Let me just say it right now: being a twenty-something kind of sucks.
Being a single twenty-something also kind of sucks.
At least in my opinion/experience, anyway. Seriously, what's a single 25-year-old woman to do, who still hasn't graduated from college, is still living with her parents (and on their dime and insurance, for the most part), and has just gone back to the job she first got when she was 17? Ugh. UGH UGH UGH!!! Being a twenty-something is one of the worst first-world problems EVER! Truly, it's very uncomfortable, and it doesn't help that I don't have very many close friends who are also fellow twenty-somethings to commiserate with.
So if you are reading this, and you are a twenty-something, and you find your life to be very frustrating because it doesn't look at all the way you thought it would when you were 17, can you just take a moment and commiserate with me right now? Send me your commiseration vibes. I'm feeling them now. (Then again, maybe those are just my own vibes coming back around at me. Who can say.)
Now...maybe you are a Christian twenty-something and frustrated by your life, but you know you shouldn't be because really you are incredibly blessed.
Maybe you have amazing parents, who allow you to live with them and who support you financially and pay some or all of your college tuition.
Maybe you have a couple of close friends whom you've known since elementary school, and who you still consider to be some of your best friends.
Maybe you are grateful to be single, because being in a relationship is so much effort, and you've been badly hurt in the past. Maybe Christ fills you with His joy, His peace, His love, and you have to just take a moment and let yourself experience it to the fullest.
Maybe you are involved in some sort of ministry in your church - maybe you work with children or youth, and you love getting to spend time with those kids and laugh with them and watch them grow and ache when you know that if they would just listen and ask God for guidance and help, they would receive it and understand!
Maybe you are part of a small group, at church or somewhere else, and you love the Bible studies you do and the people who study with you, even if you don't know most of them that well.
Maybe there are tons of other things too, and you know your life has truly been richly blessed...but it's hard to remember sometimes because it just seems that there's something missing.
Maybe you're like me, and you are SO READY TO NOT BE SINGLE ANYMORE. Or maybe it's not anything to do with being single necessarily, but there is just one thing in your life that you feel like you want more than anything, and it would be SO EASY for God to give that thing to you, but He just hasn't, for some reason.
Maybe you want a boyfriend/girlfriend, or really a husband/wife. Maybe you even have a specific person in mind, and maybe they even like you back, but for whatever reason, you can't be together. If you could just be in a relationship, you know you'd have everything you ever wanted. Heck, if God would even allow you to have a chance at a relationship, at least you'd know what it's like either way.
Maybe you want children, desperately, and are unable to have them. If God would just give you that precious little life, you would raise it to know Him and love Him as best you could. Your life would be complete if only you could have that son or daughter, and you would truly be the best parent you knew how to be.
Maybe you want a certain job, and you know you would be SO GOOD at it, and that your having that job would benefit the company, or your co-workers, or the people you serve. If only you could have that job, you'd have plenty of money, and you could donate some to charities or your church, and you can just taste how successful and richly blessed your life would be, if you could just have the job.
Maybe you want to pack up and move to New York, or L.A., or Chicago, or London, or Africa, or Australia, or anywhere but the place you currently are, where you feel trapped. If only you could get out of this one-horse town, wherever you are, you'd be able to leave the past behind and finally start really living your life, and you would have a chance to be content and happy.
Maybe you just want to lose some weight. If you could lose ten pounds, or twenty, then you could shop at certain stores and dress in certain ways, and that would solve so many issues that are wrong in your life. Right?
It's not like it'd be hard for God to fulfill that one thing that we want so badly. God can do anything, right? He loves us, doesn't He? And He wants to give us every good thing, according to the Bible (see Luke 11:9-13, Matthew 7:12, Psalm 37:4). Why won't He just do that one thing that He knows would bring us so much happiness, and that would be so good for us, and probably benefit a lot of other people too?? It would be so simple for Him, and so good for us. Why doesn't He just do it?
Unfortunately, my answer to that question is just this: I don't know.
