Hard Work and Determination as Positive Character Traits in Film

The Princess and the Frog

In The Princess and the Frog, rhetorical strategies are used to communicate themes of perseverance, love, and identity (Musker, 2009). With Carroll’s (2022) “Backpacks vs. Briefcases” framework, the film’s rhetoric can be analyzed through the lens of exigence, audience, constraints, and rhetorical appeals such as logos, ethos, and pathos.

The film’s exigence lies in its intention to challenge traditional narratives by presenting Tiana, an African American character who wants to achieve her dreams through hard work rather than relying solely on magical transformations. This exigence is relevant to a modern audience looking for diversity in media representations—positive diversity, that is. Tiana's work ethic is also a departure from traditional fairy tales that rely on magic to get success (Karma & Bhad, 2023). She wants to earn her way. It is a metaphor for overcoming obstacles (a symbolic reference to the Civil Rights movement perhaps?).

The primary audience for this film is families, children and adults. This is indicated by the film's animation, humorous animal characters, humor (that adults will appreciate, too), and good music. The film’s themes of resilience and self-reliance will also appeal to adult viewers while giving kids a good lesson. The use of pathos is evident in Tiana’s interactions with her deceased father. It was his dream of owning a restaurant that inspires her and makes her determined. It represents a loving but lost connection—the power of memory to motivate (Bacon, 2024).

Ethos is established through Tiana’s character, as her hardworking nature and refusal to take shortcuts make her a good role model. Logos is seen in the way Tiana approaches her goals, i.e., by saving money for her restaurant through discipline and effort.

The film also addresses racial issues: it is set in early 20th-century New Orleans, which gives it cultural richness (the birthplace of jazz) (Gilbert, 2015). At the same time it shows off the racial inequalities of that period.