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Thanks to Princesslullaby's recent poll questions, I ended up looking at my own childhood vs. each Disney Princess's childhood. Some of this is just painful for me, and there is no getting around that.

My categories of adverse childhood situations (some with severe adverse conditions) are based on evaluation from the domestic violence class I took. I'll be frank. I have my own dissociation/childhood trauma.


This is an article where I'm defining where I'd group categories of adverse childhood experiences, specifically for the Disney Princesses. I'll also add in how each princess copes with their where-I-was-born dilemma.

Ariel and Rapunzel are right close together, because they just share the border between authoritarian parenting and authoritative parenting. Those parenting styles are similar, but are not the same.


Severe and Pervasive Childhood Oppression-- the Authoritarian Parenting Style

Cinderella, Snow White, and Ariel receive this slot.

Cinderella

Cinderella becomes a slave in her own home. With her parents both dead, her stepmother treats her like dirt. Cinderella has the most "hope in her heart" next to Snow White. Cinderella copes by daydreaming and dreaming of a life free of her tormentors.

Snow White

Snow White is first shown in rags, and is mopping the stairs of the castle. I don't know how she ended up as a slave, but with both parents dead, and another evil stepmother in place... Snow is basically impoverished, with one good dress, and one that is rags. Stepmother tries multiple times to kill this girl. Snow copes by singing songs, by praying, and by doing her own pastimes: cleaning and baking.

Ariel

Ariel is first shown exploring a shipwreck, and saving her best friend Flounder from a shark. The very next scene we get featuring Ariel is one in which she gets scolded by the court conductor, Sebastian, and reprimanded by her father for forgetting to show up at a concert. It seems like both the court conductor and Ariel's dad each are insulted and embarrassed by Ariel's behavior, and so the two of them "decide between them" that Ariel requires CONSTANT SUPERVISION. This "constant supervision thing" is Sebastian's idea, first, but King Triton wholeheartedly agrees with it, and this set-up soon predominates Ariel's whole existence under the sea. Sebastian is tracking Ariel's every move. It's Sebastian who sells out Ariel by divulging that she saved a human and is keeping a grotto of human detritus. Ariel copes by singing to herself, collecting what debris she can find, and generally trying to remain upbeat in a restrictive atmosphere. However, for her pains, Ariel is yelled at for her forgetfulness and curiosity; her father uses his trident and violently destroys her collection to "get through to her" that all humans are awful, and that he protects her by dominating her life. I find "constant supervision" stultifying to a person. This should be applied only to someone who is around 5 years old or less. Ariel is not 5 years old in the original 1989 film.
Constant supervision is not something a sixteen year old wants, and most psychologists will tell you, that parents who "set-up" this authoritarian parenting style are actually implementing abuse.


Less Severe, but Extremely Problematic Parenting Styles-- halfway between Authoritarian and Authoritative

Rapunzel

Rapunzel is kidnapped soon after birth because her parents used/stole an enchanted flower that belonged to a witch named Gothel to prevent Rapunzel's mother from dying in childbirth. Gothel decides that in retribution for what was "stolen" from her, she will do the stealing, too. So Gothel sneaks in and steals their child away... which is similar to the original Rapoince tale where Rapoince's father steals this type of lettuce from the witch's garden to prevent his wife from dying, and in trade, the witch steals the daughter from the parents. So, Rapunzel's folks are partly to blame for what happened to Rapunzel even in the Disney version. Afterward, Punzie grows up isolated in a tower, provided with every material thing she could want from Gothel, save seeing another face that isn't Gothel's. Punzie sings, paints, plays chess, sews, cooks, makes candles, reads, and tracks the stars. Punzie dresses up her chameleon, Pascal, to get a practical joke or two. These are Punzie's coping mechanisms, along with seeing "the lights" every year on the same day. Punzie is most curious about the lights, and THIS is the part where she feels DISSATISFIED. Otherwise, Punzie doesn't see her life as horrible, and this is rooted in her own ignorance resulting from Gothel's situational manipulation, and this is also partially because Gothel hasn't been a helicopter parent on Punzie, nor reduced Rapunzel to direct servitude. It's Pascal who attempts to leave the tower first, and Punzie scoops him up before he can get too far out the window. Rapunzel feels BORED and wonders "when will my life begin?" But is she tormented? I have seen children who were tormented individuals (as I am a nurse), and I can tell you that no, Rapunzel is not acting like a tormented adolescent. Finally, deviating from the warped fairy-tale, Disney introduces Flynn/Eugene who stumbles on Punzie's tower while running from a heist-gone-bad. And it is Rapunzel who ties Flynn up and DEMANDS that he take her to see the lights if he wants the "crown object" back. Gothel is abusive in creating an environment that preys on Rapunzel's gullibility and ignorance. But compared to someone who is under constant supervision for every choice ( which is what is going on with Ariel)--- this is not so with Rapunzel. Gothel visits Rapunzel once a week, if that. And Rapunzel doesn't get told that her priorities are wrong. Gothel has "one rule" for Rapunzel, while Triton's law on humans was more like 5 rules disguised to deter dissent. I see Rapunzel as a victim of both her parents stupid choice to steal a plant, and as Gothel's equally stupid retaliation move to prevent age deterioration. But when I think about Rapunzel's actual day-to-day existence, Rapunzel's day-to-day life is more like Merida's and Jasmine's: little on the excitement part, and big on the tedium. Gothel never gives Rapunzel constant supervision. Rapunzel hides Flynn before/and while Gothel is there. Rapunzel herself is good at withholding things she doesn't want her pseudo-stepmom to know. Even the Rapunzel in the original tale hid the ladder she was making to escape the tower. The Rapunzel in Disney's tale and in the original has agency, and she makes her own choices. She is not being supervised and bullied 24/7.