I really, really wish I knew why God does what He does, and doesn't do the things He doesn't do. I don't know why He has never let me have a boyfriend, which is something I've wanted ever since I can remember. I don't know why I'm 25 and still not graduated from college yet. I don't know why I am fully in the midst of my twenty-something life and greatly disliking being here. And I don't know why He hasn't done whatever thing you are desperate for Him to do in your life, that would complete it and make you so happy you can almost feel it already.
Most blog posts I've read on this subject are from the POV of someone who was waiting for that one thing, and after what seemed like forever to them, they finally received it, and are now passing on their wisdom that whatever it is is worth the wait. Well, I'm sure that's true. However, all those blog posts leave kind of a bad taste in my mouth, because all I can think when I read them is: "That's easy for you to say." They've finally gotten what they want! And they've gotten what I want, too! It's not fair! I'm still here, waiting, twiddling my thumbs, wondering if God will ever allow me to be in a relationship, wondering if I'll ever get married or have children, or even graduate college.
And that sucks.
Fellow twenty-somethings, let's just take a minute and agree that being in this stage of life, and waiting on whatever it is that we're all waiting on, sucks. It really, really does. It sucks that we're still waiting, it sucks that we don't have what we want, and it sucks that we don't know why God hasn't allowed us to have what we want. It sucks that we don't know His plan or understand His timing, and it sucks that His plan and timing are so different from ours. And can we also just admit that it's usually not very comforting when people try to comfort us by reminding us that our lives are "all in God's plan"?
Yes, of course God has a plan for our lives. Of course His plan is far, far better than anything we could ever have planned for ourselves. And of course we need to seek our security and our identity and our everything in Him, instead of in that one thing we want so badly. Of course that one thing can never solve our problems, or fulfill us, or complete our lives.
Only Jesus Christ can do that.
Believe me, I know this. I know it in my head, and I have to work every day to try and get my heart to realize it too.
But can we just take a moment and say that we're really tired of waiting? And that sometimes, the most helpful thing to do is express frustration, rather than smother that frustration with guilt because we know "God has a plan for our lives"? And that it's okay to be frustrated, and to express that frustration (as long as you do so appropriately)??
Okay. Moment taken. Thank you.
"Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will glorify You." ~Psalm 63:3, NIV
"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God." ~Acts 20:24, NLT
"So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed in the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from His perspective." ~Colossians 3:1-2, MSG
God is really the only thing worth wanting, worth having, worth living for. We all know that, deep down. God, help us act that way! Help us see things from Your perspective, and live like we are serious about You. Give us patience as long as we do not have the things we so desire, and help us control our desires for those things. Let them never overshadow You in our lives. Help us delight ourselves in You first and foremost.
And to finish, one of my favorite verses (which coincidentally inspired the lantern scene in Tangled...go watch that movie again immediately and see that it totally fits!):
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." ~James 1:17, NIV
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
tales as old as time
My own definitive ranking of all the official Disney princesses, ranked from worst to best. That's right, only the 13 official Disney princesses are being ranked here, though there is certainly plenty to be said for the likes of Alice, Wendy, Megara, Nala, Esmerelda, and the rest.
13. Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937)
In her defense, poor, naïve little Snow White is a victim of her time period. Had Snow White been made even ten years later, its titular character might have been more fleshed out, more developed, more active, and less surreal. But 78 years' hindsight leaves much to be desired in her character. Homegirl spends her entire movie simpering as she scrubs floors for her wicked stepmother, cooks and cleans for seven men, and talks to woodland creatures. If she could do any of those things with her eyes actually open (seriously, unless she's frightened, her eyes are almost completely drooped shut for the whole movie), I might like her a little bit better. Unfortunately, her purity and sweetness combined with the feminism (or lack thereof) of the 1930's make for one thoroughly weak, passive princess who remains remarkable almost solely because of her status as the main character of the first ever full-length animated feature. If she had shown any sort of spunk, rebellion, wit, or desire to do anything other than cook, clean, or marry a prince, Snow White might have received a higher ranking.
Best quote:
"I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. But you don't know what I've been through. And all because I was afraid. I'm so ashamed of the fuss I've made."
