Parallel Plotlines Ep. 1 - Frogs and Princesses

The hosts of Parallel Plotlines discuss the fairy tale "The Frog Prince" and its adaptation by Disney, "The Princess and the Frog". They mention that the original story was written in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm and compare it to the Disney movie released in 2009. They discuss the differences between the two versions, such as the portrayal of the princess and the events leading to the breaking of the curse. They also touch on the historical, social, and cultural contexts of both the original story and the Disney movie. The hosts mention the importance of diversity and representation in the movie and its success at reaching its target audience. Hello, and welcome to Parallel Plotlines, where we uncover different versions of popular fairy tales. I'm Vivan, and I'm Samuel. Today, we're going to be discussing the fairy tale, The Frog Prince, by the Brothers Grimm, and comparing it to one of his adaptations, The Princess and the Frog by Disney. Did you know that the original story of The Frog Prince was written all the way back in 1812? Really? That's older than me! That's pretty old. A lot of you may be familiar with the 2009 Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. John Musker co-directed and wrote the script for the movie in 2009, when he was 55. He was born and lived in Chicago, Illinois. A lot of the original story of The Frog Prince was written by the Brothers Grimm. Oh yes, I've heard of them. They wrote a bunch of fairy tales, right? Yes, so there were two German folklorists and linguists who are today best known for their Kinder- und Hausmärchen. This collection of stories led to the modern study of folklore. They were among the most important German scholars of their time. Great. Now, let's briefly talk about the thoughts of both. Sure, let's dive right in! In the original story, there's a princess, like me. Ah, this is a big difference between the two versions. In the movie, the princess isn't actually a real princess until the end. Oh, interesting. In The Frog Prince, the princess was playing with her ball, but she dropped it in a well. A frog offers to return it in exchange for a friendship. The next day when she's eating, the frog asks to come in, and the princess is forced to let him in and let him sit with her. The frog requests to eat from her plate and to sleep in her bed. Oh, I definitely would not want a frog sleeping in my bed. Yeah. But these forces agree, right? Yeah, that's right. The princess' dad made her agree, but she didn't want it to sleep in her bed. I don't think anyone would. Yeah, so the frog went up to her and threatened to tell her father. The princess got very mad and threw it against the wall. The frog then transforms into a prince and explains that he was cursed by an evil witch. Then they go back to his kingdom and they get married and live happily ever after. Now the movie's a little different. In New Orleans during the Roaring Twenties, Tiana is a hard-working waitress dreaming of opening her own restaurant. After a series of events involving a voodoo witch doctor who transforms Naveen into a frog, Tiana kisses Naveen and also becomes a frog. Oh no. They flee into the bayou where they seek Mama Odie, a voodoo witch, for a solution. She reveals that only a princess' kiss can break Naveen's curse. Before midnight, leaving to a race against time. Hey, that reminds me of Cinderella, who I dressed up as for Halloween. Despite their efforts, they remain frogs until Tiana destroys the voodoo witch doctor's talisman, defeating him and allowing her to marry Naveen. This act transforms them back into humans and they return back to New Orleans to fulfill Tiana's dream of opening her restaurant together. But still a happy ending. The main moral of the lesson of the story was to keep your promises and you may receive a reward. Yes, and the movie mainly tried to convey the value of hard-working perseverance and following one's dreams and to remind us to not expect the divine force to do everything for you. Now let's talk about the context of both legends and how it shapes the story. Yay, context! Let's begin with historical context. In 1812, when The Frog Prince was written, the world was shaped by Romanticism. The German states were under the influence of French occupation, sparking a sense of cultural preservation. However, the context didn't really shape the story all that much. The appearance of the frog featured the studio's first African-American princess, Tiana. It reflected growing discussions about racial representation in media during Barack Obama's early presidency. The film was a response to demands of diversity in entertainment. What about social context, Vivan? What was the social context during the time your story was written and how did the context reflect it? In early 19th century Germany, society was divided into strict classes with nobles and royalty in power. The economy was based mainly on farming, but it was starting to change. What about education? Education was mostly available to the upper classes, but oral tradition helped to present stories. So the written stories were pretty rare at the time and most stories were passed on by word of mouth? Yeah, that's right. What was the social context at the time the movie was made and how did it affect the film? Great question. Well, in 2009, American society was experiencing significant changes. Barack Obama had just become the first African-American president, which marked a historic moment in racial politics. America was also recovering from the 2008 financial crisis with many people facing economic hardships. There was also a growing emphasis on diversity and representation in media, which we talked about earlier. Yup, the target audience likely included children, families, and adults interested in diverse storytelling. Clearly, they were very effective in reaching their target audience as they grew 271 million worldwide. Wow, now let's move on to our final section, cultural context. This refers to the beliefs, traditions, and values that surround and shape a text. Christianity was the dominant religion during the time this story was written. Okay, well, okay, let's move on. Musker, the screenwriter-director, was raised in an Irish Catholic family. Catholicism was a dominant religion among Irish communities in the United States as a central aspect of life. Yes, it was. He was part of a significant ethnic group rather than a minority. Well, that's it for today. This is Parallel Plotlines, where stories, twist and turn, thanks for tuning in. And we'll see you next time our lines meet again!