Merida

Merida's mother is strict. Merida doesn't get "a day all of her own" until the end of the week, as it were. Most of the time Elinor is trying to groom Merida to become the next Queen of Dunbroch. Merida doesn't like this, and balks at every opportunity. Merida copes with her mother's restrictive schedule on her life, by using the bleep out of her "one day a week personal time" to do everything from archery to climbing the firefalls. Elinor is strict, but she isn't sneakily abusive like Gothel, nor is she constantly supervising Merida's whereabouts like Triton does to Ariel through Sebastian. I don't like Elinor initially, because she's so prim and stuck-up, but she does less harm to Merida than Gothel and King Triton do to Punzie and Ariel.

Jasmine


She's confined to the palace. She is restricted by location and by the fact that she has to marry a prince. Jasmine's options in suitors irritate her, and she chafes at being "a prize to be won." But Jas has a better life than Rapunzel and Merida, because the sultan, her father, is never purposely sneaky nor purposely restrictive. He also does not send someone to watch Jasmine 24/7, and leaves her largely to herself. Jasmine copes... by having Rajah nip and bite playfully at her suitors. That's the bonus for having a tiger for a pet.


Mulan

Chinese culture was restrictive and obligated women to become wives. Mulan isn't confined to the house like Rapunzel is, doesn't seem to have a rigid schedule like Merida, and doesn't have a designated row of suitors pushed up in her face like Jasmine. However, Mulan doesn't have the freedom to be herself and to make her own choices, which is societal and which her parents are reinforcing. The good thing is that Mulan isn't being watched 24/7 either, which is why she could get away with cheating and painting verses on her arm as a method to try to pass the matchmaker's exam. Mulan mopes and sings when coping with her situation. I don't see her doing a lot else in the movie with coping, at least not until she decides to try to prove herself.


The Best Childhoods Among The Disney Princesses-- halfway between Authoritative and Permissive

Aurora

The movie seems to show that Aurora hardly received a stern word from Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. Aurora views these women as "my three nosy aunts," but doesn't seem to feel that they are undeniably restrictive, and who watch her every movement. In fact, the three fairies send Aurora out all by herself on her sixteenth birthday to collect berries. That doesn't sound like King Triton's constant supervision of Ariel, nor Rapunzel's "one limitation rule," nor Merida's strict schedule of activities, nor Jasmine's palace ennui, nor Mulan's societal expectation. Aurora has more freedom....now that I consider it...than a lot of the princesses have had. And I did not realize this before. How far did Aurora roam in the forest during all of her childhood? She seems pretty darn familiar with her surroundings. Aurora copes with her pervasive loneliness by using sly humor, singing to herself, and dreaming at night of her "mysterious stranger."

Belle

With the exception of her mother dying in Paris ( or somewhere) during Belle's youth when she was probably 3 or 4, Belle doesn't seem to have had any horrible experiences. Maurice, her father, moved them to "the poor provincial town" where Belle feels disgust and irritation at her neighbors because she is seen as "the oddball" for not chasing around and flirting with guys, and wanting to read instead. Belle doesn't hit adversity until Maurice gets himself lost and jailed by the local Beast. And then Belle offers her freedom for her father's life. Right up until this half of Belle's existence ( beast capture) she hasn't had anybody abuse her, nor restrict her, and the societal expectations in her village she willingly defies without much blow-back ( whereas in Mulan's case it brought shame). I don't see Belle being watched 24/7 by Maurice, and Belle only gets the 24/7 treatment when she ends up surrendering her freedom to the abusive beast. Belle copes by reading everything in the local bookstore, and singing about her favorite book. Belle is just lonely, like Aurora, and they both are outsiders occupying time until they eventually find the life they are seeking. Belle's childhood was not horrible in any way. It was somewhat sad, actually, because of the death of a parent, but that death did not translate into abuse from Maurice, as did happen in Cinderella's case, in Snow's case, and in Ariel's case.