12. Merida (Brave, 2012)
I honestly did not particularly like both Brave as a movie and its lead protagonist. I appreciate how fiery and independent Merida is, and I certainly admire how she had the guts to fight for her freedom from cultural paradigm and avoid a completely undesired marriage. But I spent most of the movie thinking she was mostly just a brat. Yes, her mother should have been more understanding of Merida's personality and desires and who Merida truly was, rather than trying so hard to transform her into a "proper princess." But on the other hand, Merida needed to understand that everyone has to make sacrifices for a greater good than their own wants and desires, whether they are a princess or not. And putting a spell on your mother just so she will stop telling you not to put your weapons on the table is really going TOO FAR. Legitimately, Merida's brattiness very nearly caused her mother's death. I liked that Merida so does not need a man to make her happy, she merely needs to be allowed to be herself - but if she could have matured and learned to be herself without turning her mother (and brothers) into a freakin' bear, I might have liked her a little more.
Best quote:
"Call off the gathering. Would that kill them? You're the queen. You can just tell the lords the princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not ever be ready for this, so that's that. Good day to you. We'll expect your declarations of war in the morning."
11. Aurora/Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)
This one is so not Aurora's fault. If she had spent more than 18 minutes of the movie as an awake 16-year-old, she might have been ranked higher as well. However, she manages to make those 18 minutes count well. Aurora's playfulness is charming, as shown when she teases her aunts and dances with the woodland creatures who are pretending to be her prince. And her wide-eyed shock and shyness when she first meets Philip belie an underlying desire not for a prince necessarily, but for passion and romance, which are things she's never known before. (Side note: it is my firm opinion that Aurora and Philip have the all-time best Disney meet-cute. It had to be said.) The grief, anger, and fear of her true identity as a princess threaten to choke her, as this glimpse of a new life is torn away from her (or so she thinks...since she doesn't realize Philip was a prince and she's actually already betrothed to him anyway!). It's such a shame that after this point, she spends the rest of the movie in a trance, then asleep, and even when she wakes up at the end, does not utter a single word of dialogue. Again, Aurora is a product of her time, and if she had been allowed more than 18 minutes of *awake* screen time, she might have ranked higher on this list.
Best quote:
"Oh, we walk together, and talk together, and just before we say goodbye, he takes me in his arms, and then...I wake up. *Sigh* Yes, it's only in my dreams. But they say if you dream a thing more than once, it's sure to come true. And I've seen him so many times."
10. Ariel (The Little Mermaid, 1989)
I might get some heat for ranking Ariel so low, as she is arguably the most popular Disney princess. I admit I see the appeal. Ariel is the youngest of many sisters, yet she is completely unique. Her huge blue eyes combined with her amazing red hair and skimpy (yet classy!) outfit make her one of the most beautiful Disney princesses, and her spunk and rebellion mark her as the first proactive, rather than reactive, princess. But ultimately, The Little Mermaid suffers from flawed storytelling, and therefore so does Ariel. I get the teen angst and anger at her father that caused her to accept Ursula's incredibly tempting deal - sell your voice, get legs, and become a part of the human world for three days. I love that she made her own choice, which is so not what her predecessors would have done. But I hate the choice she made. She gambled her entire life as a mermaid, her father, her sisters, her friends, her kingdom, on a three-day stay in an entirely new world where she knew no one and could not communicate. This empowering, free-woman choice Ariel makes for herself makes her an absolute feminist icon to some, but to me, it just makes her appear naïve, and not in a good way. (Her naivete also appears to her disadvantage while she is human, as evidenced by her enthusiastic combing of her hair with a fork, and her noticeable failure to employ her ability to write as a means of communication with Eric. Flawed storytelling, seriously.) I like Ariel's spunk, I truly do. And Prince Eric is a total hottie, so I get why she's crushing on him and why she would want to become a human to be with him. But her naivete (which sometimes borders on plain unintelligence) combined with the flaws in her story rank her low on this list.
Best quote:
"What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me? Where would we walk, where would we run, if we could stay all day in the sun? Just you and me, and I could be part of your world."
