my first draft of the essay/independant study

“I want what any princess wants – to live happily ever after… with the ogre I married.”[1] .How are heroes/heroines and villains typically represented in contemporary animation films? Paying close attention to “Shrek 2” (2004)

DreamWorks Animation SKG emerged in 2004, along with its most successful film sequel “Shrek 2”(Dir:Andrew Adamson).The “biggest CGI movie ever, grossing £470million”,[2]becoming Disney’s biggest competitor. Unlike most animated films, it challenged the normal codes and conventions expected from this genre by using Levi Strauss’ theory through reversing the binary opposition, making an ogre a “hero” and the fairy godmother a “villain” in Propp’s character roles.

The typical representation of the heroine/hero is being “good looking”[3] and having “youthful traits.”[4] This includes characterstics such as “big eyes and round cheeks.”[5] Which are are illustrated in “smooth,round,soft,bright,curves and with european features.”[6] Whereas, the villian is “drawn with sharp angles,oversized, often darkly” [7] and “often ugly”[8] looking. This is because the “colour,shape and size evoke certain psycholoigcal responses and attidues towards an object.”[9]

“Shrek 2” can be seen as a parody or a pastiche that uses the traditonal characters from Disney films and fairy tales to subvert sterotypical roles. For example, “the big bad wolf” is shown in a postive relationship with the three little pigs, Pinocheo and Shrek as they are all friends. This again reverses the binary oppostion as he is portrayed as a hero as he is on Shrek’s side. Moreover, he is represented as a disoriented being. This is conveyed in the course of the film as the fairy godmother refers to him as the “gender confused wolf.”[10] Another trait that shows this is that fact that he is dressed in Little Red Riding Hoods’ grandmother’s clothes which suggests that he is a cross dresser. This has been constructed in this way to create humour for the audience which is done by “mixing modern and fantasy culture.”[11]

Even thought the producers of “Shrek 2” represent cross dressers and the transgender bartender the audience may perceive them as being negatively represented and supporting the “status quo” because they are shown with all the other villains in “the poison apple” which suggests cross dressers and transgender people are bad characters. This supports the homophobic view as they show the villains segregated from the other people in “far far away” which portrays “the shallowness of Hollywood.” [12]

However, Pinocchio is implicitly referred to as a cross dresser, in a scene where he is going to save Shrek he is asked if he wears women underwear and because he lies he noses starts to grow. This angered many conserative groups “who objected to the film's sexual content. However, these concerns were widely ridiculed in the media.”[13] Although he is represented in this way he was still a likeable character this is mainly because he is a friend of Shrek and supported him.

In contrast, to many animated films, “Shrek 2” is aimed at two audiences. The primary audience are children who gain pleasure through escapism, scopophilia and identification with the main protagonists this is because the animation “visually stimulates their emotions.” [14] Furthermore, “psychologist suggests that children under 6 can not tell the difference between fantasy and reality” [15] and “children under 5 love repetition.”[16] Whereas, the secondary audience who are adults/teenagers gain pleasure due to the nostalgia feeling, appeal of the stars/celebrities and the narrative itself. Overall, “Shrek 2” is aimed at a mainstream audience and appeals to all ethnicities and ages.

The “uses and gratification” theory suggests the audience watch the film for entertainment and escapism and the fact that the sub genre is fantasy, adventure and comedy contributes to the pleasure received by the audience. On the other hand, the effects theory implies, as it is an American text, American ideologies and values are likely to be picked up. Additionally, the reception theory proposes the children are likely to pick up the hegemonic reading, whereas an adult or a teenage may grasp a negotiated reading or an oppositional reading.

The producers of “Shrek 2” rely on an active audience, who understand the jokes and the imitations of the characters from Disney films this supports the hilarity created and strengthens the ideology of the text. The mockery of the Disney films mirrors “Disney's hostile relations with DreamWorks co-founder Katzenberg”. [17] Who got fired for asking for a promotion after one of his colleagues had passed away. A lawsuit was filed against Disney to claim the money that was owed to Katzenberg.

The representation of heroines has changed drastically by looking at previous animated films such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), “Cinderella” (1950) and “Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty” (1959). Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora were represented in two typically roles. The first role was the “princess” in Prop’s narrative roles. This resulted them in playing pretty, passive, homemakers who were subordinate to men. The second role they all performed was “the damsel in distress” this helps reinforce patriarchy as the women were dependant upon the males to come and rescue them.