Pocahontas

Pocahontas goes "wherever the wind takes her." Powhatan seems like he has not decided to restrict Pocahontas at all. Powhatan has given Poca complete freedom to speak her mind. Powhatan respects Poca enough. He is extremely gentle when asking her to assume her mantle as the next leader of her people. Poca takes a while to figure out who she is, but her father doesn't stop her from finding her own path. Powhatan is not monitoring Pocahontas 24/7, reducing his daughter to a slave, or demanding that she marry Kocoum right away. He doesn't want war, but he does want to see that there is safety for his daughter, his tribe, and peace for his land. He's an example of a good dad.


Tiana

Tiana wins this weird childhood countdown. Tiana has the best childhood Disney has crafted in a long time. Maybe, it's the best childhood since Bambi (before Bambi's mother died). I don't ever see Tiana's parents scolding her, restricting her movements, or denying her the things she loves to do (cooking). Tiana's dad is exceptional. He is so engaging, so humorous, so instantly likeable that it physically hurts me when Disney yanks him out of the picture. :( The only damper on Tiana's life is the death of her dad and his dream. The Segregation of Blacks in the South of 1920s New Orleans, Louisiana is a further backdrop to Tiana's personal pain. Tiana's father dies when she is sixteen ( I'm guessing? Because Tiana looks like she is 19 in the movie or something, same age as Cinderella). The plot kicks in afterward, and Tiana becomes a grieving and very angry adult. But Tia's dad and mom never mistreated her, and she has insanely good memories of her family life.



This is my deduction from seeing each princess’s situation in their movies, and watching each one cope with the situation into which they were born. Though I have experienced emotional trauma myself, I don't think each princess really had it that easy. I don’t think every princess had the worst childhood, either. Likewise, I don’t think every princess had the best childhood. Some childhoods were right smack dab in the middle and isolating, but these—in my view-- sidestepped being marked by episodes of outright punishment, volatility, and slavery.

Leave thoughts below. Thanks. And until next time...
added by EduFerreiraLins
added by Asabala2
Source: tumblr
posted by arieridan
Hi! I'm arieridan, and since I'm pretty new, I'd like to introduce myself again.

1 = I used to be @chillyneon, but deleted my account because it was too distracting,

2 = I'm naturally a bleach blonde (like Elsa) but dyed my hair red (like Ariel's) and since I have tight curls, I like to think of myself as a real life Merida, and a real life Ariel when I straighten my hair.

3 = My first ever Disney movie was Sleeping Beauty.

4 = My top 3 DP's are CInderella, Aurora, and Tiana.

5 = my favorite DV is Hades

6 = My favorite non-Disney Princess is Megara.

7 = My favorite non-Disney Princess movie is Dumbo.

8 = My top 3 least favorite DP's are Snow White, Ariel, and Jasmine.

9 = The DP I relate most to is Rapunzel

10 = My favorite Disney Prince is Naveen

I couldn't really make anymore reasons. If you have a question on why I chose something, I'll answer you back in the comments!
Fanpop, fanpop, on the screen, who is the fairest Disney heroine of them all?
Fanpop, fanpop, on the screen, who is the fairest Disney heroine of them all?
Finally we've gotten to the top 10 most beautiful Disney heroines! Very surprising results, a year or two ago you'd think this would be rigged but the comments don't lie. Overall, people found these women to be beautiful and for good reason. This article will include the comments like part 1 did, ironic that only the first and last part have the comments. Anyway, just like the others, I will talk about what fanpop thought and then what I think. Please comment but keep in mind this is fanpop's opinion, not mine. Enjoy!

10.Ariel
She's cute, but can have beautiful shots. She definitely isn't unattractive though.- CRaZy_rawR
She's cute, but can have beautiful shots. She definitely isn't...
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What?  Why do people hate any disney princesses; I don't understand!
What? Why do people hate any disney princesses; I don't understand!
Bonjour! Today I just wanted to defend a personal favourite of mine: Queen Elsa of Arendelle. I know she's been getting a lot of hate lately and I don't know why, so I just wanted to point out why I like her and the good things about her. And why do people hate any disney princess? I see plenty of hate piled on Ariel, who I've loved for years, and Snow White, who's adorable, and some of the others that I love as well, (all of them, hehe!). So if anybody can answer the title question, that would be fantastic cause it's really been bothering me.

