Conforming beasts and compliant princesses: A radical appraisal of Disney’s 1990s Americana rhetoric

Abstract

This article provides a systematic analysis of the Disney Renaissance films’ narrative tropes as a way to discern the particular social world they collectively depict and promote. Taking these popular cinematic productions as expressions of their authors’ and artistic creators’ world views, it argues that they all effectively legitimize a particular American ethos conventionally and frequently equated with the ‘happy ever after’ life ideal of the United States’ white, Christian middle and upper classes of the post-World War II era. Ultimately, based on the textual analysis of these films, the article urges us to consider the cultural and social implications of these narratives, particularly in light of their global distribution and the narrow world view they promote and legitimize.