Why is it that Most Female Disney Characters have No Mother or a Mean Stepmother?

[Sharon A.]

There's a great book called "The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales" by Bruno Bettelheim that talks about why some fairy tales are so enduring. One of the chapters is about why it's necessary for the adults in fairy tales to be absent in some way or another. If you're interested in movies or literature, I highly recommend the book.