Anyway, here we go

Why I like Elsa -

- She has magical...
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added by PrincessFairy
Source: http://mydisneydaze.tumblr.com/post/84328934590
added by Winxclubgirl202
Source: Me
added by ARIEL-RAPUNZEL
Source: http://thedisneyseries.tumblr.com/
Bonjour!!! Over the last few weeks, I created quite a few polls which asked fans to eliminate their least favourite Disney Princess (including Anna and Elsa) hairstyle, and princesses were eliminated until the top two. This is basically a results countdown of those polls, with descriptions as to why. I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who voted and commented why - your help was appreciated!!
This is not based on my opinion - if you are interested in my choices, I am writing a Part 2 which explains my opinion.
Let's get started shall we?

13. Cinderella

Although most people seemed...
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've always loved the friendships and family relationships shown in Disney movies and I really wish we could see more of them. While romantic relationships are nice, I've always loved the raw emotions shown through these relationships and wanted to devote an article to them. This list isn't really in any order by the way. I really hope you enjoy!! :)


10. Rapunzel and Mother Gothel

Hmm..I'm not even sure if this classifies as a relationship, but I just find the dynamic between these two characters to be fascinating. I love seeing how Gothel seemingly brainwashes Rapunzel and how their relationship...
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added by cruella
added by Winxclubgirl202
Source: Me
posted by purplerose17
"Last place?! Oh no you didn't!"
"Last place?! Oh no you didn't!"
So... It's been a couple of weeks since I've written an article. All of the Disney Princesses are beautiful, just some of them are more so.

13. Jasmine
She's beautiful in an exotic way. I love her skin color and her thick, glossy hair. However, her figure is a little too unrealistic and her eyes can look weird.

12. Ariel
She's also very pretty, but she's drawn a little too cartoony for my tastes. Her hair can look really beautiful at times, and I love her eyes. Her hair can sometimes be too bright, and she's way skinny.

11. Mulan
She's beautiful, but a little plain. I like how they drew her to look...
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posted by Frozenswift
Hey guys! I've seen drama in the club, especially in the polls and just have enough of it. You see, drama is mean and it just makes everything seem crazy. Everyone has their opinion and you should respect that.


When people pick another opinion than yours, you get angry and tells him/her to pick your opinion! In the LEAST favorite polls, you shouldn't be like "LEAVE NOW" to the other picks because some people like that pick

Like I just said, Opinions are only someone's thought, and some people agree
posted by CRaZy_rawR
Here is the second part of my article series: Elsa! Again, it's just my thought on the princesses. I'm going in order from least favorite to favorite. If you haven't read part 1, about y least favorite princess, Cinderella, check it out here:
link

My Original Thoughts
When I first watched Frozen, in late November, I loved Elsa.. more than Anna. I loved her message, her relatability, everything! She was a new type of girl to the lineup. She was completely different from everyone else, and I loved her! She was in my top three forever. She took a slip or two to my top five, but she never graced out....
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I held this same countdown not too long ago and I really wanted to chime in with my own opinion on the matter. I think all of the princesses show at least some strength emotionally, so I decided I couldn't rank them! Anyways I hope you enjoy reading this! Also, my definition of emotional strength might be different from your own. After reading some of the descriptions in people's list for the countdown I realized that not everyone has a similar definition. ((the princesses are in a totally random order, sorry that this article is such a mess...))

Jasmine

Jasmine's emotional strength is underrated....
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I did a countdown about the most developed DPs, and now here are the results. Sorry for the delay! I've been very busy lately. I'd just like to thank everyone who participated in this countdown and left a comment. Anyways here are the results.

13. Aurora



Comments:
MacytheStrange - None of the Classics developed. A reason why they're my least favorite Era as a whole.
Silverrose1991 - Even if they're my favorite era, the Classic Princesses don't have any character development.

12. Snow White



Comments:
324anna: Snow White doesn't change at all during the movie, she remains the same.
prussiaducky:...
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posted by RoseOfRapunzel
Guilty, I'll say. I was a user who baffled Ariel with hate. I could see many flaws with her because a lot of people were pointing them out, but now I see she's just underrated. True, I still think Merida has a much better personality by comparison, but Ariel is gaining so much hate, it's starting to make me want to come to her defense.
Ariel is pretty guilty to my calculations, she was forbidden to go out to surface and showed up to her concert while everyone depended on her. Ariel did wrong things, but she does have some good points.


When Triton turned into that thingy near the end of...
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posted by sweetie-94
I decided to do another one of these articles that other people here has done before me
This idea of an article was originally thought of by dimitri_

1. What name would you change yours to?

Anna, I think it's a really cute name and it's one of my favorite names ever

2. Which skills would you like to develop?

Rapunzel's ability to paint, I'm not at all good at drawing or painting so I would love to be able to do it

3. Who would you want for a parent?

James and Eudora, James seemed to be a great father to Tiana, caring, understandable and kind and Eudora just seems like a perfect mother...
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