
Imagine the typical male Disney character: a strong, attractive, member of royalty with a relatively flat personality. However, in the essay titled “Post-Princess Models of Gender: The New Man in Disney/Pixar,” Gilman and Wooden discuss the declination of males being unrealistically portrayed as confident and successful. Instead, they discuss the tendency of male characters to face what they call “emasculating failures” to realize and accept the more feminine qualities of masculinity that result in the characters successfully overcoming their obstacles. Gillman and Wooden effectively describe the New Man in Disney/Pixar by appealing to logos. They refute the classic social stereotypes and the “alpha male” identity and instead explain how the role of men in these movies impacts children’s behavior in life. 

Gillman and Wooden contradict the typical behavior of men by straying from the usual stereotypes and instead portraying them as characters that overcome difficult obstacles. The ideal alpha male is usually portrayed as a strong, power thirsty, insensitive, and independent man who “need only ride in on his steed to save his respective princess” (Gillman and Wooden, 92). While Disney has been known to use this stereotype for many of its films, the franchise is now beginning to turn away from these preconceived ideas of masculinity. Gillman and Wooden effectively chose the characters Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Lightning McQueen, and Mr. Incredible to contradict the previously popular male Disney character for the newer male protagonist. The authors effectively describe this reformed idea of manliness by connecting the change in the Disney characters to Eve Sedgwick’s ideas surrounding “homosocial desire”. Eve Sedgwick, gender studies scholar, explains homosocial desire as the connection and bond between two males, which is incredibly important in each of the films Gillman and Wooden discuss. Assuming the audience knows the plots of these movies, this technique is very effective as the audience would immediately understand how the relationships between two male characters leads to each individual character’s development throughout each film. Buzz and Woody put aside their seemingly overpowering differences and learn to work together to escape the evil boy Sid’s home. Mr. Incredible learns to use the emotional bonds that he has built with his family and friends rather than just his physical strength to defeat Syndrome. Lightning McQueen completely transforms from the egotistical race car he was at the beginning of the film to a character that cares for the other cars and, more specifically, his new friends from Radiator Springs. Based on these examples it is evident that strong relationships among males are essential to ensure each individual’s success. 

Throughout the paper, Gillman and Wooden use the Disney/Pixar examples in an attempt persuade the audience to shift from their previous view of male characters to the new one that is mentioned throughout the entirety of the paper. The examples of Mr. Incredible, Lightning McQueen, and Buzz Lightyear and Woody all represent the ideal male character. They are all strong, silly, and independent at the beginning of their films. By logically connecting each character’s downfall to the social norms and ideas surrounding the alpha male, Gillman and Wooden explain to the audience the problems of this constant male idea that ultimately leads to the character’s downfall. This new portrayal of male character’s and the changing cultural view of men in society convinces the audience to agree that the new Disney and Pixar male characters are more dynamic and accepting of the feminine qualities within their masculinity. In addition, the “emasculating failures” that each character faces while being comical or clever for the movie’s sake also adds complexity to the characters by informing the young audience that it isn’t abnormal to face challenges and it is extremely rewarding to overcome them despite the obstacles they may face. Each of the character’s obstacles are typically more relatable to average people than the issues faced by superheroes. By having the character’s face difficulties that could be legitimate issues that men face, this essay appeals to the male audience and informs the young males that facing challenges is normal. 

The new man in movies, who depends on the relationships between two male characters, is effectively explained to the audience in terms of the lessons taught to Gillman and Wooden’s young son. Gillman and Wooden evoke emotion from the audience by describing a story most people can relate to, when a young child connects the lessons to a character in a Disney movie. By describing the thought process of their son and how these movies impact him, Gillman and Wooden display a more emotional connection to the readers. This use of pathos is effective in both explaining the new male persona Disney/Pixar are beginning to present, and in convincing the reader of that this new male persona will be a helpful way for children to learn about masculinity. This new Disney/Pixar man teaches children to accept their masculinity, and femininity, for all that it is, not just the over stereotype ideas like men being strong and independent, and women being emotional and dependent. Gillman and Wooden explain, “it is good for our son to be aware of the many sides of human existence” meaning that teaching children about the whole image of being a man or being a woman is more important than those stereotypes that media portrays. Ultimately this appeal to pathos effectively convinces the audience of the importance of teaching children the real aspects of being a man and being a woman, which is what Disney and Pixar’s new male character demonstrates, instead of conforming to those characteristics that society says makes someone more masculine or more feminine. 

In conclusion, Gillman and Wooden effectively connect the new man of Disney and Pixar and the impact it will have on children through logos, refuting the common stereotype and connecting their personal story to evoke emotions from readers. By altering the challenges and obstacles Woody, Buzz, Lightning McQueen, and Mr. Incredible endure Woodman and Gillman can explain a serious point about society seen through the scope of children’s movies. The ever-changing society of the world allows stereotypes to evolve and change overtime, and this new man Disney and Pixar are using for the protagonist of their movies will help children learn to accept all aspects of their masculinity and femininity as they develop. 