Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Communication

Major Professor

Keith Berry, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Ambar Basu, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Fred Steier, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Michelle Hughes Miller, Ph.D.

Keywords

children's films, Disney, domestic violence, film, gender, love, film theory, communication, cinematic abuse, gender roles, spectatorship, fairytales

Abstract

This dissertation examines the manner in which three animated Disney princess films cultivate stereotypes and gendered behaviors consistent with domestic violence and thereby encourages viewers to accept and tolerate abuse against women. I argue that due to the dangerous, constricting, and sexist gender roles encouraged by the Walt Disney Corporation, films prime young girls and boys to react to social situations and encounters in a way that mirror the characters’ reactions. Because of the films’ entertainment value, most of the characters’ inappropriate, stereotypical, and often violent behaviors either go unnoticed or are passively accepted. The violence does not have to be blatant nor physical to have a detrimental effect. Therefore, a central argument of this dissertation is that our culture desperately needs to broaden the way we conceptualize violence. Throughout, I provide a unique critical analysis that draws upon domestic violence literature to argue that The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Princess and the Frog should be considered an example of cinematic abuse. Following the film analyses, I discuss my findings after conducting interviews with five women. Lastly, I propose that cinematic abuse occurs when viewers accept the dominant readings encouraged by Disney films and are thereby coerced into entering into metaphoric domestic violence relationships with Disney. As I dissect the themes and scenes within each film, Walker’s (1979) book, The Battered Woman, is used to support the argument that cinematic abuse victims (viewers) and abusers (the film) mirror the behaviors and reactions of actual domestic violence victims and abusers.

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