Những nàng công chúa Disney Article: Why "Let It Go" is Not Empowering

posted by AudreyFreak

"Whoa dude, let it go." "I can't, these lyrics make no sense and have little to do with my story! What were they thinking?!"

If bạn tình yêu Frozen, Elsa, and Let It Go, I advise bạn to turn back now. I'm gonna get ranty and I know how in tình yêu people are with this movie so if bạn don't want to hear any criticism of it, bạn probably oughtn't read this. I'm also pretty sick of this song (THEY'RE PLAYING IT AT MY JOB EVERY ngày NOW! I can't escape!), but I'll try not to let that make me too preachy.

I think this song is actually the opposite of admirable the thêm I listen to it. It seems fun and glamorous when bạn only listen to the words on a shallow level, but when bạn dig deeper and read into the meaning, it starts looking a little thêm ugly. Are bạn surprised? After all, she's finally letting go of all her pain and oppression! But my câu hỏi is... WHAT oppression? Half the stuff Elsa sings about never happens. Let's take a basic look at the lyrics themselves and why they don't match what actually happens in the movie, then we'll delve into my problem with what this song promotes.

The lyrics:

I think the Nữ hoàng băng giá filmmakers were so desperate for people to connect to Elsa and their movie they decided to use lyrics they knew PEOPLE would like to hear, because the message is so generic and universal, rather than ones that actually have any connection with Elsa. Let's look at some:

Be the good girl bạn always have to be- Elsa IS a good girl and no matter what skintight dresses, slinky heels hoặc sexy makeup she wears, she always will be, but this has absolutely nothing to do with hiding in your room hoặc staying calm around people.
Can't hold it back anymore- Of course she can. She just doesn't have to anymore.
Idon't care what they're going to say- She does care, we see clearly later, but even so, what people has Elsa ever been around to *not* care about?! Her parents are dead. I find it rather cold and un-Elsa like that she means her own sister, saying she doesn't care what she thinks about this shocker hoặc Anna's feelings.
They'll never see me cry- Yes, we do. But as for this vague, imaginary group of people Elsa seems fixated on, I'm not sure why she says this. Nobody would care about seeing Elsa cry. And why would she? What does this have to do with her powers getting loose?
That perfect girl is gone- Related to the "good girl" line, but this one I hate more. Elsa, listen to me: NOBODY ever expected bạn to be "perfect". That was YOUR choice. Don't blame other people for how bạn choose to see yourself. Again, nothing to do with hiding her powers. You'd think she was one of those kids horribly pressured to become an Ivy League student and become President hoặc something. And oddly enough, Elsa IS pretty perfect naturally- she was a perfect daughter and big sister, and might have been a good Queen had this all not happened.

But OK, Elsa, whatever makes bạn feel special and oppressed, I guess. I'm mostly joking but Elsa seems to have this victim complex where she sees herself as being totally persecuted for "just being herself", when this never happens at all in the movie.

And yet again, that makes no sense. Now, if Elsa's paranoia had been true and the people HAD tried to hurt her, these lyrics would make thêm sense. But they didn't. They literally just stood there the whole time. Where is Elsa getting all this? I think all those years alone may have done her worse than I thought because she seems to be just projecting here.

I have noticed many people, if not all of us to a degree, like to feel different. Many like to feel like we don't fit in and other people are narrow-minded and won't accept us. Western society has definitely developed and encouraged a victim complex because it makes us feel like special snowflakes who are just so unique and different from everyone else and have it hard. I could be wrong but maybe Disney is aware of this. This song completely speaks to people who see themselves as outcasts- even though likely none of them are- hoặc martyrs (if you're watching this movie in a first world society I really highly doubt bạn are). Which is manipulative, but I blame the people thêm than Disney for just using that to their advantage.

They're trying to make Elsa's "concealment" seem like an emotional thing hoặc whatever, when it's only a physical thing. Physically holding back her powers. That's all. Elsa has nothing to hide about her personality hoặc opinions (that we know of, anyway). This seems rather dishonest to me. I get Disney cares mostly about marketing and making people like them enough to make money, but really? At least Rapunzel's songs were actually relevant to her personality and story, whereas this is one big "See how easy to relate to this song is, even though it has NOTHING to do with hiding superpowers which no human being has! Please buy out our Nữ hoàng băng giá merchandise!"

