Critique of “Cinderella and Princess Culture”
In Peggy Orenstein’s article, “Cinderella and Princess Culture”, she emphasizes the thought that every little girl does not have to be a princess or like the “trends” that society has titled as “girly.” Orenstein states that little girls often do not get a choice in what they like because society has created the princess trend. She does not like the fact that playing princess can cause young girls to feel pressured to be perfect. Orenstein writes about her own experience with her daughter, asserting that girls should be given a free choice in what they like and dislike, but does not recognize that she is limiting her own daughter’s choices by closing off the idea that she might actually want to be a princess. Orenstein’s article, though effective, does not provide a clear stance on where she stands with the princess debate. She switches back and forth …show more content…
James Poniewozik writes the article, “The Princess Paradox”, in which he tells about his own personal experience with his daughter and princesses. Poniewozik writes that he tried raising his daughter to like legos and soccer balls, not barbies, and to play firefighter and watch Dora the Explorer videos (Poniewozik 323). He then states that even through all that work, his daughter wanted to be a princess when Halloween came around. After hearing this, Poniewozik does not go on to bash the idea that his daughter likes princesses. Instead, he writes positive things about princesses, praising the way that over the years, they have learned the lessons of feminism, self- determination, and independence (Poniewozik 324). Unlike Orenstein, who does not want to be open to the fact that her daughter might actually like princesses, Poniewozik accepts that that is what his daughter wants to be and does not try and force her to be something