The representation of villains in “Cinderella, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Sleeping Beauty” films were all women, the way in which they are typically represented is by the way they are drawn. Maleficent has “the fang shape in the horns on her head”[18] to connote her devilish personality. The wiked queen in “Snow White” had the fang shape in the collar of the cloak, and the narrowed, tricky eyes to connote her evilness.

Whereas, with “Lady Tremaine” had a cat named Lucifer to connote her personality, who was similarly represented as the fairy godmother from “Shrek 2” as she was a “woman determined to forward her own interests as well as that of her daughters.” [19] this encourages the audiece to hate these villians and make it easier for them to conflict agaist them. However, young girls may enjoy the “strenght and the power” [20] these women hold and aspire to be like them. However, according to Freud they would also want to be like the heroine as “every child at some time wishes that s/he were a prince or a princess--and at times, in his/her unconscious, the child believes s/he is one, only temporarily degraded by circumstances.” [21]

Another typical role for the heroine is being a princess. The typical representation of a princess is to be “elegant”, “gentle” and feminine. The American conation of the word “princess” is “any woman of exceptional popularity.” [22] The typical costume a princess would wear is a formal dress “usually, a ball gown” [23] with high heels that are match her outfit. However “the contemporary style shows her wearing flats. On the head, a crown, diadem, or tiara is often worn.” [24]

Conversely, in “Shrek 2” Fiona plays an active heroine as she “expertly fights in hand-to-hand combat with martial arts skills” [25] this is shown when the ninjas begin to attack her and Shrek, (when Shrek is caught in the trap and hanging off the tree.) This is constructed “to display a much more feminized version of the traditional fairy tale princess” [26] and to indicate how the society is now more post feminist. Whereas, in the pre-equal “Shrek” (2001) she acts slightly more passive as she takes on the role of the “damsel of distress”. This is represented to the audience by her having “high expectations of how she is to be rescued, and who is to rescue her.”[27]

Fiona challenges how a typical woman should look, when she is in her ogre form, as she is represented as “fat” and “ugly” this is conveyed in “Shrek” (2001) when she hides away at night so that Shrek and Donkey does not see her looking “ugly”. Furthermore, when she is transformed into a human woman, she is represented as slim, fair and beautiful this suggest Mulvey’s theory on the “male gaze” is valid as it helps supports the hegemony of women having to be slim to remain attractive. Moreover, the stereotype of fat people being “jolly/happy” is reinforced because Fiona chooses to look like an ogre. But, she subverts the typical heroine role as she is happy looking “ugly” which again reverses the binary opposition and creates a new ideology for the young audience which is “real beauty comes from the inside.” [28]

This message is similar to Disney’s “beauty and the beast” (1991) as Shrek is represented parallel to the beast, he is conveyed as an “ogre” to begin with and then during the middle of the narrative transforms into a good-looking man at this stage in the film he has three maids arguing over him and the “female gaze” is conveyed when he has to change his clothes and the girls/maids are excited about that. In the end/resolution he is an “ogre” again. However with “beauty and the beast” the protagonist starts off as a prince and is then turned into a beast and during the resolution is transformed back into the prince when he learns not to be so selfish and the spell is broken.

Shrek acts “Like an ogre!” [29] by challanging royalty therefore going against the norms of society and showing deviant behaviour. The way Shrek behaves can be seen normal to the audience because the whole kingdom haves predjuices attitudes against him, which in a way can justify his actions and opinions towards them.The text is produced in this way to show a reflection of british society today. The british royal family are seen as the “knocking copy” as they are made fun of and exposed to the whole country in successful british tabloid newspapers such as “The Sun”. Moreover, it portrays how americans feel about kings and queens as they do not have any in the united states, this can reflect how they see royalty to be indaequate which encourages them to understand Shrek.

Shrek is adapted from the “Yiddish word meaning 'fear', 'terror', or (in its closest sense) 'fright'.” [30] The film conforms and play up to the connations and dennotations of the word “Shrek”. When donkey says “Oh, don't feel bad, Shrek. Almost everybody who meets you wants to kill you.” [31] Makes the audience feel sympathy for Shrek. So, instead of being scared and alienated towards Shrek, the audience identify with him and can feel empathy. This helps challenge the stereotype of “ogres” because Shrek is represented as “a large, strong, peace-loving green ogre.”[32] Yet again, Strauss’ theory on binary oppostion is reversed, to challenge the audience.

