliding Feminisms: Britney Spears, Tweens and the Politics of Reception. Like Lowe, I will conduct focal group meetings in my dance studio, which is approved by the studio already. My methodology and the way I go about studying the girls will be closer to that of Sarah Coin and Julia C. Golden and Jennifer Wallace Jacoby study, "Playing Princess: Preschool Girls Interpretations of Gender Stereotypes in Disney Princess Media.". Golden s and Jacoby s study where they observed, interviewed, and spoke with the parents about the affect the Disney Princess media had on Preschool girls. For instance, when reading the case study Playing 8 Princess: Preschool Girls Interpretations of Gender Stereotypes in Disney Princess Media by Jennifer Wallace Jacoby and Julia C. Golden created a study which was, Inspired by the princesses ubiquity in the lives of young girls, we examined how preschool girls interpreted gender-role stereotypes in Disney Princess media both through their pretend play behaviors and their discussions of the princesses. The outcome of this study showed that girls based their femininity and their gender on becoming the princesses they were exposed to in the multiple 8 Golden, Julia C. and Jennifer Wallace Jacoby. "Playing Princess: Preschool Girls Interpretations of Gender Stereotypes in Disney Princess Media." Sex Roles, 22 Apr EBSCO host, doi: /s This is also the model which my methodology will come into play. My own research with children I observe will mimic her own approach which inhibits understanding children s reaction to Disney Princesses.

11 11 Everson films Disney has produced. For instance, the girls measured the worth of gender based on,... beauty, {a} focus on clothing and accessories, princess body movements, and exclusion of boys. When Golden and Jacoby asked the educators and parents about the findings, both admitted to the action of limiting the exposure the children had to what the case study seems to label as destructive feminine gender behavior portrayed in the Princess films. Also, combining this case study with Sarah M. Coins work, titled Pretty as a Princess: Longitudinal Effects of Engagement with Disney Princesses on Gender Stereotypes, Body Esteem, and Prosocial Behavior in Children, where the study examined level of engagement with Disney Princess media/products as it relates to gender stereotypical behavior, body esteem (i.e. body image), and prosocial behavior during early childhood, and found that girls did have certain feminine and gendered behavior pushed upon them by being encouraged by parents and others to act in a princess manor. It also though, opened the door for discussion surrounding the parent s ideal creation for their child s life. That is to say, parents who wanted their kids to be princesses, are essentially encouraging behavior which they believe will create in their young girl the chance at 9 a happily ever after and thereby giving more agency to parents and the influence the family household has on early childhood development. My personal study will focus on the girls engaging with Disney Villains through music, conversations about the latest episodes of the Disney Descendants shows, and role playing the villains or good guys as well. Overall, the girls will partake in different activities, whether that be discussion, dance, games, or art, in order for me to observe their interaction with the Disney Villain culture being produced and what possible repercussions could arise. 9 Coyne, Sarah M., et al. "Pretty as a Princess: Longitudinal Effects of Engagement with Disney Princesses on Gender Stereotypes, Body Esteem, and Prosocial Behavior in Children."

12 12 Everson Works Cited Barney, Chuck. "'Descendants 2': Disney Villains Return in Bigger Production." Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA), 19 July EBSCO host, navigator.southwestern.edu/login?url= &db=nfh&an=2w &login.asp&site=ehost-live score=site. Brantley, Ben. THEATER REVIEW; There's Trouble In Emerald City. New York Times, 31 Oct. 2003, ml. Coyne, Sarah M., et al. "Pretty as a Princess: Longitudinal Effects of Engagement with Disney Princesses on Gender Stereotypes, Body Esteem, and Prosocial Behavior in Children." Child Development, vol. 87, no. 6, Nov/Dec 2016, pp EBSCO host, doi: /cdev Descendants. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Disney Consumer, Products. "Disney Store Reveals Exclusive New Disney Villains Designer Collection." Business Wire (English), 6. EBSCO host, navigator.southwestern.edu/login?url= &db=bwh&an=bizwire.c &login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

13 13 Everson Disney Consumer, Products. "Introducing an All-New Disney Villains Beauty Collection Exclusively at Walgreens." Business Wire (English), Jan EBSCO host, navigator.southwestern.edu/login?url= &db=bwh AN=bizwire.c login.asp site=ehost-live score=site. Disney Consumer, Products. "Disney Celebrates Its Most Iconic Villain with New Collection of Products Inspired by Disney s Maleficent." Business Wire (English), 5. EBSCO host, navigator.southwestern.edu/login?url= &db=bwh&an=bizwire.c &login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 43). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition. Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. Voice and Body in the Little Mermaid From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 193). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. The Curse of Masculinity Disney s Beauty and the Beast From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 193). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, Laura Sells. Somatexts at the Disney Shop Constructing the Pentimentos of Women s Animated Bodies From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture (p. 107). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition. Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen (Villains #1). Goodreads,

14 14 Everson Fouts, Gregory, et al. "Demonizing in Children s Television Cartoons and Disney Animated Films." Child Psychiatry & Human Development, vol. 37, no. 1, Sept. 2006, pp EBSCOhost, doi: /s Golden, Julia C. and Jennifer Wallace Jacoby. "Playing Princess: Preschool Girls Interpretations of Gender Stereotypes in Disney Princess Media." Sex Roles, 22 Apr EBSCO host, doi: /s Maleficent. Disney/Pixar, Valentino, Serena. Beast Within, The: A Tale of Beauty's Prince (Villains) (Kindle Location 1226). Disney Book Group. Kindle Edition. Valentino Serena. Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen: A Tale of the Wicked Queen (Villains) (Kindle Location 21). Disney Book Group. Kindle Edition. Valentino, Serena. Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy (Villains) (Kindle Location 37). Disney Book Group. Kindle Edition. Valentino, Serena. Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch (Villains) (Kindle Locations 38-39). Disney Book Group. Kindle Edition. Honor Code: I Krista Everson have acted with academic honesty and integrity in producing this work and am unaware anyone who has not. _Krista Everson