Education From A Princess

With Disney’s most recent release of "Cinderella" it got me thinking of all the things we can learn from these princesses. (Particularly with the themes that are so prominent in this recent rendition of the classic fairytale.) As the word or term of 'princess' has become something of a sissy title I thought this post would make for interesting reading. I hope that in shedding some light on these ladies I can help diminish the sissy viewpoint.

I will only be using the first five princesses. I think I can make my point from there, and if I can’t, I can always write a second post on the other leading ladies. After all, these are usually the first movies that we, as children, watch and I think that even from that age, ideas and values are shaping in our minds.

For this post I will always start with whatever thought I wish to share about the leading lady and then move on to list, in bullet points, particular skills, characteristics or talents that one woman possess.

**I ask that you keep in mind that I am referencing the Disney versions of all of these fairytales.**



Snow White: The Homemaker

I have to admit that Snow White is probably not the first princess that comes to mind when I think of ‘my favorite princesses’. However, that being said, now that I’m a little older I see her in a different light and I have found that Snow White has many qualities that I admire. (Her high-pitched voice is not one of them.) Let’s be honest…how many of us would walk up to an abandon cottage and immediately rally our woodland friends to clean it—my sisters, maybe. They would struggle with gathering their woodland friends but they would start to clean the old thing anyways. But back to the topic at hand. Snow White is a homemaker in every sense of the word. She comes across a filthy cottage and cleans it. When it turns out that seven untidy and unruly men live there Snow White undertakes the task of training the dwarves in good manners. That's no small task. Snow White is the only princess, I believe, that shows the characteristics of being a mother without having the title ‘officially’. That’s cool. So yes, I think there are many things to admire and learn from Snow White.

• Patient
• Homemaker
• Peacemaker
• Teacher
• Cheerful
• Nurturer
• Loving

Cinderella: The Kind

Okay, I am going to dig a little deeper than her fantastic wardrobe of dresses and shoes. Currently, one of my favorite quotes is: “Have courage and be kind for where there is kindness there is goodness and where there is goodness there is magic”. That basically sums up my thoughts of Cinderella. It’s not that nothing bad ever happened to her because she had courage and was kind. No, I think her attitude towards the situation at hand was her saving grace. Cinderella persisted in being kind in the face of any unkindness and that is the true measure of her character. It isn’t about how you act towards those who are kind to you but if you are kind to those who aren’t. Cinderella wasn’t ignorant of her stepmother’s cruelty and she wasn’t blind to the selfish nature of her stepsisters even from the first. Towards the end of the new movie when Cinderella is talking to her stepmother she says, “I wasn’t able to protect my father, but I will protect the prince and the kingdom”. Cinderella wasn’t stupid, she was only gentle, not rudely defiant and unkind in return.

One other thing I would like to touch on is how Cinderella was believing. In the new version there comes a point where Cinderella cries out that she can't believe anymore. She then runs into the back garden and continues to cry her heart out until she in interrupted by a, then, needy woman. Cinderella doesn't hesitate to attend to the woman's needs. While Cinderella had claimed that she couldn't go on we see only moments later that she does just that. How often do we say things that we don't actually mean? Actions speak louder than words.

• Thoughtful
• Kind
• Believing
• Honest
• Smart
• Homemaking
• Loving

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty): The Dreamer

I think Aurora always gets the short end of the stick. But I love her anyways and her fairytale is my favorite. (Remember what I said about referencing Disney’s versions!) Aurora is a dreamer for, having seen so little of the world and living in something of a sheltered home she has high hopes for her future. And even when her other responsibility as princess is revealed to her she follows the care and counsel of her ‘aunts’ (who are my favorite people ever!) and returned to the castle. Yes, she cried and suffered something of a broken heart but she still went because it was her duty as explained to her by Flora. Little did Aurora know that in following her duty and not just her heart was it possible to bring about the same end. I mean, who doesn’t want a courageous, handsome, Prince Phillip to fight off a dragon to save you?! Sign me up! Hahaha.

• Dreamer
• Responsible
• Imaginative
• Obedient
• Loving
• Honest
• Trusting

Ariel: The Teenager

“Teenagers, you give them an inch, they swim all over.” –Sebastian

Ariel is a piece of work isn’t she? Ariel is the teenager of the group. Though she is around the same age as the others listed here her maturity level is nil, zero, zilch! The Little Mermaid is not one of my top Disney picks to be sure. In many ways I can see why my mom limited our watching of it when I was younger. (As it is/was my sister’s second favorite choice my mom placed some limitations on it as a pick.) Ariel doesn’t really set a good example in anything if we were to be honest. Feel free to correct me in the comments. :) If we were to summarize the story of the Little Mermaid it would look something like this: A (disobedient) little mermaid, Ariel, falls in love with a human that she saves from drowning. Her father learns of this and knowing of the dangers and threats of humans, destroys Ariel’s store of human junk in the hope of preventing Ariel’s continued fascination with them. His outburst may seem severe if viewed and judged by this one infraction of the rules however this wasn’t the first infraction. (Yes, the argument can still be made that he still overreacted.) This mermaid then goes and sells her soul to a witch in exchange for a three day chance to follow ‘her love’. A love that she has still never met or spoken to. Oh, but she has sung to him. All seemed to be going as the girl dreamed until the witch, being a witch, intervened. The father, remember the one that Ariel thought cruel and unable to understand the draw of love, takes Ariel’s place on the witch’s soul sucking scale, even though it could mean the destruction of his kingdom. A battle ensues in which the dashing prince saves the day and everyone involved in it. The father, perhaps now seeing that exceptions can be made, allows and transforms his daughter so that she can marry her human love. Then, Ariel proclaims her love for her father.

Now to sum up the sum up. A mermaid stalks a human, disobeying her father to do so. Almost dies because she makes a deal with a witch but all is forgiven and no consequences are dealt out. Very realistic.

There you have my few thoughts on the Little Mermaid. :) Sorry if it has too much of a rant quality.

• Imaginative
• Disobedient
• Immature
• Selfish
• Curious
• Dreamer

Belle: The Scholar

(I don't feel like 'scholar' quite fits, does anyone have a better suggestion?)

If Aurora wasn’t my favorite then Belle would more than likely fill that slot. The woman tamed a ‘beast’ for heaven’s sake. :) But I jumped ahead of myself. Belle loved reading and learning in general and because of these two loves she found her little town, well, little. I don’t think this feeling would have been so dominate if not for one particularly obnoxious ego-maniac but I digress. Anyway, Belle found refuge, escape and peace in books. They gave her things that she couldn’t have in her current situations. They held the adventure that she wanted. This ‘escape route’, books, are being neglected and overlooked these days. What a pity! Back to Belle, in the end Belle got more than she bargained for in her adventure.

• Reader
• Caretaker
• Learner
• Teacher
• Loving
• Defends herself

I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts. While writing I thought of so many other things that I could say so you may be seeing these ladies here again. :) And then there are the other princesses as well.

Please enjoy your day!

Yours Truly,

Cordy