9. Elsa the Snow Queen (Frozen, 2013)
Another choice I'm SURE I'll get flak for, ranking such a newly beloved character this low. Believe me, it was a hard choice to make. And again, it's not particularly Elsa's fault - her character suffers from extremely bad advice from others, plus some serious flawed storytelling. Had Elsa's parents tried to oversee their daughter's gift, offer her some help and support as she learned how to use and control it, she might have never had to shut herself away. Or had she herself reached out, even in fear, to her parents or Anna or anyone, things might have been different. Had she done anything other than hiding in her room for over a decade, she might have been able to enjoy her life. She might have been able to avoid harming her sister. She might have truly blossomed as a princess and then a queen. But instead, she spends her life shut away from everyone, hating herself and living in fear, thinking her powers are evil and bad and she must spend her whole life concealing, not feeling, who she truly is. Had she even attempted to explain to Anna why she was always shutting her out, I probably would have ranked Elsa much higher.
Best quote:
"The cold never bothered me anyway."
8. Anna (Frozen, 2013)
I liked Frozen, really I did, but am I the only one that thinks it's really overrated? Still, I do think that Anna is pretty adorable. She's playful, curious, awkward, speaks before she thinks, and loves her sister more than anything. Yeah, she's given flak for agreeing to marry a man she'd only met hours previously, but she only did that because she was insanely lonely from having been pushed away by her sister her whole life. Ultimately, her love for Elsa saved both sisters from death. I also love that even when Elsa's powers are discovered, Anna remains firm in her belief that her sister is not dangerous or a monster. She sets out to find her sister and try to convince her to return, always believing (accurately) that her sister just needs some help and reassurance. Plus, when Anna wakes up in the morning drooling and with her hair all lumpy and frizzy - as opposed to Cinderella, being awakened by birds and with her hair in perfect cute braids and singing beautifully - well, Anna's kinda legit. She's a very modern Disney princess, yet overall less memorable than many of the others.
Best quote:
"This is awkward. Not, not you're awkward, just, I'm awkward. You're gorgeous. Wait, what?"
7. Cinderella (Cinderella, 1950)
I absolutely LOVE Cinderella, and in fact she's probably my second favorite Disney princess overall. But, as another victim of her time period, she is ranked only as #7. Cinderella is gentle, kind, graceful, and never allows her stepfamily's horrible treatment of her to squash her dreams. Amazing, really, as her stepfamily is literally THE WORST. Cinderella's main fault is that she doesn't really do anything in her movie, short of demonstrating her lovely voice, ability to waltz, and refusal to give up her dreams. Everything just sort of happens to her; use, abuse, fairy godmother saving the day, and her prince (who I absolutely REFUSE to refer to as "Prince Charming," because that is NOT his name) falls in love with her on the spot. Yet she still seems like a real person (something Snow White never achieved) as she is quite witty and even a little bit sassy at times. All she wants in life is happiness and a better life, and she never loses sight of that. The late Ilene Woods' vocal performance as Cinderella is the perfect blend of girlishness, maturity, grace, and a touch of sass, and Cinderella remains just as memorable as ever after more than sixty years.
Best quote:
"Oh well. What's a royal ball? After all, I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and boring...and completely...completely wonderful."
6. Jasmine (Aladdin, 1992)
Jasmine has a unique position among the Disney princesses, as she is the only princess who is less important in her movie than her prince. Still, Jasmine makes her screen time count. She is every bit as spunky as Ariel, and while she is naïve, she is by her own admission a "fast learner." She has her head on straight, knows exactly what she wants, and refuses to live her life on any terms but her own. She is clever, quick-thinking, and completely unafraid to stand up to the men in her life. Jasmine never hesitates to show her complete and utter disdain for Jafar, never puts up with arrogance from her suitors, and is able to not only recognize but vocalize the fact that she "is NOT a prize to be won!" I absolutely love Jasmine's complete confidence in who she is and what she wants and deserves from her life, even if she is a princess and a sheltered one at that.
Best quote:
"How dare you! All of you! Standing around, deciding my future? I am NOT a prize to be won!"
