I was reading a fellow English 251 student's blog questioning the lines that are drawn. I don't think she was wrong in her thoughts, or her conversation with her mom, but I don't like the connection that is drawn between Ariel's selfish behavior, and the use of mistakes and repentance in the bible to show the power of redemption and pain.
I think one of the main differences between the bible and the people screwing up in the bible, and Disney's portrayal of incorrect behavior, is that the bible focuses on the bad behavior and labels it as incorrect. I'm not saying we shouldn't watch Disney, because if we limit ourselves that much we probably will have nothing to discuss, but I don't feel that the Little Mermaid and the story of David and Beth-sheba are adequate similes for one another.
In the Little Mermaid Ariel does anything and everything to get her way, and we celebrate it. David does the same thing in the bible, and we condemn him. There seems to be a disconnect in the idea that if we are going to accomplish our goals, nothing should stand in our way, not family, not honesty, nothing, and we only celebrate that if it's accompanied with singing fish.
Disney's The Little Mermaid shouldn't be banned from schools and taken out of a families' personal film collection, but I don't think Ariel should be glorified for being obstinate either.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree with what you are saying but I think a lot of it has to do with the view and the lesson you are taking from these stories or any stories. I'm not saying Ariel should be celebrated but I also don't think she is the devil in the the green fins (ref the song "Devil in the Blue Dress").
ReplyDeleteOf course Ariel and David aren't in the same bracket but I think its ok to compare and contrast these stories. Maybe I've been in Provo too long I don't know, but I do know that lately I've been gleaning a lot lessons and thoughts from things that I've watched or experienced. I've been seeing them through church like eyes, if you will. It's not in a sac religious way, but I can see how the things of old can be seen today.
I don't make Ariel to be the best thing ever, and even if I do love the singing fish, it certainly makes light of the transgressions she's committing. But can't we use that as a tool to show future children and friends and relatives that we need to be careful. I'm sorry if I come across as making Ariel equal to David, because we all know that's absurd but if we are being taught to compare and contrast and use critical theory on all things then this should be included right?
as a child I never thought that how Ariel got what she wanted was a good thing. Why? Because I was being taught the bible stories the same time I was watching Disney. I knew what was wrong and I knew what was right. We can glean so much from both, but we have to know how and when to do it.
Denise, thank you. I agree, and I don't even think I have to qualify that.
ReplyDelete