The message:

But I think my biggest problem is the selfishness. Yes, for all I used to say how selfless Elsa is, now that I can look at this movie without so much hype in my eyes, I'm noticing all the I, I, I and me, me, me-ing going on during Let It Go. Elsa informs us she no longer cares. Not just "what they're going to say", she suddenly no longer gives a wig what happens to her own people, even her sister. That's pretty cold-hearted. I understand she's happy now, but is one's own happiness thêm important than the welfare of others?

It doesn't help that during the Reprise she keeps pinning the blame onto Anna- basically saying "You did this! bạn made me feel this way! That's why I can't be happy and free!" What happened to responsible Elsa?

Then there's the extremely defiant "AH DO WHAT AH WANT!" tone to the song I had a problem with even when I was still on the Nữ hoàng băng giá bandwagon. Again, I don't feel like this is characteristic of a prim and proper princess at ALL, but worse, this is the last thing we need to be teaching kids- telling them to give the finger to doing what is morally right because bạn don't feel like taking duty on anymore. It was unfair Elsa had to hide away (although for some time it was still her own choice so bạn can't entirely blame her parents), but she's not a helpless victim of oppression. She wasn't enslaved, beaten, hoặc verbally abused like some of the other girls were. She had a happy life with her parents (and if A Sister thêm Like Me is canon, both girls managed to have fairly happy childhoods without each other).

On a lesser note, while I admit Elsa's dress and hair are beautifully done, does she really need to be so... sexy? This to me uncomfortably echoes Grease where adorable, modest Sandy is only accepted bởi the cool kids once she wears a gallon of makeup, dons skintight sharkskin pants, smokes and sings seductively, kind of saying there's something wrong with being modest and ladylike, as if it's being "repressed". I cannot believe people think Merida's completely harmless redesign is "sexed up" but a princess wearing a sexy, tight, leg-showing dress with vampy makeup swayin' dem hips is fine. Either both should be considered wrong hoặc neither.

Conclusion:

Anyway, the whole scene is portrayed as powerful independence and self-acceptance (which I don't really agree with personally anyway- I think we should strive to NOT accept our shortcomings but rather overcome them and become kinder/stronger people. Now I step off my soapbox...) but it's just glamorized self-centered rebellion, which is exactly the opposite of what kids need thêm glamorization of. người nổi tiếng do this EVERY SINGLE ngày and people ALWAYS criticize them, yet apparently nobody saw the same thing in this melody that romanticizes over caring only about yourself and throwing away responsibility and doing what's right. I also don't see how this is empowering when no one is around to see it. It's not Công chúa tóc xù to say "screw you!" when you're only saying it to an empty room.

I don't hate Elsa hoặc this movie, but I strongly dislike the message of this song. I think it's odd- it directly contradicts Anna's message of true, self-sacrificing love, which makes the movie look rather muddled in a very Brave-esque way in terms of the center theme. Why do we agree selfishness is bad but turn right around and revel in it when it comes in the form of a catchy pop song? Anna did that and she gets ignored for it most of the time, except- of course- when she sacrifices herself to rescue everyone's Favorite. That's kind of sad.

And before someone says it, no, I won't "let it go"!

TL;DR bạn could just read this to avoid my ranting: link It pretty well states my exact problem with Tangled/Rapunzel also, though that's OT.

PeacefulCritic, Rebecca550_ and 4 others like this

audreybrooke I definitely agree with you! I've had problems with this song/movie from day one, and you outlined it rather nicely. :)

avatar_tla_fan I agree as well. Looking into the lyrics, I realize as well that they're not so great. I don't even see how Elsa "lets it go". She never even really does. Well, maybe for about 10 minutes, but that's basically it. Great job!

euny I love this song, but I agree with many things you said. Btw, I TOTALLY agree with your opinion on Grease message.