5. Pocahontas (Pocahontas, 1995)
Let's ignore the fact that this movie is rife with historical inaccuracies, and instead focus on Pocahontas as a Disney princess rather than a real-life person. She's beautiful, intelligent, brave, open-minded, able to see past differences, and willing to make any sacrifice in order to do what's right. She doesn't hesitate to stand up to her father, even if it means she might be killed, and she ultimately enables him to look past his own prejudices and make peace with his enemies. What's more, she has the strength to let her love interest do what he needs to do and leave her behind. Plus, she can paint with all the colors of the wind. (It had to be said.)
Best quote:
"Look around you. This is where the path of hatred has brought us. This is the path I choose, Father. What will yours be?"
4. Rapunzel (Tangled, 2010)
Seriously, Tangled is one of the best Disney princess movies out there. The animation is stunning, the story is incredibly entertaining, and the characters (in particular the non-human characters of Pascal and Maximus) are wonderfully developed. Rapunzel emerges as a Disney princess filled with life, spunk, beauty, and a desire to see the "lights" as she calls them, so that she can understand what's missing in her life. Sure, she's sheltered, but her time shut away in her tower has not been wasted, as she is shown to be incredibly talented at baking, sewing, astronomy, and most of all, art. Her determination, even through her fear, to go and see the lights and accomplish her dream, is wonderfully refreshing. And her inner strength and self confidence once she has seen the lights is truly inspiring.
Best quotes:
Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. But what if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
Flynn Rider (possibly the freaking BEST Disney prince EVER, btw): It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: You get to go find a new dream.
^SUCH PROFUNDITY. PERFECTION.
Flynn Rider: Rapunzel? You were my new dream.
Rapunzel: And you were mine.
^I really just can't even handle how romantic and wonderful and perfect this declaration of love is.
3. Mulan (Mulan, 1998)
Mulan is so awesome. She tries, truly she does, to do what is expected of her and what she knows will bring her family honor: she gets all gussied up and presents herself to the matchmaker, truly attempting to become a bride. Her heart is SO in the right place. But this really shows when she decides to save her ailing father and go to war against the Huns in his stead. Masquerading as a man, Mulan pushes through army training, becoming super badass along the way, and manages to save not only her father, but her fellow soldiers, captain, the Emperor, and all of China as well. Seriously..this chick ROCKS. Girl power!
Best quote:
"Just because I look like a man doesn't mean I have to smell like one."
2. Tiana (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)
Tiana ranks this highly because she knows. She knows! She is the only Disney princess to have been given the truth by her father: that she can wish on a star all she wants, but in order for her dreams to come true, she has to work hard to achieve what she wants. And this is exactly what she does. Sure, she actually focuses a little too hard on work and forgets how to have fun and really live, but enter her fun-loving prince Naveen, and together they work together and teach each other important lessons. Tiana's head is squarely on her shoulders, and she knows what's up. In fact, she knows what's up so much that she is able to resist Dr. Facilier's temptation to give her everything she thought she wanted in exchange for Naveen's life. What an awesome Disney character.
Best quote:
"My daddy never did get what he wanted. But he had what he needed. He had love. He never lost sight of what was really important. And neither will I!"
1. Belle (Beauty and the Beast, 1990)
Seriously, I just love Belle. She's insanely beautiful, but she doesn't really realize that, and more importantly, she doesn't care at all. She wants knowledge, adventure, a better life, a meaningful life. She doesn't care about beauty, or status, or getting married, or anything like that. And she's able to see past all those things to what's really important. She's brave and self-sacrificing, as shown when she gave herself up for her father, and she's not afraid to tell it like it is, as shown when she and the Beast argue while she bandages his arm. Belle has so many moments that show her quick mind, her store of knowledge, her courage, and her refusal to let a man dictate her life, that I won't list anymore. I'll just tell you to go and watch Beauty and the Beast again. Best. Movie. Ever.
Best quote:
"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere! I want it more than I can tell! And for once it might be grand to have someone understand - I want so much more than they've got planned..."