On the other hand, a key scene that shows Shrek in a typical role of a hero is when he tries to break into the castle to rescue Fiona from Prince Charming. The cinematography used in the scene is a big close up of Shrek which is then turned into a long shot while the parallel off-screen sound of “I need a hero” is sang by the fairy godmother which is parallel to the action seen by the audience, which is Shrek riding on a white horse which reinforces the traditional stereotypes of a typical hero. This is done to help the younger audience identify with Shrek, as he is the one playing the role of a hero. It can also be seen as ironic as fairy godmother is singing the song.

The villians in “Shrek 2” are represented in a more comical rather then scary. The villians are seen as “the other” in nandy’s theory therefore they are given comedy charasterstics to make them less threating. The role reversal could be because children are no longer scared of monster,witches and ghosts. Instead, are scared of terrorist after the nineth of September attacks in 2000. In most recent animated films the villians have typically been a supernatural being or an animal.

Donkey is another comical character used in “shrek 2” he is likeable character to many of the audience and is the “helper” in Propp’s character roles. The actor that plays him is Eddie Murphy who become a “star in the 1980s”[33] he is placed in many comedy roles which makes him conform to the role of “black entertainer”and ”racial clown” this could be because he is then “safe for white audiences.”[34]

Fairy godmother who acquires the role of the villain is characterized in the complete opposite of a typical fairy godmother, seeing that she is “scheming, conniving, opportunist of a woman, who sought to get the best for herself and her son, rather than others.” [35] She clearly does not care about Fiona emotionally, as she tries to sabotage Shrek and Fiona’s marriage every chance possible. Fairy godmother is represented negatively. She is the most powerful women in the film because of the wand she clings on to. The wand has conations of a phallic object which represent the power she holds as she is un-castrated. Although, she has power she is still an un-likable character for the audience who are positioned to feel alienated towards which in a way helps reinforce misogyny.

The normal codes and conventions “Shrek 2” follows are the representation of supernatural beings. Unlike Disney, the producers of “Shrek 2” show the antagonist fairy godmother with magical powers this is created to support the dominant ideology of women being inferior to a man. By giving fairy godmother magical powers it represents her as weak as she needs the support of a man. The wand is the object that gives her the power which connotes a phallic object that can be seen to represent a part of a man with her to try and defeat the hero.

Another typical character that is subverted is the role of Prince Charming in “Shrek 2” he is represented as a “weak-willed mummy's boy.”[36] In historic films such as “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs”, he is represented in the role of a “hero” as he saves all three of the heroines and they live “happily ever after” but the cause for the change in representation can be down to a several reasons.

Firstly, due to society changing and becoming post modern most of the conservative ideologies are rejected. Secondly, it could be perceived as another sarcastic remark about Disney films. Seeing that, Prince Charming is another version of “Gaston” from “Beauty and the Beast.”(1991) this suggests that the changing representations are not altered to encourage social change instead they are made to mock and have another dig at Disney. Thirdly, the familiarity of the characters and altering them slightly, encourages children to watch the film and receive pleasure.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast had the “highest number of sales which made it the third-most successful movie of 1991.” [37] Unlike, “Shrek and Shrek 2” it tried to help reinforce patriachy as Gaston made “chauvinistic comments”[38] like refering to Bella as the "little wife" [39] and having six or seven "strapping boys".[40]

In contrast to Gaston, Bella is represented as a polite women, which makes her the heroine in propp’s narrative roles. Princess Fiona, on the other hand, is represented as more assertive, ugly and unmannerly when she is an ogre as she takes on ogre characterstics like burping loud and not being ashamed of it. However in her human form she seem to be more “down to earth”. [41]

Similary, “Mulan is a very different type of heroine.”[42] She goes against sterotypes as she is a ethnic minority who is the main protagnist. She goes against sterotypical roles as she is an active heroine who drives the narrative forward. The producers of this text represent her as rebellious and strong because “she always speaks her mind and goes against the wishes of her family by pretending to be a soldier and going to war.”[43] The audience are encouraged to identify with her because they see things from her presepective.The ideolgies in “Mulan” is to encourage social change as the period in the film is set in a patriachal time. However, to promote the change she has to be sneaky,sly and be untruthful to promote “girl power”.