Sk8er__grl I love the idea to this article, as I'm am very sick of this song. BUT at the same time, I disagree on a lot. I'm gonna get a bit ranty here too so please take nothing that I say personal as this is a fantastic article: First, the name of this article with what your saying makes no sense. Whether the song makes no sense with the movie or not, the song it's self is still very aw-inspiring. If you just listened to the song by it's self it's still going to connect with you. It would have made more sense if you would have named it, "Why the song let it go doesn't work with the movie" Which would be a lot more fitting because it seems you change the subject from the title. Be the good girl you always have to be- Now your complain about this is understandable, BUT I think she's referring to her parents always keeping her trapped. If you listen to the original cut for Frozen, Elsa sings a song about how she doesn't like being a princess and how she does stuff that she shouldn't do. I'm happy they took that song out, as I've heard the same song millions of times before. Anyway, she breaks the rules, goes to play with Anna and has fun. When Elsa realizes she could kill Anna her parents take away any chance she has of fun. Elsa is seen looking out the window wishing she could have fun again, but her powers get the best of her and her parents pull her down again. Elsa wants to eat chocolate, play with her sister, have fun again but she was told her whole life she can't because she's a monster. Can't hold it back anymore- she almost kills everybody in the ballroom, no she CAN'T hold it back anymore. It's the emotions she's been feeling for years, no matter how hard she tries she can't change who she is. I don't care what they're going to say- there is a WORLD load of difference between not caring what they say and not caring about their emotions. If Elsa said, "I don't care, how my sister feels." It's a lot different than caring about when the people of Arendelle call her a monster. They'll never see me cry- THEY don't see her cry. We see her cry from behind a door for a split second, but the only time Elsa ever cries in public is at the coronation, ad then she tries to repress her feelings, she doesn't want anyone to see her cry. That perfect girl is gone- I actually almost completely agree with you on this line, it always bugged me to. But even so it was her parents who expected her to be queen and stay inside when she wanted to go out and play. How did nobody ever attack her? Right before the song she had the duke of weaseltown asks his guards to attack her, and after she had guards shoot darts at her and kill her with a chandelier. Hans tried to kill her by slicing her in half right after to get the throne. The tradition of being an outcast has come back since the fricken little mermaid, and has also been done on BATB and even my favorite Mulan (I add Mulan to show I am NOT biased) And I think Let it go did it a lot better then those three: The Little Mermaid- She really has no reason not to fit in, she's been a mermaid her whole life, and it makes no sense to me. Why does she relate more to humans? Humans are the same as mermaids and it's the whole sea that she can't relate to. I'd be crazy if I said there is nobody in the WORLD that I relate to. Chances are, there will be someone. BATB- Again, it makes little to no sense to me. She complains the whole movie about people not liking her but people are seen admiring her. And she never gives them a chance where as Elsa in the coronation is seen socializing with everyone. How on earth did Elsa say that Anna did all this? I never remember her saying that, Please tell me what you mean. All she says is that she wants her sister to go back home so that Anna is happy, telling her to go open up the gates as she didn't want her sister to suffer. For the most part Elsa feels it's entirely her fault, while I still believe it should all be pinned on the never again mentioned parents. She says, "You'll be safe from me" NOT the other way around. And I still believe that Elsa leaving isn't selfish and it really sickens me/ disgusts me when people say it is. SO what your trying to say is if somebody pin points how your entire life should go when your only eight you should listen and obey them forever? *Bats eyes* she left because she felt like it's for the better sack of Arendelle, she was going to be queen for the rest of her life if she didn't almost kill everyone. Hhm, lets see: Leaving Arendelle and letting your sister be queen or staying at Arendelle while risking the lives of hundreds just for your damn spot at the throne. YEP that sounds better. Once again, I completely disagree. I understand the grease thing, it was completely out of nowhere and smoking just to fit in was stupid. But Elsa never did what she did to fit in, she did it for herself. She never expected anyone to come again, so how is it bad I she just wants to dress for herself? Oh, no, Bad Disney! Bad, bad, Disney! I can't BELIEVE that you had a girl show half her leg in a dress that leaves almost everything for the imagination! You should know that 21- year old virgins aren't aloud to ever express themselves! What Elsa did doesn't stoop nearly to what celebrities do. Elsa never peed in a bucket, beat anyone up, take drugs, etc. But APPARENTLY when she shows half her leg it's just as bad.