So there you have it. My ranking of the Disney princesses. #theimportantissuesinlife
13. Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937)
In her defense, poor, naïve little Snow White is a victim of her time period. Had Snow White been made even ten years later, its titular character might have been more fleshed out, more developed, more active, and less surreal. But 78 years' hindsight leaves much to be desired in her character. Homegirl spends her entire movie simpering as she scrubs floors for her wicked stepmother, cooks and cleans for seven men, and talks to woodland creatures. If she could do any of those things with her eyes actually open (seriously, unless she's frightened, her eyes are almost completely drooped shut for the whole movie), I might like her a little bit better. Unfortunately, her purity and sweetness combined with the feminism (or lack thereof) of the 1930's make for one thoroughly weak, passive princess who remains remarkable almost solely because of her status as the main character of the first ever full-length animated feature. If she had shown any sort of spunk, rebellion, wit, or desire to do anything other than cook, clean, or marry a prince, Snow White might have received a higher ranking.
Best quote:
"I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. But you don't know what I've been through. And all because I was afraid. I'm so ashamed of the fuss I've made."
12. Merida (Brave, 2012)
I honestly did not particularly like both Brave as a movie and its lead protagonist. I appreciate how fiery and independent Merida is, and I certainly admire how she had the guts to fight for her freedom from cultural paradigm and avoid a completely undesired marriage. But I spent most of the movie thinking she was mostly just a brat. Yes, her mother should have been more understanding of Merida's personality and desires and who Merida truly was, rather than trying so hard to transform her into a "proper princess." But on the other hand, Merida needed to understand that everyone has to make sacrifices for a greater good than their own wants and desires, whether they are a princess or not. And putting a spell on your mother just so she will stop telling you not to put your weapons on the table is really going TOO FAR. Legitimately, Merida's brattiness very nearly caused her mother's death. I liked that Merida so does not need a man to make her happy, she merely needs to be allowed to be herself - but if she could have matured and learned to be herself without turning her mother (and brothers) into a freakin' bear, I might have liked her a little more.
Best quote:
"Call off the gathering. Would that kill them? You're the queen. You can just tell the lords the princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not ever be ready for this, so that's that. Good day to you. We'll expect your declarations of war in the morning."
11. Aurora/Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)
This one is so not Aurora's fault. If she had spent more than 18 minutes of the movie as an awake 16-year-old, she might have been ranked higher as well. However, she manages to make those 18 minutes count well. Aurora's playfulness is charming, as shown when she teases her aunts and dances with the woodland creatures who are pretending to be her prince. And her wide-eyed shock and shyness when she first meets Philip belie an underlying desire not for a prince necessarily, but for passion and romance, which are things she's never known before. (Side note: it is my firm opinion that Aurora and Philip have the all-time best Disney meet-cute. It had to be said.) The grief, anger, and fear of her true identity as a princess threaten to choke her, as this glimpse of a new life is torn away from her (or so she thinks...since she doesn't realize Philip was a prince and she's actually already betrothed to him anyway!). It's such a shame that after this point, she spends the rest of the movie in a trance, then asleep, and even when she wakes up at the end, does not utter a single word of dialogue. Again, Aurora is a product of her time, and if she had been allowed more than 18 minutes of *awake* screen time, she might have ranked higher on this list.
Best quote:
"Oh, we walk together, and talk together, and just before we say goodbye, he takes me in his arms, and then...I wake up. *Sigh* Yes, it's only in my dreams. But they say if you dream a thing more than once, it's sure to come true. And I've seen him so many times."