“Hoodwinked”(2006) is a dectective style, family-comedy. It is a recent low budget computer generated imagery movie, which is similar to Shrek as it uses the same conventions. For example, making references to other films for instance “XXX” and subverting the character roles. By making Boinge, (the most cutest bunny) the villian. Boinge is the “goody bandit” which is a binary opposite itself. The conations and denotations correlates the villain who appears to be “goody” however he is represented as a “bandit” therefore making him a “baddie.”

Again, the role of the “big bad wolf” is switched as in this film he is a reporter trying to catch the “goody bandit” and is represented as sarcastic. Anthropomorphism is a convention used in many animated films. In “Hoodwinked” (2006) the frog interviews the three humans and the wolf. This convention is used to help “engage audiences with the experiences of animal characters”.[44] “Hoodwinked” relies on an active audience as follows a non linear narrative.

Shrek 2 can be seen as a classic realism text as it follows Todrov’s theory on narrative structure. The equilbruim is there to begin with when Shrek and Fiona are on their honeymoon. The dis-equilbruim then crops up when they receive an invitation from Fiona parents and the disequilbruim is resolved when the Shrek is accepted by the kingdom of “far far away” which promotes progressive values. Typically “the hero represents the truimph of what society holds to be good”[45] However, in this case the society learns to accept Shrek. But as the audience see Shrek as a hero, the good truimphs evil ideology conforms to the “moral outcome that is typical of most hollywood films.” [46]

To finish, “Shrek 2” follows the tried and tested formula by using “myths and legends which usually have the same ingredients: a hero or heroine, a baddie, a fight or a conflict and in the end, good almost always wins over evil.”[47] Though, the way in which heroes/heroines and villains are represented have changed to some extent this is partly due to society changing. Therefore the stereotypical roles are challenged as society is now pluralistic, post-modern and post-feminist. Finally, the representations of heroes/heroines and villains can never be accurate as the majority of the audience believe animation is “fictive, not real: it’s just a cartoon!” [48]

Words: 2995

[1]Shrek 2 (2004)
[2]http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007000220_7,00.html
[3]Lacey, Nick (2002) : Narrative and genre, New York, Palgrave pg66-67
[4]http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm
[5]http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm
[6]http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm
[7]http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm
[8]Lacey, Nick (2002) : Narrative and genre, New York, Palgrave pg66-67
[9]http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm
[10]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bad_Wolf_%28Shrek%29
[11]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodwinked
[12]http://www.answers.com/topic/princess-fiona
[13]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bad_Wolf#Shrek.27s_Big_Bad_Wolf
[14]http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-36853_ITM
[15]Simpson, Paul (2004): the rough guide to kids' movies. New York, rough guides.
[16]Simpson, Paul (2004): the rough guide to kids' movies. New York, rough guides
[17]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamworks
[18]http://www.wavecrest.org.uk/wavecrest/Quest%20tease%2010.htm
[19]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Tremaine
[20]http://www.gwu.edu/~folktale/GERM232/sleepingb/Disney.html
[21]http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/goosegirl/notes.html
[22]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess
[23]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess
[24]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess
[25]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Fiona
[26]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Fiona
[27]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Fiona
[28]http://www.mutantreviewers.com/rshrek2.html
[29]Shrek 2 (2004)
[30]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrek
[31]Shrek 2 (2004)
[32]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrek
[33]Tim o Sullivan, Brian Dutton and Philip Rayner (2003) : Studying the media (3rd edition) London, Arnold
[34]Tim o Sullivan, Brian Dutton and Philip Rayner (2003) : Studying the media (3rd edition) London, Arnold
[35]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_Godmother_%28Shrek%29el
[36]http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/feature/446/Shrek+2/
[37]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney%27s_Beauty_and_the_Beast
[38]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney%27s_Beauty_and_the_Beast
[39]beauty and the beast (1991)
[40]]beauty and the beast (1991)
[41]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Fiona
[42]http://www.filmeducation.org/primary/Mulan/mulan3.html
[43]http://www.filmeducation.org/primary/Mulan/mulan3.html
[44]Philip Alan (2005): Essential word dictionary, Oxfordshire, Raithby, Lawrence and Co Ltd, Leicester
[45]Lacey, Nick (2002): Narrative and genre, New York, Palgrave
[46]Tim o Sullivan, Brian Dutton and Philip Rayner (2003) : Studying the media (3rd edition) London, Arnold
[47]http://www.filmeducation.org/primary/Mulan/index.html
[48]http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm