This One’s for Depression Barbie: Jane Austen and the 2023 Summer of Girlhood | Virtual JaneCon 2024

Last summer was all about the girls. Among the social media discussions around “girl math,” “girl dinner,” and the Renaissance and Eras Tours, there were also several films released that centered the experiences of women and girls, several with a kernel of Austenian influence. This talk will look at three 2023 films–Barbie, The Little Mermaid, and Polite Society–and examine how each of them approaches girlhood and the feminine experience, as well as how their protagonists’ journeys mirror Jane Austen’s explorations of women’s interiority and agency.

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Works Cited:

Ahlin, Charlotte. (20 February, 2024). “The Queer, Unrequited Love Story That Inspired 'The Little Mermaid.'” Bustle.

Byrne, Paula. (2002). The Genius of Jane Austen.

Qureshi, Bilal. (14 August, 2023). “How three female artists lead this summer's billion-dollar pop culture revival.” NPR.

Sabia, Joe. (30 January, 2020). “Greta Gerwig Talks Little Women, Drives a Golf Cart and Shows Off Her Favorite Dance Moves.” Vogue.

Tattoli, Chantel. (2 May, 2014). “Disney's animated zombies: How classic stories are lost in reinvention.” Salon.

Yohnnes, Alamin. (28 April, 2023). “Meet Your Maker: How Jackie Chan and a Kill Bill fight influenced Nida Manzoor's new film Polite Society.” Entertainment Weekly.