Having charmed millions of people worldwide, “Encanto” has become the Disney hit that has allowed for a strong emotional connection with all of its characters. However, the film also represents a curious character study from a sociological standpoint, namely, due to its being grounded in the history and social paradigms of real-life communities and their traditions (Sabzalian, 2018). Specifically, the sexual division of labor in “Encanto” deserves a closer analysis as the concept that both subverts stereotypes long-enshrined into modern society and reinforces some of the aspects of the status quo. Despite featuring ideas directly opposing the present sexual division of labor by creating characters such as Luisa, the movie still implies that women hold unique knowledge defined by their lives and roles, which is cemented by the characters of the family matriarch and, later on, Mirabel.
Though representing a simple coming-of-age story on the surface, ‘Encanto” can be related to a range of points covered in Hartsock’s Standpoint Feminism theory. Namely, the film juxtaposes the expected and socially constructed roles for its female characters with their aspirations and needs, outlining the importance of women’s lived experiences being viewed as the foundation for the development of the feminist movement. Namely, even the characters granted unique powers are pushed into narrow boxes that were defined for them by society. Specifically, Isabela’s beauty and perfection become the reason for her family to want to marry her off; similarly, Pepa’s power to cause changes in the weather is linked to the misconstrued perception of women’s emotions being out of control.
Moreover, the powers that women in “Encanto” receive seem to be tethered to the unique knowledge that women gain due to the social constraints imposed on them and the need to overcome the patriarchal structure as Hartsock’s theory belabors. For instance, Dolores’s magical power of hearing the tiniest sound and her resulting propensity to speaking in a very quiet voice echoes with the threats of violence to which women are often exposed, and the importance of women communicating the presence of these threats to one another: “I heard her eye was twitching all night” (Merino et al., 2021). Thus, “Encanto” acknowledges the presence of gender stereotypes instead of ignoring them and scrutinizes the effects of these reductionist perceptions while introducing a magical narrative where the lead and side characters are provided with an opportunity to escape them.
Arguably, the film strives to subvert some of the stereotypical perceptions of gender roles by introducing elements of magical realism into its narrative. For example, Luisa, one of the side characters, has been gifted with exceptional strength that makes her more powerful than any ordinary man (Merino et al., 2021). The described power misaligns with the central premise of Hartsock’s theory concerning the lived experiences of women constituting the basis for criticizing patriarchal theories (Sabzalian, 2018). However, by incorporating the fear of failing to meet the preconceived expectations of her family into Luisa’s character, the movie balances out her unrealistic power with a typically female experience of being forced into an uncomfortable gender role (Merino et al., 2021). Therefore, even the specified discrepancy proves to coincide with Hartsock’s theoretical standpoint accurately.
Though “Encanto” incorporates several female characters whose functions and extent of power seemingly opposes the foundational concept of Hartsock’s theory, namely, Luisa and Abuela Alma, the focus on the unique knowledge owned by Alma, passed to Mirabel, and represented by the magical candle, supports Hartsock’s assumption. Namely, the film’s symbolism and character development reinforce the notion that the combination of physical differences and social expectations shapes the social roles that women accept as they enter adulthood.
References
Merino, Y., Spencer, C. (Producers), & Bush, J. (Director). (2021). Encanto [Motion picture]. Walt Disney Pictures.
Sabzalian, L. (2018). Curricular standpoints and native feminist theories: Why native feminist theories should matter to curriculum studies. Curriculum Inquiry, 48(3), 359-382. Web.