10. Ariel (The Little Mermaid, 1989)
I might get some heat for ranking Ariel so low, as she is arguably the most popular Disney princess. I admit I see the appeal. Ariel is the youngest of many sisters, yet she is completely unique. Her huge blue eyes combined with her amazing red hair and skimpy (yet classy!) outfit make her one of the most beautiful Disney princesses, and her spunk and rebellion mark her as the first proactive, rather than reactive, princess. But ultimately, The Little Mermaid suffers from flawed storytelling, and therefore so does Ariel. I get the teen angst and anger at her father that caused her to accept Ursula's incredibly tempting deal - sell your voice, get legs, and become a part of the human world for three days. I love that she made her own choice, which is so not what her predecessors would have done. But I hate the choice she made. She gambled her entire life as a mermaid, her father, her sisters, her friends, her kingdom, on a three-day stay in an entirely new world where she knew no one and could not communicate. This empowering, free-woman choice Ariel makes for herself makes her an absolute feminist icon to some, but to me, it just makes her appear naïve, and not in a good way. (Her naivete also appears to her disadvantage while she is human, as evidenced by her enthusiastic combing of her hair with a fork, and her noticeable failure to employ her ability to write as a means of communication with Eric. Flawed storytelling, seriously.) I like Ariel's spunk, I truly do. And Prince Eric is a total hottie, so I get why she's crushing on him and why she would want to become a human to be with him. But her naivete (which sometimes borders on plain unintelligence) combined with the flaws in her story rank her low on this list.
Best quote:
"What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me? Where would we walk, where would we run, if we could stay all day in the sun? Just you and me, and I could be part of your world."
9. Elsa the Snow Queen (Frozen, 2013)
Another choice I'm SURE I'll get flak for, ranking such a newly beloved character this low. Believe me, it was a hard choice to make. And again, it's not particularly Elsa's fault - her character suffers from extremely bad advice from others, plus some serious flawed storytelling. Had Elsa's parents tried to oversee their daughter's gift, offer her some help and support as she learned how to use and control it, she might have never had to shut herself away. Or had she herself reached out, even in fear, to her parents or Anna or anyone, things might have been different. Had she done anything other than hiding in her room for over a decade, she might have been able to enjoy her life. She might have been able to avoid harming her sister. She might have truly blossomed as a princess and then a queen. But instead, she spends her life shut away from everyone, hating herself and living in fear, thinking her powers are evil and bad and she must spend her whole life concealing, not feeling, who she truly is. Had she even attempted to explain to Anna why she was always shutting her out, I probably would have ranked Elsa much higher.
Best quote:
"The cold never bothered me anyway."
8. Anna (Frozen, 2013)
Best quote:
"This is awkward. Not, not you're awkward, just, I'm awkward. You're gorgeous. Wait, what?"
7. Cinderella (Cinderella, 1950)
I absolutely LOVE Cinderella, and in fact she's probably my second favorite Disney princess overall. But, as another victim of her time period, she is ranked only as #7. Cinderella is gentle, kind, graceful, and never allows her stepfamily's horrible treatment of her to squash her dreams. Amazing, really, as her stepfamily is literally THE WORST. Cinderella's main fault is that she doesn't really do anything in her movie, short of demonstrating her lovely voice, ability to waltz, and refusal to give up her dreams. Everything just sort of happens to her; use, abuse, fairy godmother saving the day, and her prince (who I absolutely REFUSE to refer to as "Prince Charming," because that is NOT his name) falls in love with her on the spot. Yet she still seems like a real person (something Snow White never achieved) as she is quite witty and even a little bit sassy at times. All she wants in life is happiness and a better life, and she never loses sight of that. The late Ilene Woods' vocal performance as Cinderella is the perfect blend of girlishness, maturity, grace, and a touch of sass, and Cinderella remains just as memorable as ever after more than sixty years.
Best quote:
"Oh well. What's a royal ball? After all, I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and boring...and completely...completely wonderful."
6. Jasmine (Aladdin, 1992)
Jasmine has a unique position among the Disney princesses, as she is the only princess who is less important in her movie than her prince. Still, Jasmine makes her screen time count. She is every bit as spunky as Ariel, and while she is naïve, she is by her own admission a "fast learner." She has her head on straight, knows exactly what she wants, and refuses to live her life on any terms but her own. She is clever, quick-thinking, and completely unafraid to stand up to the men in her life. Jasmine never hesitates to show her complete and utter disdain for Jafar, never puts up with arrogance from her suitors, and is able to not only recognize but vocalize the fact that she "is NOT a prize to be won!" I absolutely love Jasmine's complete confidence in who she is and what she wants and deserves from her life, even if she is a princess and a sheltered one at that.
Best quote:
"How dare you! All of you! Standing around, deciding my future? I am NOT a prize to be won!"
