As we see in this scene, Shrek is searching desperately for a way to explain why he is the way he is. He sees some onions, and finds a way to use them to briefly explain.
After Donkey makes a couple guesses as to what Shrek is trying to get across (“They stink? They make you cry? You leave them out in the sun, they get all brown, start sprouting little white hairs), Shrek finally bursts out, “No! Layers. Onions have layers.”
You see, Shrek is not just an ogre, but he is an introvert. By “layers,” he means that in order to understand him, you have to peel him back layer by layer, until you know what’s on the inside; until the inside becomes apparent on the outside.
Introverts aren’t necessarily just quiet and shy people. They do not hate everyone and they do not always want to be alone. What they do not like is large crowds and the awkward feeling of first meeting someone.
When you first meet an introvert, don’t automatically assume that they are always shy and awkward. Don’t assume that they just don’t like people or want to be alone. Also, do not assume that they are unapproachable and that you have nothing in common. Again, introverts have layers! The first layer tends to be pretty awkward. I, being an introvert myself, have no idea what to say to a person when I meet them for the first time. Half the time I forget my own name. I don’t know what to talk about, I don’t know what this person is like or any of their interests. The best way to get an introvert to start talking to you, is to NOT stop at the basic “hey, my name is” added with some casual small talk. You will get nowhere and will leave that conversation thinking that this person is the most awkward person on the planet. What you need to do is to find something that this person is into. Figure out what they are passionate about or what you have in common. Get them talking about something that makes them feel at ease.
At first, this was how Shrek felt. This is how a lot of introverts feel at first. People need to give them a chance. They need to get to know them. As the movie goes on, Shrek’s layers begin to peel away. He isn’t angry, sad, or lonely anymore. He needed some friends. It’s not that his friends changed him into an extrovert. This is not the case at all. As we could see in the second movie, Shrek still had problems with his insecurities and being in large crowds. It’s really only that beginning layer that is like this. Once his friends started peeling back those layers, they saw that Shrek was funny, caring, loving, adventurous, sweet, thoughtful, sarcastic, and so much more. That’s the person he really is. That’s the person that you have to peel back to find. Introverts love having friends. They love being invited to things to go have fun with their friends. Sometimes they will decline the invitation because they want some alone time, away from people, but the invite means a lot! Don’t just assume that they aren’t going to want to come along. Always at least give an invite and then let the introvert see how they are feeling. They may not want to go out, but if you have gotten close to them, they might want some company at home. Ask if you could just come over and watch a movie or play a video game. If you want to be a friend to them, sometimes you will have to accommodate for how they are feeling.
