As I was growing up, I became very accustomed to the look. Having a sister with special needs, I was all too familiar with it. When my family and I went out, I was sensitive to how everyone reacted facially, and then vocally, when they encountered her and realizing she had special needs. It happened so often, I began to see it as a natural response: These strangers, who haven't even given her a chance, had put her in a different mental box.
Which all builds up to my whole hearted applause and praise to the Pixar filmmakers of Finding Nemo and now Finding Dory. In flashbacks, Dory's memory lapses are presented as something she was born with and learns to manage. Her parents build seashell trails to help little Dory find her way home, role play how to engage peers and tearfully worry whether she'll be OK on her own. Later, teacher Mr. Ray is reluctant to take her on a field trip for fear she'll wander. In both her past memories and present events, she encounters other fish who aren't as sensitive to disabilities.
The film presents itself with many messages, but I believe that there is one that everyone should take to heart. Dory, regardless of how she may be interpreted by other characters, is one of the happiest and most well-liked fish in the ocean. She doesn't mind her memory loss. In fact, she embraces it even when Mr. Ray's class of young fish laugh at her for being forgetful. The message of the film, however, wasn't to be completely exclusive to children with disabilities. It was "I just want to know if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, you’re going to be OK," co-director Angus MacLane says. "What parent hasn’t asked that?" For many parents with children of disabilities, their ultimate goal for their child is to make sure that in an event where there is no longer someone there to care for them, that they can at least care for themselves. In the new film, for instance, we again see worried, protective parents, who are trying to teach Baby Dory to say to strangers upfront that she has "short-term re-membery loss." Dory learns to apologize for her disability, but soon learns that remaining positive around people is an effective coping strategy.
When the nostalgia and the excitement of finally getting to see the Finding Nemo sequel died down, I was able to receive the message of the film very clearly. At first, I was hesitant to accept the possibility of Pixar crafting a film that addresses disabilities since others weren't so aware of special needs. However, the film did an amazing job of creating a film that became a teaching moment for kids while also being a way to introduce awareness to others about special needs. Many kids won’t notice the message: Finding Dory doesn’t explain it in patronizing detail. But it’s likely to hit home for the viewers who most need it, and identify most closely with the story. And for that, Pixar, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
