The Snow Queer? Female Characterization in Walt Disney’s Frozen

Adaptation ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Auba Llompart ◽  
Lydia Brugué
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Fairy Tale ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Older Woman ◽  
Female Protagonists ◽  
Literary Source ◽  
Female Bonding ◽  
True Love ◽  
Female Characterization

Abstract Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale ‘The Snow Queen’ (1845) and its film adaptations have been examined from multiple perspectives by previous scholarly criticism. Recently, Gender and Queer theories have placed particular emphasis on the presence of non-normative romantic relationships between characters, namely, attraction between a young boy and an older woman (Kay and the Snow Queen), homoeroticism (Gerda and the Robber Girl), and even incestuous desire (Kay and Gerda), among others. In this paper, we will concentrate on how the original fairy-tale female characters and their interrelationships have been reworked in Walt Disney’s Frozen (Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, 2013), and we will analyse how the film’s representations of love, desire, and femininity simultaneously resemble and differ from its literary source. Firstly, we will explore how Andersen’s alluringly dangerous Snow Queen has been turned into a sympathetic character, Queen Elsa. Secondly, we argue that Gerda and Kay’s friendship has been transformed into sisterly love between the two female protagonists in the film, Elsa and Anna, whereas romantic heterosexual love, on the other hand, seems to have been relegated to a secondary narrative arc or done away with altogether, as the absence of a romantic partner for Elsa shows. Interestingly, having a Disney queen whose quest does not involve finding a husband has led some Frozen fans to speculate that Elsa could be the first lesbian Disney princess. Thus, we will also analyse Elsa’s character in connection with the different definitions of ‘queerness’. In light of all this, we discuss that Frozen is an example of the recent Disney trend to redefine true love and prioritize female bonding and empowerment. However, if we compare it to its literary precedent, the Disney adaptation seems to be less daring when it comes to portraying non-normative manifestations of love and femininity than Andersen’s original.

A window to the true self: The importance of I-sharing in romantic relationships

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1640-1650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace N. Rivera ◽  
Christina M. Smith ◽  
Rebecca J. Schlegel
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
True Self

This article examines the importance of I-sharing within romantic relationships. Results from four independent samples indicate that perceived frequency of I-sharing with one’s romantic partner predicts relationship satisfaction and that this relationship is potentially mediated by perceptions that one’s partner knows one’s true self. These results fit with theories about increasing expectations on modern relationships to fulfill self-expression needs.

scholarly journals Love, Lies, and Money: Financial Infidelity in Romantic Relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily N Garbinsky ◽  
Joe J Gladstone ◽  
Hristina Nikolova ◽  
Jenny G Olson
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Financial Behavior ◽  
Money Management ◽  
Bank Account ◽  
Payment Methods ◽  
Account Information ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences

Abstract Romantic relationships are built on trust, but partners are not always honest about their financial behavior—they may hide spending, debt, and savings from one another. This article introduces the construct of financial infidelity, defined as “engaging in any financial behavior expected to be disapproved of by one’s romantic partner and intentionally failing to disclose this behavior to them.” We develop and validate the Financial Infidelity Scale (FI-Scale) to measure individual variation in consumers' financial infidelity proneness. In 10 lab studies, one field study, and analyses of real bank account data collected in partnership with a couples’ money-management mobile application, we demonstrate that the FI-Scale has strong psychometric properties, is distinct from conceptually related scales, and predicts actual financial infidelity among married consumers. Importantly, the FI-Scale predicts a broad range of consumption-related behaviors (e.g., spending despite anticipated spousal disapproval, preferences for discreet payment methods and unmarked packaging, concealing bank account information). Our work is the first to introduce, define, and measure financial infidelity reliably and succinctly and examine its antecedents and consequences.

