Challenging The Gender Stereotypes Through Disney Animated Movies: A Multimodal Analysis-Based Study

Abstract

Popular culture is one of the important sites to invest ideology and to gain vested interests.  Through this platform desired version of   ideology about gender de/construction is propagated to target audience.  Disney animated movies have two-fold appeal in this regard. They provide fun and perform ideological function as well. This research   is a critical analysis of the posters of animated films that comprise Mulan (1998), Brave (2012) and Moana (2016). In the present study multimodal analysis approach is used to analyze linguistic and visual moves used in the posters of selected   films. It has formulated its research model based on (Kress and Van Leeuwen, 2006). There are the visual and verbal levels of analysis. Through the analysis of linguistic and visual moves the concept of gender de/construction has observed.  The paper concludes that the cinematic portrayal of males/females is never neutral. It asserts that a noticeable trend has been witnessed in the de/construction of gender stereotypes. The concept of women empowerment has been highlighted through the subtle use language and visuals. In addition to this, the concept of white is right has been challenged to some extent. The study finds that Disney animated movies are among the important means to propagate gendered ideology.