Personal Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Theory - Essay Example , 1986, 115-31) Feminist theory takes the position that the portrayal of the damsel in distress has a profound view on the self-perception as children tend to emulate the characteristics of their favorite characters in children’s literature and attempt to subscribe to their respective character traits. (Zipes, 1989, 185-200) Feminist theory takes the position that the damsel in distress portrays a view of human nature that perpetuates an entirely sexist view of human nature.(Kramer and Moore, 2001) The underlying message is that the female in distress does not have the ability to cope on her own and is dependent upon a males assistance for relief. The view of human nature in this distinction between female and male characterization is exemplified in Cinderella where the damsel in distress is rescued by a Prince Charming who holds out the promise of marriage, status, wealth and happiness. The heroine is helpless and powerless and cannot find redemption without male interference. Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are similar in their respective approaches to this view of human nature in that the heroine is passive and dependant upon the strong, rich and powerful male for redemptive value. Beauty and The Beast puts forward the strong male/weak female view of human nature in a different way. In this fairy tale, the male is aggressive, cruel and punishing and is eventually tamed by the self-sacrificing, beautiful female victim. The female heroine eventually comes to the realization that the male’s cruelty and aggression were all facades for his underlying love for the female and his actual cruel and violent outbursts were merely manifestations of his love for her. (Coward, 1984, 189) Girls who read these Fairy Tales obviously form a distorted view of their perceptions of the female’s role in society. Feminist theory advocates that girls tend to idealize these feminine traits and strive to emulate them. The role of the councilor is to help women who have