Heterosexual Romantic Relationships, Interpersonal Needs, and Quality of Life in Prison

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo J. Carcedo ◽  
Daniel Perlman ◽  
Félix López ◽  
M. Begoña Orgaz
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Sexual Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Sexual Life ◽  
Female Inmates ◽  
Partner Status ◽  
Interpersonal Needs ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of having vs. not having a heterosexual romantic partner inside the prison on the relationship between interpersonal needs and quality of life. In-person interviews were conducted with 55 male and 64 female inmates from the Topas Penitentiary (Spain). Higher levels of social loneliness and lower levels of sexual satisfaction were associated with lower levels of quality of life. In addition, the interaction between sexual satisfaction and romantic partner status was significant. Higher levels of sexual satisfaction were associated with higher levels of quality of life only for the group without a partner. These findings support a “bad is stronger than good” principle and indicate the detrimental aspects that can be associated with not having a satisfactory sexual life while incarcerated.

scholarly journals Longitudinal changes in emerging adults’ attachment preferences for their mother, father, friends, and romantic partner

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomo Umemura ◽  
Lenka Lacinová ◽  
Petr Macek ◽  
E. Saskia Kunnen
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Time Points ◽  
The Family ◽  
Latent Difference Score

Only a few studies have longitudinally explored to whom emerging adults prefer to turn to seek closeness, comfort, and security (called “attachment preferences”), and previous studies on attachment preferences in emerging adults have focused only on the beginning of romantic relationships but not on the end of relationships. Czech emerging adults ( M = 21.47; SD = 1.48) completed the questionnaire of attachment preferences at two time points, Wave 1 (Summer 2013) and Wave 2 (Summer 2014). Latent difference score analyses revealed that emerging adults who were not in a romantic relationship in Wave 1 but started a romantic relationship between the two waves ( n = 97) and those who had a romantic partner in both waves ( n = 379) were both more likely to increase their attachment preference for the romantic partner and decrease their preference for friends, whereas those who did not start a relationship ( n = 185) were not. Emerging adults who were in a romantic relationship in Wave 1 but were not in Wave 2 ( n = 69) decreased their preference for the partner and increased their preference for friends. In all the groups, attachment preferences for the mother, for the father, or for the family did not change. Multiple regression analyses further revealed that for those who had a romantic partner in both waves, their length of romantic relationship was associated with changes in attachment preferences for romantic partners and for friends.

The Melancholic Mermaid by K. George

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Fairy Tale ◽  
Great Book ◽  
The Other ◽  
Interdisciplinary Management ◽  
Colour Space ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Female Protagonists ◽  
The University

George, Kallie. The Melancholic Mermaid. Illus. Abigail Halpin. Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2010. Print. Upon reading a plot summary of Kallie George’s The Melancholic Mermaid, you might first wonder if you’ve read the book before. Humans befriending mermaids, outsiders uniting, and children learning that their differences make them special are all plots that have been told and retold in a variety of mediums. It will be no surprise to readers that, though Maude the two-tailed mermaid has twice the speed, twice the strength, and twice the grace, these same qualities isolate her from the other mer-children. Similarly, when two-legged Tony’s webbed hands are revealed, an unlikely friendship with Maude is inevitable. However, while the plot and themes rarely venture outside established cliché, there are two aspects of The Melancholic Mermaid that not only make it well worth the read but push it over and above similar fare. Firstly, George’s poetic rhythms perfectly capture the lulling melancholy of the seashore. At times, she dances the line between poetry and prose, evoking the rolling tides of a calm day at the beach. Of particular note is her command of alliteration, which when well-executed, rarely fails to captivate children and draw them into a fairy tale world. Secondly, Abigail Halpin’s illustrations are positively breathtaking. Her use of colour, space, and contrast are all wonderful to behold and do a remarkable job of highlighting the settings and mood of George’s story. While the scenes on land are depicted in vibrant purples and reds, the seashore is dominated by calm and subtle shades of blue and green. If you are the type to choose a book by its cover, The Melancholic Mermaid should most certainly be a popular choice. The high quality of the illustrations make The Melancholic Mermaid a great book for beginning readers to grow into, and it will be ideally suited for children transitioning from picture books into shorter chapter books. While the story features both male and female protagonists, it will most likely hold a broader appeal for girls than for boys. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer:  Amy Paterson Amy Paterson is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta’s H. T. Coutts Education Library. She was previously the Editor of the Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management and is very happy to be involved in the Deakin Review and the delightful world of children’s literature.

scholarly journals “The Three Little Pigs”: Evolution of a fairy tale plot in a picture book of the twentieth century

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 215-234
Author(s):  
Olga Mäeots ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Fairy Tale ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Visual Narrative ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Folk Tales ◽  
True Story ◽  
Animated Film

