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This essay examines class and gender in the movie Shrek from 2001. To examine class and gender, representations are of main interest. For the analysis Stuart Hall’s theories of representations and stereotypes, as well as Beverley Skeggs theory of respectability, have mainly been used. The movie is perceived as a text, which means that the scenes consist of different signs. More specifically, they contain the signifier and the signified. The method for the analysis is based on the signifier and the signified, that have been used for the research purpose which is to examine representations of class and gender. The analysis revealed that there is a division of classes in the movie, portrayed by the fairytale-proletariat, consisting of the non-human fairytale characters, and the upper class, consisting of the human fairytale characters. The analysis additionally revealed that the character princess Fiona contradicts her respectability with her body shape and by being grotesque, as well as gender stereotypes which reduced some of the female characters to their looks. Lastly, the movie contains intertextuality which was discussed in the analysis along with the scenes.

This essay examines class and gender in the movie Shrek from 2001. To examine class and gender, representations are of main interest. For the analysis Stuart Hall’s theories of representations and stereotypes, as well as Beverley Skeggs theory of respectability, have mainly been used. The movie is perceived as a text, which means that the scenes consist of different signs. More specifically, they contain the signifier and the signified. The method for the analysis is based on the signifier and the signified, that have been used for the research purpose which is to examine representations of class and gender. The analysis revealed that there is a division of classes in the movie, portrayed by the fairytale-proletariat, consisting of the non-human fairytale characters, and the upper class, consisting of the human fairytale characters. The analysis additionally revealed that the character princess Fiona contradicts her respectability with her body shape and by being grotesque, as well as gender stereotypes which reduced some of the female characters to their looks. Lastly, the movie contains intertextuality which was discussed in the analysis along with the scenes.

Muchas películas de animación parten del cuento de hadas tradicional para construir su relato. Por eso mismo, suelen compartir con él gran parte de su estructura y también estereotipos. La historia de un príncipe apuesto y encantador que va a rescatar a una bella princesa en apuros, por ejemplo, es de lo más frecuente. Varios de estos estereotipos, así como algunas estructuras propias del cuento de hadas también aparecen reflejados en Shrek (Adamson y Jenson, 2001), aunque sorprende ver que aquí estas herramientas se han utilizado como medio para transmitir precisamente un mensaje contrario al de los cuentos. Es interesante, por tanto, realizar un análisis más detenido de esta película para comprobar cuáles son los aspectos del relato que parten del cuento de hadas tradicional, cómo han sido utilizados estos para llegar a un mensaje distinto, así como cuáles de los recursos habituales han sido sustituidos por su opuesto.

Muchas películas de animación parten del cuento de hadas tradicional para construir su relato. Por eso mismo, suelen compartir con él gran parte de su estructura y también estereotipos. La historia de un príncipe apuesto y encantador que va a rescatar a una bella princesa en apuros, por ejemplo, es de lo más frecuente. Varios de estos estereotipos, así como algunas estructuras propias del cuento de hadas también aparecen reflejados en Shrek (Adamson y Jenson, 2001), aunque sorprende ver que aquí estas herramientas se han utilizado como medio para transmitir precisamente un mensaje contrario al de los cuentos. Es interesante, por tanto, realizar un análisis más detenido de esta película para comprobar cuáles son los aspectos del relato que parten del cuento de hadas tradicional, cómo han sido utilizados estos para llegar a un mensaje distinto, así como cuáles de los recursos habituales han sido sustituidos por su opuesto.

Fairy tales as a form of social acculturation can subvert and/or perpetuate potentially harmful social norms. In this essay, Chris Anne Wolfe’s lesbian romance novel Bitter Thorns (1994) and the film Shrek (2001) are analysed as adaptations of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, with a focus on the extent to which they challenge and/or reinforce three fairy tale norms: women as tradeable objects, heteronormativity and idealised beauty. Both these texts can be seen as subversive, Bitter Thorns in how it challenges heteronormativity and Shrek in how it challenges the norm of idealised beauty. This subversion, however, is limited, as both texts do more to perpetuate fairy tale norms than to challenge them. They both reinforce the idea of women as objects for trade, Bitter Thorns perpetuates the norm of idealised beauty, and Shrek advocates heteronormative relationships and the dominance of heterosexual masculinity.

Fairy tales as a form of social acculturation can subvert and/or perpetuate potentially harmful social norms. In this essay, Chris Anne Wolfe’s lesbian romance novel Bitter Thorns (1994) and the film Shrek (2001) are analysed as adaptations of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, with a focus on the extent to which they challenge and/or reinforce three fairy tale norms: women as tradeable objects, heteronormativity and idealised beauty. Both these texts can be seen as subversive, Bitter Thorns in how it challenges heteronormativity and Shrek in how it challenges the norm of idealised beauty. This subversion, however, is limited, as both texts do more to perpetuate fairy tale norms than to challenge them. They both reinforce the idea of women as objects for trade, Bitter Thorns perpetuates the norm of idealised beauty, and Shrek advocates heteronormative relationships and the dominance of heterosexual masculinity.

Using Shrek (film and original picture book) in the classroom

Using Shrek (film and original picture book) in the classroom

This article presents the findings of a small-scale research project which aimed to enable young people to reflect on their childhood responses to the popular films, ‘Shrek’ and ‘Shrek 2’. During the project the participants develop new readings of the films in the light of their own recent experiences both of life and of other texts. The research draws on reader response theories to describe the complex readings of the films made by two young women from Rotherham. These readings include an engagement with an element of the films’ narrative structure, the relationship dilemma between the main characters. There was also clearly recollection of enjoyment of the animation style, the humour and the fairytale intertextuality of the film. However, the strongest response was based on more recent experiences and involved considerable empathy with the characters. This has important implications for both educational research and classroom practice. This paper argues for an increased recognition of the significance of children and young people’s engagements with popular children’s films as integral to their development as readers and creators of narrative texts.

This article presents the findings of a small-scale research project which aimed to enable young people to reflect on their childhood responses to the popular films, ‘Shrek’ and ‘Shrek 2’. During the project the participants develop new readings of the films in the light of their own recent experiences both of life and of other texts. The research draws on reader response theories to describe the complex readings of the films made by two young women from Rotherham. These readings include an engagement with an element of the films’ narrative structure, the relationship dilemma between the main characters. There was also clearly recollection of enjoyment of the animation style, the humour and the fairytale intertextuality of the film. However, the strongest response was based on more recent experiences and involved considerable empathy with the characters. This has important implications for both educational research and classroom practice. This paper argues for an increased recognition of the significance of children and young people’s engagements with popular children’s films as integral to their development as readers and creators of narrative texts.

This article presents the findings of a small-scale research project which aimed to enable young people to reflect on their childhood responses to the popular films, ‘Shrek’ and ‘Shrek 2’. During the project the participants develop new readings of the films in the light of their own recent experiences both of life and of other texts. The research draws on reader response theories to describe the complex readings of the films made by two young women from Rotherham. These readings include an engagement with an element of the films’ narrative structure, the relationship dilemma between the main characters. There was also clearly recollection of enjoyment of the animation style, the humour and the fairytale intertextuality of the film. However, the strongest response was based on more recent experiences and involved considerable empathy with the characters. This has important implications for both educational research and classroom practice. This paper argues for an increased recognition of the significance of children and young people’s engagements with popular children’s films as integral to their development as readers and creators of narrative texts.