There's a lot of princess bashing going on these days. "They make girls look helpless. They aren't strong enough."
About the only one who gets any respect these days is Belle and that's because she's the hero of her story.
But I'm a big fan of princesses. I love Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.
Yes. The helpless ones. The weak ones. The damsels in distress.
I love a knight in shining armor coming to the rescue.
Here's why:
None of us can save ourselves. We are all helpless.
But the message of the age is "You are strong. You don't need anyone else. Fight your own battles. You are your own hero."
That message is wrong. That message will get you all messed up when it comes to God.
I was trapped in a living death. I was enslaved. I was bound up by a dragon. I was a damsel in distress, completely unable to attain the kingdom on my own. I needed a prince to come and save me.
Jesus did.
I will forever be grateful to my hero.
I agree. I don't like all the princess bashing either. I love a strong feminine role model, and yes, Belle is awesome. Your illustration makes a great point. We can't save ourselves when it comes to salvation. We needed rescuing which is probably why the princess stories resonate with so many of us. I also love the stories of the warrior princesses-those heroines that save the day and make survival possible. All princesses have their place. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Niki! I love Belle because she's bookish.
DeleteBelle is my favorite. She's a brunette. :) I'm a fan of princesses, too, love a good romance, a nail-biting rescue. The only thing I struggle with is the emphasis on external, "perfected" beauty.
ReplyDeleteI remember wanting to be beautiful like Cinderella. Every little girl does. I don't think little girls would admire a homely princess. We're geared to want to be beautiful. In my opinion, the problem isn't with the stories, but with all the commercial glam that surrounds them.
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