Disney princesses have inspired me my entire life. Granted when I was little (or maybe not so little), they inspired me to sing and believe in magic. Today I still see lessons and values that are even more important. These lessons are surrounded by cheesy romance and music, but who doesn't love seeing that every now and again? Anyway, these are my top five.
1. Family
Whether your family is kind and supportive like Tiana’s and Belle’s, or difficult and abusive like Cinderella’s and Snow White’s, Disney princesses teach great lessons about family life. Disney teaches us that sometimes families are incomplete, or sometimes, they can be the worst people for us. That doesn't mean we have to feel sorry for ourselves or be miserable our entire lives. The key is finding people who make you happy and accept you for who you are. For the princesses, this generally involves finding true love, but regardless, it is possible to find people who make you happy.
2. Trials
Sometimes, bad things happen. Rapunzel was kidnapped as a baby. Mulan was forced to go to war to save her father’s life. Jasmine and Ariel were nearly killed. Cinderella lost both her parents and was abused by her stepmother. And Aurora was raised by foster parents after a curse forced her to separate from her family. None of these things were easy, and while I can’t relate on a personal level to these specific trials, I have experience difficult things in my life. It helps to see people overcoming these challenges and staying positive.
3. Parents
For me, the biggest example of this is Merida and her mother, Queen Elinor. I haven’t always had the closest relationship with my mother, and I see a lot of parallels between me and my mom and Merida and hers. Communication is their biggest issue. They have a hard time explaining themselves to each other, and neither one is willing to stand in the other’s shoes and try to find a new perspective. The changes they both experience throughout the movie are amazing. It really hits home for me and helps me believe that even if my relationship with my mom doesn't get fixed overnight, it is still possible for bad relationships like that to get better.
4. Love
No one can talk Disney princesses without talking love. The cliché is that every Disney princess has to have a prince, and by the end of the movie they live happily ever after. While I love that happily ever after as much as the next girl, and definitely spend my share of time giggling over Flynn Rider, I also love how there’s more to it than that. Pocahontas fell in love, but never got her happy ending. Merida never even had a love interest, nor did Elsa. And Anna may have found love at first sight in Hans, but we all know how that turned out. Sometimes love isn't easy, or simple. It can be complicated, and painful, and that’s okay. I like being able to see that love may be beautiful, but it’s also not a walk in the park.
5. Goodness
In today’s world, it’s easy to see goodness like Snow White’s or Aurora’s as naiveté. Believing the best in people can backfire, in really terrible ways. And let’s be real, wandering around the woods talking to birds and deer will probably get you institutionalized. But the good nature of Disney princesses isn't naïve or stupid, it’s genuine and honest. And I think this world could use a little more of it. Disney princesses remind me that it’s possible to be a good person without being gullible or foolish.
Disney is great at teaching lessons, and for me, the princesses do that best of all. So bring on the music and the cheesy romance because I’ll be here enjoying it for the rest of my life.