Sk8er__grl WOW THAT WAS LONG!! I AM REALLY SORRY FOR SPAMMING THE PLACE.

iwasneverhere I had...issues with Frozen from day one. I know you asked me ( in a pm once) to write a Frozen article...which I could not bring myself to write. At the time, I had been burned/received frostbite from the Frozen fanbase, where--- because I could not understand Elsa's contradictory words and actions--- they attacked me personally. They told me I was an unsympathetic bully who could never empathize with someone who was oppressed. Getting some distance from this movie helped me, psychologically. However, during this period, I began to gradually feel like Disney was now just catering to the "easy out" demographic--- they no longer cared about generating convincing stories with a good moral. So...yes. I haven't "let it go." I think Frozen sends the wrong message to tiny people of three or four, and to huge grownups of 45 or 60, who somehow never realized that sacrificing for others and completing your duty is a better way to live. Mulan is my top girl, because she recognizes duty and honor, and sacrifice right away. Ariel learns about duty the hard way--- after seeing her father's sacrifice ( and him being turned into a polyp instead of herself for her own bad decision), she takes action to right the horrible wrong she set in motion. She accomplishes this by making Ursula misfire on her eels. At the end, Ariel believes ( while sitting on a rock watching Eric wake up on the shore again), that she will be a mermaid for the rest of her life. She has slowly made her peace with it, becoming dutiful. It's Triton who changes his mind about how things will end. Even Merida learns about sacrifice, too---the hard way--- and must find a way to bring her mother back from being a bear. These two characters are deeply flawed, perhaps, but they recognize when a SACRIFICE is required. Elsa doesn't seem to know what to do at all...save run away, and sing. It is Anna who makes the ultimate sacrifice. Okay. Just agreeing with you on a lot of things. Hats off to you, for finally writing an article on Frozen, yourself!! I'm a fan. ;)

fanlovver Great article! You opened my eyes, thank you for writing it. I agree with @avatar_tla_fan.

lionkingartist This was a great article I was ROTFL for most of it,but yeah I agreed with a lot and even though that song is pretty catchy it's BEYOND over rated!

manu962 We understood the song in a completely different way. 1.She thinks that having ice powers makes her a bad girl. After all people are afraid of her and call her a monster. She wanted to be the "perfect Queen" by hiding her powers. 2.She meant that her powers were exposed and she can't hold them back because everyone already knew. 3.She meant that she won't cry for "the curse" she has. She is finally embracing it. 4.Yes, the told her to be perfect. Her parents locked her away from her sister and the world. And people were afraid and called her a Monster when she showed that she wasn't really the Elegant and Perfect Queen they thought she was. 5.So what if she is thinking about herself for one moment? Is it wrong that she is finally has a burst of happiness and that she knows she doesn't need to hide who she is anymore? Besides she didn't know what was happening in Arendelle. You can see that her happiness didn't last really long because when Anna came to her Ice Palace even before telling her what happened she was already her old self. So in Let It Go she was basically just trying to hide what she felt. And she never blamed Anna. She blamed her powers. And about the dress, maybe that was what she always wanted to be like. It is already explained that the dress and hairstyle feeling the coronation is not show what Elsa is feeling inside. She had a a classy hairstyle and her dress is buttoned up because she is trying to hide her "powers", but when she finally "Lets it Go" she wears what she wants and likes. So even though I do admit the songs is very overrated and overplayed I can't agree with what you said in this article because I understand the songs in a different way. But I guess I am the only one who doesn't agree so you are probably right and I'm probably wrong. You did a great job writing the article anyway.

Sk8er__grl ^What? You are not the only one to disagree. Damn it people I practically just wrote in article. But, like I said, this is a good article, I just don't agree with it. And trust me, you don't have to worry about people attacking you. This is fanpop remember? Outside of Fanpop the favorites are Ariel, Belle, and Elsa. ON fanpop everyone despises Elsa and the underrated Mulan gets attention. The only thing that stayed the same is everyone adores Ariel and anyone who doesn't like her gets hit by bullets for saying so, just like outside of fanpop.

DBZFAN789 This is what i think the favorite list of most people is outside Fanpop 1.Belle 2.Ariel 3.Elsa 4.Mulan 5.Cinderella 6.Jasmine 7.Rapunzel 8.Anna 9.Aurora 10.Merida 11.Pocahontas 12.Tiana 13.Snow white This was based on a part of Elanas comment just now. And damn Elana you wrote a long paragraph- no let me rephrase that, you wrote a long article.

