When I first saw this movie, I fell in love with the corny dad jokes and developed characters. Watching it (too) many times since then, I have come to realize that there are many lessons to be learned from this movie. Props to you, Disney.
Hard work gets you places.
Judy Hopps wanted to be a police officer from a very young age. However, she is looked down on because of her size. Judy goes to the police academy and graduates at the top of her class as the first bunny police officer. Judy defied the odds, and came out on top!
There is definitely a wrong way to parent.
Do not tell your kids that their dreams are crazy. Do not discourage them from following their heart. Finally, when they fail, do not rub it in. Just be there to pick up the pieces, whatever they may be. Encouragement is the most important job of parents. When Judy Hopps became a police officer, her parents were thrilled that she was only giving out parking tickets and not a “real cop.” This was very discouraging to Judy. When Judy leaves the department and returns home, her parents keep rubbing salt in the wound, rather than helping her.
Do not judge a book by its cover.
Nick Wilde is a hustler, a fox. He is a master of false advertising and has been avoiding paying taxes for years. However, we find out halfway through the movie that he was bullied as a kid and decided that he would only live up to the expectations set for a fox by society. When Judy drags him into her criminal investigation, his personality changes drastically, but I will let you check it out for yourself.
Prejudice is still a very real problem.
This movie speaks specifically about prejudices between predators and prey. Although both coexist in society, there is a part of the movie where predators go “savage,” the prey’s biggest fears come true. It is assumed that only predators can go savage because of their biology. This causes chaos within Zootopia. Predators lose their jobs and are basically forced out of their homes due to the possibility that they could become savage. However, later in the movie, there is prey that goes savage too. This just goes to show that we are not as different as we think we are.
You are not defined by what society says you are.
“Everyone comes to Zootopia, thinking they could be anything they want. But you can't. You can only be what you are. Sly fox. Dumb bunny.”- Nick Wilde
Little does Nick know that Zootopia will change his life forever. Nick goes from being a hustler to being the first fox police officer. Judy goes from being a naïve joke to rescuing many predators who had been targeted and missing. It is not about what society says you are, but how you define yourself and behave as such that matters.
And I’ll let this quote speak for itself:
“I thought this city would be a perfect place where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out, life's a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means, hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try. So no matter what kind of person you are, I implore you: Try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you.” – Judy Hopps
