Media & Communication Department
Diane Reilly
A Textual Analysis of the Representation of the Disney Princess:
From Snow White to Pocahontas
Before most children are old enough to walk and talk, and certainly
before they are old enough to interpret and synthesize complex media
messages, they are surrounded by the "Disney culture."
The messages are so strong and influential in part because they
surround girls at such a young age. With so many messages directed
at our youth, scholars cannot ignore the representation of the Disney
princess. In my paper I provided a review of literature, which explored
the representation of the Disney princess from Snow White (1937)
to Pocahontas (1995) in an attempt to understand the changes in
her character over time. A textual analysis was then conducted to
specifically explore the subtle changes to the Disney princess by
comparing Snow White and Pocahontas. Although my research did find
a positive change in the Disney heroine over time, it must be remembered
that children are still exposed to those early heroines and their
effect must be acknowledged.