Sk8er__grl ^I know LOL. Gee since when did so many people start calling me by my first name? At least you spelled it right! And your right about that being people's favorites outside of fanpop. ON fanpop Elsa is people's least favorite and Mulan is people's favorite while Ariel is still closely followed at second place. If you were basing what people's list are off of my preference, Ariel would certainly be last. Sorry I don't know what you meant by, "Based on my comment" But for the most part your spot on. ;)

AudreyFreak Nobody despises Elsa (well, maybe a couple from what I've seen), certainly not everyone. I think many people are just starting to like her less because even before Frozen came out, she was SUPER popular, constantly overanalyzed, seen as a role model and perfect character, etc. It's like how Bella Swan used to be really popular till Twilight was super famous, then everyone hated her (aside from just being not well written). For the most part she still gets a lot of love and is much more respected by most people than, say, Ariel, Aurora, or Snow. Sorry I only responded to one comment- I'll try to reply to more later on. I just finished a long article and I need to sleep bad.

Sk8er__grl ^Twilight was hated on while is was popular too though. It got bad reviews from critics and there were many hate sites then. Elsa certainly isn't a perfect character but that's why I like her. Kind of like your love for Aurora. And when I usually think "Despise" I think has a lot of haters (Like you said, there are lots of people who can't give her a break) and little fans (On this site at least, plus I don't count tumblr fans, most of them are complete idiots, sorry) Ariel has maybe 3 people that dislike her and I can only think of two people that have her last and she has 100029238339494949 fans (I just smacked the keyboard and saw what I got) every every "Fanpop's favorite princess article" I've seen she comes in at least second and has a huge following, so I never understood when people complain about her. Anyway, sorry. I don't want you to take any of my comment's as mean but you treated it a bit like Let it go and Elsa are loved on here and people will disagree, which is not true as you can see.

iwasneverhere @Sk8r_grl: Dear, with the exception of me, Persephone, Quishy, and MissCassecou ( who also has her at 2nd place)--- and the three people ( including you) who have her at 13--- most times Ariel ends up around 9th, 8th, or 7th place on this club. Ariel is not routinely near the top at all. Outside of Fanpop, MAYBE Ariel is often number 2 or 1. But on here--- she's NOT. I've read the same number of lists you have, from the same number of people. And Ariel is usually towards the bottom. People may gradually become neutral to Ariel, and moving towards like, but that is not the same thing ( I think) as having her at second place. Only four people on here have Ariel in second or first place. And I have named them all. Please don't be mad. Ariel diehards are just four people. The vast majority already agrees with you about Ariel.

Sk8er__grl ^Well I disagree with you but I won't be mad, of course. I guess if you WERE only pointing at people who have her at second, theirs also Hailey24 (I think that's her username) and Kataralover who have her at first (Sorry KL for calling you out but you deserves props, your very convincing on Ariel) Just go too the DP list place, more of the old lists have love for her but it's still there.

truth76 I agree 100%, this is EXACTLY my thought on Let It Go.

Renegade1765 But I love this song.It's by far my favorite Disney song. I still listen to it a lot.If you had enough fine,but that doesn't mean you have to upset the fans.

kristenfan10109 I agree with you but what I disagree with is the part about celebrities not all them are self centered if I understood that correctly a lot donate to charities and give back to the world or reach out to people online I would highly doubt that's selfish in the least just because things may seem glamorized doesn't mean they're not like everybody else underneath the surface. Otherwise great article I definitely like the song but I'm not a huge fan of it.

princesslullaby I think the main issue with Let It Go is it turns out to be a pointless song. The next scene after Let it Go, Elsa loses control of her powers and becomes overcome in fear again (For the First Time In Forever (Reprise)) so it's like she didn't learn a damn thing from Let it Go.

AudreyFreak ^very true, and a point I'd totally forgotten to make somehow because that's always bothered me too! Lol we DO see her cry. She DOES care what they say. Etc. To me it's a big part of why Elsa is such a confusing character in F1- her characterization is all over the place. They try to convince us she's not really this prim and proper genteel goody goody- but that's exactly how she acts even after LiG with Anna and at the end, still way more graceful and sophisticated than the other characters. Same with the shorts and F2. They want us to think she's REALLY a free spirited rule breaker but don't actually show her acting like that. Except when she's doing reckless, kind of irresponsible stuff (which never actually gets presented as such). Though in retrospect I might have written a few things differently.