Media Representations

With the recent remake of the film Snow White, I found an interesting article entitle "Mirror Mirror': what the Snow White Narrative Says About Women, Beauty, and Aging." Emma Gray explains how she was fascinated by the Wicked Queen and how her character was portrayed. The Wicked Queen was played by Julia Roberts and Gray explains how she was very interested in "what the character's contemporary reincarnation was saying about how women think about the aging process now." I found this article and immediately thought about media representations. Growing up with Disney films and fairytale stories, it is interesting to me how the media is somewhat changing these cartoon into something more, with deeper messages and more meaning. Gray explains how one of the most beautiful persons in Hollywood plays this role, and what the Wicked Queen is so concerned with is that "event the most gorgeous among us isn't immune to physical insecurities." Two meanings are highlighted in this movie and many other fairytales: that women feel a lot of anxiety over losing their looks and that older women sometimes envy the younger women surrounding them. Gray explains that in such media representations like the new film "Mirror, Mirror," as well as other "anti-wrinkle" ads and such, women have this constant message that growing old is something that should be avoided. However, growing up is a beautiful thing something women should not fear. 

Through media representations our society gets a sense of what growing old means for women. In Rose Weitz article "What We Do For Love," she explains how the media representations of women is seen even through the way we do our hair. When i first read this article it was shocking to me how significant a women's hair and appearance is, however, we are all somewhat guilty of caring about this stuff. As I read through the article about "Mirror, Mirror" I began to think about how Disney portrays women how we are stereotyped at such a young age. Weitz explains, "Rapunzel had only one way to change her life: attracting a prince through her hair and her beauty." (Weitz pg. 261). Through media representations we begin to think about what it will take for one to be considered beautiful and ilke in the film, we are all guilty of the "fear of growing old." It is sad that women are considered "growing older" while men become more and more handsome, like George Clooney. No matter what it is important to realize that such fairytales are being shown to young girls all around the world. The idea of what is beautiful and the fact that growing old is "bad" should not be the way we view our lives. Growing old is a wonderful and beautiful thing, no one should take that away from you.

Weitz, Rose. Women's Voices, Feminist Visions. 5th ed. N.p.: Susan Shaw and Janet Lee, n.d. Print. Rpt. of What We Do For Love.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emma-gray/mirror-mirror-snow-white-tarsem-singh-julia-roberts-lily-collins-women-beauty-aging_b_1391222.html?ref=women