“The Three Little Pigs” is one of the most famous folk tales and has been adapted many times. The paper is devoted to the evolution of the classical narration as it was presented in picture-books in the 20 th century. The revisions examined are: Walt Disney’s book based on the animated film (1933), Russian adaptation made by Sergey Mikhalkov (1936, 1957) as well as two picture-books which were published at the end of 20 th century in USA and Great Britain and suggest new versions of the classical story — Jon Scieszka’s and Lane Smith’s “The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs” (1989) and “The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig” by Eugene Trivizas and Helen Oxenbury (1993). All the books demonstrate different variants of interaction between the textual and visual contents. The recent versions of the tale reveal important trends: visual narrative presents a substantive semantics and plays increasingly significant role in modern picture-books. The evaluation of the genre introduces multiple perspectives and challenge reader to interact, to create ambiguous meanings rather than suggest a define statement — thus making reception more complicated and inspiring.

scholarly journals From Best Friends to Silent Ends: Exploring the Concepts of Ghosting in Non-Romantic Relationships

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 943-950
Author(s):  
Megan Ann Yap ◽  
Angelo Miguel Francisco ◽  
Christian Gopez
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Video Communication ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Best Friends ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Relationship

Ghosting is a popular term in mass media that has continued to baffle many with its ambiguity as a dissolution strategy. Multiple studies in the past have explored ghosting within romantic relationships, examining how this dissolution strategy has impacted the two parties involved: the initiator (ghoster) and the non-initiator (ghostee). However, it has been stated that ghosting can exist outside of romantic relationships as it may also occur within friendships or even if the relationship is questionably nonexistent. The objectives of the paper seek to understand how ghosting happens within these non-romantic relationships, its effects on the initiators and non-initiators, and its possible differences when compared to romantic relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted through video communication platforms on thirty respondents ages 18-25 who have experienced ghosting or been ghosted by a friend. Through the use of descriptive phenomenological qualitative study, the results revealed that 1) ghosting in non-romantic relationships occurs on technology-mediated channels, 2) the initiators experienced post-dissolution feelings of regret, 3) the non-initiators experienced feelings of uncertainty, 4) ghosting a friend is more socially acceptable than ghosting a romantic partner, and, 5) ghosting is more frequent in non-romantic relationships due to the lower levels of commitment and expectations. Other recurring themes, such as the common reasons behind ghosting for the initiators and ghosting as a justifiable means of dissolving the relationship, were also found.  

FALLING DOWN IN ORDER TO GROW UP: TWO WOMEN’S JOURNEYS FROM UN-DOMESTICATION TO DOMESTICATION IN FANTASY FICTION

Mousaion ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-91
Author(s):  
Deirdre Byrne ◽  
Mary-Anne Potter
Keyword(s):  
Fairy Tale ◽  
Binary Opposition ◽  
Specific Process ◽  
Fantasy Fiction ◽  
Female Protagonists ◽  
Alice In Wonderland ◽  
Female Protagonist ◽  
Poststructuralist Theory ◽  
Looking Glass

AbstractIn this article, following the convention adopted in The annotated Alice (Gardner 2000), the authors refer to the combined volume of Lewis Carroll’s works – entitled Alice in Wonderland – which includes Alice’s adventures in Wonderland and Through the looking-glass – as ‘the Alice texts’. In the Alice texts, Alice is presented as a Victorian female protagonist who has to ‘fall down’ in order to ‘grow up’. This is also true of Yvaine in Neil Gaiman’s Victorian-based novel, Stardust (1999). Both protagonists experience ‘falling down’, which also carries the symbolic weight of being an act of submission – falling into a subordinate state. In looking at the significance of the opposing movements up and down as indicative of a specific process of female domestication, postmodern and poststructuralist theory explains how this binary opposition fulfils a specific didactic function in Victorian and Victorian-based fairy tale narratives. Historical approaches to Victorian society also demonstrate the submissive role assigned to women in Victorian society. While ‘un-domestication’ is rejected in favour of domestic submission in Carroll’s and Gaiman’s narratives, ‘un-domestication’ results in the liberation of their central female protagonists in the filmic revisionings, Alice in Wonderland (2010), directed by Tim Burton, and Stardust (2007), directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document