5. Pocahontas (Pocahontas, 1995)
Let's ignore the fact that this movie is rife with historical inaccuracies, and instead focus on Pocahontas as a Disney princess rather than a real-life person. She's beautiful, intelligent, brave, open-minded, able to see past differences, and willing to make any sacrifice in order to do what's right. She doesn't hesitate to stand up to her father, even if it means she might be killed, and she ultimately enables him to look past his own prejudices and make peace with his enemies. What's more, she has the strength to let her love interest do what he needs to do and leave her behind. Plus, she can paint with all the colors of the wind. (It had to be said.)
Best quote:
"Look around you. This is where the path of hatred has brought us. This is the path I choose, Father. What will yours be?"
4. Rapunzel (Tangled, 2010)
Seriously, Tangled is one of the best Disney princess movies out there. The animation is stunning, the story is incredibly entertaining, and the characters (in particular the non-human characters of Pascal and Maximus) are wonderfully developed. Rapunzel emerges as a Disney princess filled with life, spunk, beauty, and a desire to see the "lights" as she calls them, so that she can understand what's missing in her life. Sure, she's sheltered, but her time shut away in her tower has not been wasted, as she is shown to be incredibly talented at baking, sewing, astronomy, and most of all, art. Her determination, even through her fear, to go and see the lights and accomplish her dream, is wonderfully refreshing. And her inner strength and self confidence once she has seen the lights is truly inspiring.
Best quotes:
Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. But what if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
Flynn Rider (possibly the freaking BEST Disney prince EVER, btw): It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: You get to go find a new dream.
^SUCH PROFUNDITY. PERFECTION.
Flynn Rider: Rapunzel? You were my new dream.
Rapunzel: And you were mine.
^I really just can't even handle how romantic and wonderful and perfect this declaration of love is.
3. Mulan (Mulan, 1998)
Mulan is so awesome. She tries, truly she does, to do what is expected of her and what she knows will bring her family honor: she gets all gussied up and presents herself to the matchmaker, truly attempting to become a bride. Her heart is SO in the right place. But this really shows when she decides to save her ailing father and go to war against the Huns in his stead. Masquerading as a man, Mulan pushes through army training, becoming super badass along the way, and manages to save not only her father, but her fellow soldiers, captain, the Emperor, and all of China as well. Seriously..this chick ROCKS. Girl power!
Best quote:
"Just because I look like a man doesn't mean I have to smell like one."
2. Tiana (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)
Tiana ranks this highly because she knows. She knows! She is the only Disney princess to have been given the truth by her father: that she can wish on a star all she wants, but in order for her dreams to come true, she has to work hard to achieve what she wants. And this is exactly what she does. Sure, she actually focuses a little too hard on work and forgets how to have fun and really live, but enter her fun-loving prince Naveen, and together they work together and teach each other important lessons. Tiana's head is squarely on her shoulders, and she knows what's up. In fact, she knows what's up so much that she is able to resist Dr. Facilier's temptation to give her everything she thought she wanted in exchange for Naveen's life. What an awesome Disney character.
Best quote:
"My daddy never did get what he wanted. But he had what he needed. He had love. He never lost sight of what was really important. And neither will I!"
1. Belle (Beauty and the Beast, 1990)
Seriously, I just love Belle. She's insanely beautiful, but she doesn't really realize that, and more importantly, she doesn't care at all. She wants knowledge, adventure, a better life, a meaningful life. She doesn't care about beauty, or status, or getting married, or anything like that. And she's able to see past all those things to what's really important. She's brave and self-sacrificing, as shown when she gave herself up for her father, and she's not afraid to tell it like it is, as shown when she and the Beast argue while she bandages his arm. Belle has so many moments that show her quick mind, her store of knowledge, her courage, and her refusal to let a man dictate her life, that I won't list anymore. I'll just tell you to go and watch Beauty and the Beast again. Best. Movie. Ever.
Best quote:
"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere! I want it more than I can tell! And for once it might be grand to have someone understand - I want so much more than they've got planned..."
So there you have it. My ranking of the Disney princesses. #theimportantissuesinlife
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