Lessons I’ve Learnt From Disney.

Let’s talk about the things I’ve learnt from Disney today.

For me, a major part of my childhood was Disney movies. I grew up watching them, getting attached to them, loving them and learning from them. I’ve learnt many life lessons from these animated, seemingly children’s movies that I, as an almost adult, still love a lot. So, without further ado, here are lessons I’ve learnt from 7 of Disney’s animated movies. I hope, it goes without saying that if you haven’t watched the movie, you may find the below to be full of spoilers.  Here, I’m excluding the Pixar movies as they can quite easily comprise a post of their own. Here we go.

1. Alice In Wonderland

   Alice In Wonderland, a movie I watched as a 5-6-year old and absolutely loved due to the fact that it shows you, quite literally ,a wonderland. At that young age, seeing Alice interact with everyone from the White Rabbit to the Mad Hatter I learnt that everyone was equal and you didn’t need to see or talk to anyone differently just because they were not what most people would call ‘usual’ or ‘normal’. It was a great lesson in equality and not discriminating that has always stuck with me.                                                                      

2. Beauty And The Beast

   Beauty And The Beast, my favourite musical and most awaited live action Disney movie currently was also my absolute favourite Disney animated movie for the longest time. I loved Belle, different from other girls in her village, a reader like me,(I talked about this in my previous post, click here to read that) and the fact that in the Beast and Belle’s love story, looks never mattered. It was a great message in loving the person and going beyond how they look to understand who they really are to learn as a child. This movie also holds a special place in my heart for it has one of my most favourite Disney soundtracks probably ever.                         

3. The Lion King

   The Lion King is a movie associated with so much nostalgia and so many memories as I first saw it with a group of my childhood best friends, when we were children, all huddled around a laptop. The movie,which shows Simba’s journey to being king of the jungle is, in my opinion, really a journey for everyone who watches it. It taught me to believe in myself and my beliefs and to hold on to them no matter what. Simba learns it the hard way and  I learnt it with him.                                 

4. Mulan

   Mulan was a movie way ahead of its times. It was a movie set in Ancient China, with an exceptionally headstrong girl who was ready to go to any costs to defend her family and country and fight in the war, even though girls aren’t really allowed to. She becomes a boy and takes her father’s place in the war as he is quite elderly without batting an eyelid. It taught girls everywhere, like it taught me, to be strong and independent and never consider themselves weak. It truly is one of the most underappreciated Disney movies.            

5. Tangled

   Tangled was the movie that crashed Beauty And The Beast’s favourite animation movie spot and took it instead. A rather morose original tale brightened up with lanterns, literally, and the most believable teenager princess. She wants to see the world, she hits guys in the face with a frying pan and she simply yearns to understand who she is and what she’s destined for. Rapunzel was a lesson in optimism as in spite of being trapped in a tower all her life, she has hobbies , passions and dreams and is as lively as you can get. Her inner goodness is not influenced by Mother Gothel’s negative influence either. Add to that Flynn Rider’s transformation and it makes for an almost admirably inspiring movie.                             

6. Frozen

   Frozen took Mulan’s feminist message and conveyed it its own way. It showed me that you don’t need a man to rescue you and that true love can exist between sisters just as much as it can exist between lovers. It also taught me to not take anybody at face value, to not be so naïve, as Anna takes Hans and that true love doesn’t always happen in a day. It’s important to get to know a person before you simply consider them as your soul mate, get engaged and decide to marry them all in the matter of a day. Oh, Anna.

   

7. Zootopia

   Zootopia, Disney’s most recent animation venture was a wonderfully adorable movie. It taught me to believe in my dreams no matter what anyone says, to not conform to stereotypes,to never let who I was born as define me, to never consider anyone inferior as Judy, Nick and Ms. Bellwether (being a wolf in sheep’s clothing, amazingly) taught me. It’s a heart-warming movie and a must watch if you haven’t. (Take this a little request/ task.Let me know how you find it later.)

   THIS POST’S QUESTION: What is your favourite Disney movie? Comment below with what you think about it, I’d love to hear from you!