The Little Mermaid. The Lion King. Mulan. The Princess and the Frog. Brave. When I try to think of films where the bond between parent and child has a defining impact on the plotline, these beautifully-crafted films from Walt Disney come to mind. These films depict parents who are flawed but also tremendously loving towards their children. I come to appreciate my parents more and more while thinking about these characters because I can see positive traits in them that remind me of my mother and father.
In The Little Mermaid, we meet the adventurous Ariel and her over-protective father, King Triton. Ariel’s longing for the world above the sea clashes with Triton’s distrust of anything related to humans. Her continual disobedience to Triton’s command to stay away from the land above is a source of anger and frustration for the king. The trait that comes to mind with Triton is discipline. He is concerned for his child’s well-being and he is angry when she disobeys him. He holds high standards for his daughters because he loves them. Triton reminds me of my own parents, who have always kept me disciplined. They get angry when I am disobedient or when I don’t listen to them. But I know that they want the best for me and that by disciplining me and helping me to understand the error of my ways, they are helping me grow into a mature woman.
The Lion King, known for its beautiful animation and music, is also known for its portrayal of a loving relationship between father and son. Simba adores his father Mufasa, the King of the Pride Lands – a dignified and mighty ruler who at the same time is a compassionate and wise father. One of the most devastating scenes of all Disney movies is when Mufasa is murdered by his brother Scar while trying to save his son from a wildebeest stampede. Because he put Simba’s life before his own and did not even think about what could happen to himself, Mufasa is marked by his sacrificial character. My parents make sacrifices for me in order to make sure I have everything I need to succeed. They devote time and money for me and have given up many things to provide a life for us in America. After I was born, they both did their best to make sure that I had the opportunities to learn and develop my talents, even if they had to make sacrifices so I could get these opportunities.
Mulan is unorthodox and outspoken, two traits that are frowned upon in a Chinese woman at her time. She is eager to honor her beloved father, Fa Zhou, but fails to do so as a traditional bride. After her disastrous meeting with the matchmaker, her father uses the metaphor of blossoms to explain that she will one day show her potential and prove to be the most beautiful blossom of all. Mulan does this by defeating the Huns and saving China. When she presents her awards to her father, trying to show him that she managed to bring honor to their family, after all, he pulls her into an embrace and tells her “The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter.” Fa Zhou is characterized by his wisdom. He knows that somehow, Mulan will be the most remarkable woman in China because of her courage and compassion. Despite her flaws, he loves her unconditionally and is proud of her not for what she did, but for the character that led her to do it. My parents are both wise as they are willing to inspire me and give me advice. Their words are encouraging and help me to strive towards my full potential, just like Mulan did. I know that they are proud of me whenever I succeed because they know it is because I worked hard and was dedicated towards achieving success for more than just my own glory.
Tiana from The Princess and the Frog (a less popular but still wonderful Disney film) is inspired by her father to start up her own restaurant. Being an African-American man living in New Orleans during the early 1900’s, he is poor and cannot afford to give his wife and daughter very much except love and good food (because of his incredible ability to cook, a talent inherited by his daughter). He is a hard-working man who makes sure that Tiana does not limit herself, even as a young child. He works hard every day but is always happy because he has his family and his friends. While Tiana’s father is a hard-worker, her mother is characterized by her support and encouragement of Tiana’s dreams. Even though she wishes Tiana would settle down, she is still willing to stand by her daughter’s side when Tiana is eagerly preparing to buy the property for her new restaurant. Tiana’s parents remind me of my parents, who are two of the most hard-working people I know. My father came to America from India with not very much money and by working hard, he has been able to provide a comfortable life for me and my mother. Through life’s challenges, both of my parents have striven to bring me through. And they are both very supportive. They have driven me to every dance rehearsal and recital, to every piano and voice lesson, to every music recital and concert. They have sat in the audience and recorded my songs. They have taken pictures and shared them with relatives. And they encourage me every step of the way.
Finally, we meet Merida and her mother Elinor from Brave. Elinor is a stately and lady-like queen who wishes the same for her spirited daughter. When Elinor is turned into a bear, she and Merida have to mend the bond that is broken between them in order to return Elinor to her human form. The climax of the film is when the evil bear spirit Mor’du is attacking Merida and Elinor pulls him away in a fury. The dignified queen who told Merida not to keep her weapons on the table engages in combat to protect her child (moral of the story: don’t mess around with a mother bear). Elinor is characterized by her courage. She bravely endured the trials of being a bear and showed her love for Merida by courageously defending her from Mor’du. While neither of my parents have been turned into bears or have ever been forced to fight one, I have no doubt of their courage. You don’t need to fight to show your courage; my parents have shown their courage throughout their lives by dealing with their challenges with determination. They had to face their fears to become who they are now.
I can recognize my parents in King Triton, Mufasa, Fa Zhou, Tiana’s parents, and Elinor and this helps me appreciate them very much. I don’t need Disney characters to appreciate my parents, but sometimes it helps to see imperfect yet loving parents portrayed in films to realize how wonderful your parents are. The traits that these characters are marked by – discipline, sacrifice, wisdom, hard-work, support, and courage – are not only essential traits in a good parent, but they are traits to strive for in all of us. Looking at these characters can only help me appreciate my parents on a superficial level; understanding their lives and their challenges helps me to respect them so much more. If you have loving parents, it’s time to appreciate them just like these Disney children loved and appreciated theirs.
