| | |A mermaid strives to become a traditional female human, following the patriarchal system of society. It also promotes the concept of [[assimilation]], as the mermaid: Ariel when becoming human intended to adopt the culture of the humans upon doing so. The film centers around conservative Christian values and contains an anti-feminism theme. Ariel is shown to be the antithesis of a modern feminist. The villain Ursula is shown in a devilish and beastly way (appearing as half-woman, half-octopus), and her claims about men not wanting women who talk and care only for a woman's body language (a common claim by [[feminism|feminists]] against males) is made clear to be lies. In addition, it also contains a pro-traditional marriage theme, and is the last Disney animated feature film to actually treat traditional marriage in a positive light for a good while. | | |A mermaid strives to become a traditional female human, following the patriarchal system of society. It also promotes the concept of [[assimilation]], as the mermaid: Ariel when becoming human intended to adopt the culture of the humans upon doing so. The film centers around conservative Christian values and contains an anti-feminism theme. Ariel is shown to be the antithesis of a modern feminist. The villain Ursula is shown in a devilish and beastly way (appearing as half-woman, half-octopus), and her claims about men not wanting women who talk and care only for a woman's body language (a common claim by [[feminism|feminists]] against males) is made clear to be lies. In addition, it also contains a pro-traditional marriage theme, and is the last Disney animated feature film to actually treat traditional marriage in a positive light for a good while. |
| − | Despite being set under the sea, it also features an anti-[[Environmentalism]] and anti-racism message, as the characters (namely King Triton) who pushed anti-human sentiments turned out to be wrong in their negative views on humans. Although often ignored by liberal reviewers complaints about the movie, it was also pro-family, as during her deal with Ursula, Ariel was explicitly hesitant to undergo the deal citing that, regardless of which way the deal goes, she won't see her father and sisters again. King Triton, after destroying Ariel's grotto in a fit of anger, is clearly shown afterwards to be immensely remorseful of his actions after it became apparent that Ariel fled from him as a result, and later tries to save Ariel after learning about Ursula's role in her disappearance and even opts to sacrifice himself to ensure Ariel's (and, implied via dialogue regarding Ursula shortly afterward, her sisters') safety, and Ariel upon witnessing Triton being cursed by Ursula, immediately attempts to avenge him by attacking Ursula. | + | Despite being set under the sea, it also features an anti-[[Environmentalism]] and anti-racism message, as the characters (namely King Triton) who pushed anti-human sentiments turned out to be wrong in their negative views on humans. Although often ignored by liberal reviewers complaints about the movie (some of whom also adhered to the feminist ideology and thus falsely implied that Ariel solely wanted to become human because of Eric, which led directly to promoting the feminist agenda in ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref name="Woolverton and Belle" />), it was also pro-family, as during her deal with Ursula, Ariel was explicitly hesitant to undergo the deal citing that, regardless of which way the deal goes, she won't see her father and sisters again. King Triton, after destroying Ariel's grotto in a fit of anger, is clearly shown afterwards to be immensely remorseful of his actions after it became apparent that Ariel fled from him as a result, and later tries to save Ariel after learning about Ursula's role in her disappearance and even opts to sacrifice himself to ensure Ariel's (and, implied via dialogue regarding Ursula shortly afterward, her sisters') safety, and Ariel upon witnessing Triton being cursed by Ursula, immediately attempts to avenge him by attacking Ursula. |
| | It also shows a perfect allegory towards liberalism's deceit and cheating to ensure success and its unwillingness to keep its word, as well as the promotion of character integrity and doing things fair and square, as when Ariel seemed to have failed at gaining Eric's love, she makes absolutely no attempt at stopping the marriage until after learning that his "bride", Vanessa (in reality, Ursula in disguise), had in fact brainwashed Prince Eric and that he didn't choose to marry her, with it being implied that Ursula violated her end of the deal when she did that action, and even when she does in fact fail, Ariel makes absolutely no effort to resist Ursula's dragging her away. Likewise, Ursula, besides her blatant interference with the deal by disguising herself as Vanessa and brainwashing Eric, also arranged to have Flotsam and Jetsam overturn Eric and Ariel's boat specifically to ensure that Eric and Ariel couldn't kiss when it looked like Ariel could in fact win her end of the deal fair and square, and after she curses Triton and Ariel attempts to attack Ursula in retaliation, Ursula heavily implies before Eric saved Ariel that she's going to kill the latter despite having promised to not harm Ariel. | | It also shows a perfect allegory towards liberalism's deceit and cheating to ensure success and its unwillingness to keep its word, as well as the promotion of character integrity and doing things fair and square, as when Ariel seemed to have failed at gaining Eric's love, she makes absolutely no attempt at stopping the marriage until after learning that his "bride", Vanessa (in reality, Ursula in disguise), had in fact brainwashed Prince Eric and that he didn't choose to marry her, with it being implied that Ursula violated her end of the deal when she did that action, and even when she does in fact fail, Ariel makes absolutely no effort to resist Ursula's dragging her away. Likewise, Ursula, besides her blatant interference with the deal by disguising herself as Vanessa and brainwashing Eric, also arranged to have Flotsam and Jetsam overturn Eric and Ariel's boat specifically to ensure that Eric and Ariel couldn't kiss when it looked like Ariel could in fact win her end of the deal fair and square, and after she curses Triton and Ariel attempts to attack Ursula in retaliation, Ursula heavily implies before Eric saved Ariel that she's going to kill the latter despite having promised to not harm Ariel. |