When I went to see Disney’s latest feature-length animated film, The Princess and the Frog, I was a little worried that “my childhood had lied to me” or something. However, I actually enjoyed this movie. I still prefer a few others like Aladdin and The Lion King over this one, but I thought this worked out really well. One reason I liked it was the main protagonist, Tiana. She was kinda sassy, she was working hard for her dream of owning a restaurant, she wasn’t really stuck on love, and she could very easily take care of herself. I also kinda liked how the relationship between her and Prince Naveen isn’t really thrown at you; they could care less about each other at first, but over time, Naveen learns he needs to be able to do something and not just goof off all the time, while Tiana learns that she could stand to loosen up a little. It’s kinda refreshing to watch this.
After the show, I was still mulling it over in my head and comparing it to other Disney films involved in the whole “Disney Renaissance”. This is when I finally and fully realized something about one of the forefathers… er, foremothers of the “Disney Renaissance”:
The Little Mermaid is about a selfish, lustful, shallow, unlikeable brat.
Ariel was the first girl that made me… kinda feel like a little boy, let's say. I won’t deny that she’s pretty for pencil and ink, and she might hold more power over me than Megan Fox ever will. But in my eyes, that doesn’t save somebody if they are otherwise such a bitch.
First off, Ariel never listens to anybody and strives to achieve her own dreams. This much I don’t mind so much. Girls who don’t really care what others think of them are pretty cool. Unless doing so is going to endanger either her or those around her, or if doing so forces her friends to go out of their way to help her. I guess I have to admire her guts a little bit for being able to stand up to King Triton. Triton’s pretty strong as an authority figure; if he says “No”, and if you defy him, it’s highly likely that Triton will do something to fortify his “NO!” (i.e. destroying Ariel’s collection of surface treasure). However, he actually does care about his daughter and wants to make sure she’s safe.
It’s too bad Ariel is willing to make a deal with the friggin’ devil to get what she wants. Not only does her contract with Ursula put Ariel at risk of slavery if her end isn’t completely fulfilled. Ursula wants to rule the sea, but that position is filled by Papa Triton. Therefore, her contract with Ariel may and does allow her to wrestle power from the Sea King. Ariel’s desires to become a part of our world are putting the world that she knew in jeopardy! What’s more, their domain is Atlantica, a kingdom in the ocean. And considering that the ocean makes up about 70% of Earth’s surface, who thinks that this obviously evil sorceress, now with much of the planet’s life and supposedly-godlike power under her command, will stop at sea level? …Maybe I’m thinking too big picture here, but my point still stands: Ariel’s selfishness puts not just her, but presumably millions of sentient beings, including her close friends and family, in dire peril!
And for what? What is she doing this for? What motivates her to be the catalyst for such a disaster? A high-school crush. Prince Eric. I might not mind this so much if she was doing this for love or a really good friend, but here’s the problem: Ariel just met him! She knows nothing about this guy except that he’s a guy, he lives on land, and she saved him from drowning. But what is the guy like, Ariel? What do you like about him besides his legs? Why is worth it? To be honest, I don’t even remember what Prince Eric’s personality is like, assuming he even has one. But I don’t think he’s worth all this effort of trying to get with if another woman can use your voice to brainwash the dude just to deny you his company. Ariel, you are not in love, so stop lusting over the man meat.
So, after disobeying her family and friends, selling her soul, and putting the entire ocean in danger all for the sake of a stupid guy she hardly knows, what kind of comeuppance does Ariel receive in the end? The mighty Triton, ruler of the oceans, commander of the aquatic, major badass king, turns her into a human girl so that she can chase after the quarterback of Blandness High.
...Are you effing serious? After all that trouble she put you through, you’re going to give her what she wants? No wonder she seems so self-centered, dude; you spoil her! At least confront her on all the trouble she has caused before you do that. Let her apologize for that, THEN treat her. Is that so complicated?
This just struck me as unbelievable. She endangers her father, Flounder, Sebastian, and everyone else she knows in pursuit of her own selfish desires. Her selfish desires to fit with a guy she hardly knows when she “falls in love” with him and doesn’t really get to know too well over the course of the movie, concerned only with getting a kiss from him and remaining human forever; cutting all ties she has to the sea until Disney screws it up with a sequel. And she chases this goal with the help of the ocean’s equivalent to Satan! Yes, Jasmine also wanted to be free from her role as a princess, but at least she has redeeming qualities. She’s a kind person, a bit sassy, seems fun to be around, and she doesn’t sell her soul. I will admit that her kissing Jafar was kinda disgusting, but she was doing it to distract Jafar so that Aladdin could get the lamp; she was using what she had in a tight spot. Ariel… I just don’t see her appeal anymore aside from the physical. And even then, she’s not real.
I went to Disneyworld a few years ago, and I brought back pins as souvenirs for my friends. I got one of my friends an Ariel pin, and after this revelation, I just wanna say, "I'm sorry." I should've got her the Jasmine pin instead. Or Mulan. Or if I remembered Beauty & The Beast better back then, maybe Belle.
This has been Ryu-Kage. I gotta keep on chasin' that dream. Though I may never find it, I'm always just behind it. ~ Long Time, Boston.
