I know what you’re thinking. No, I don’t have the “movie-high” induced after seeing a great movie for the first time. There are just some incredible lessons to be learned that aren’t addressed in previous Disney movies.
1.) You CAN’T fall in love in one day
I couldn’t be HAPPIER that Disney made fun of the fact that Anna fell in love with Hans in one day. If the cheesy “Love is an Open door” song wasn’t enough to hammer in their point, Kristoff repeatedly proclaimed his shock when finding out that Anna got engaged to a man she just met. “Loving” someone after knowing them for less than a month is nothing more than infatuation. It’s about time, Disney. It’s about time.
2.) “True Love” is manifested through a sister relationship
Wow! You mean a Disney movie doesn’t have to revolve around the peril of 2 lovers being torn apart by an evil villain? I know, there are movies like Mulan and Tangled with lead female roles trying to “find/prove themselves”, and the romance is just a sub-plot. But this is the first movie that HIGHLIGHTS a relationship between sisters and the love that connects them.
3.) Don’t bury or run away from your hurt and pain
Burying or running away from your hurt and pain not only doesn’t help you, it will also affect everyone around you. The overflow of Elsa’s fear cursed an entire town. No amount of stuffing will ever keep the bitterness, fear, shame, ect. from seeping out and affecting everyone in proximity. You can’t hate yourself and love others.
4.) Your gifts and strengths can be used for good AND evil
There is a pattern in Disney movies: there is good and evil– no in between. The good people are good, and the bad people are bad. But that’s not how the world works. All of us are responsible for our own gifts and strengths. We have to be good stewards of our own characters. Elsa was using her gift in a poor way. I understand she wasn’t intentionally doing this, but in the end, she allowed fear to control her instead of walking in confidence and taking control of the situation in a healthy way.
5.) Ordinary men can be manipulative and evil
You don’t have to be a sorcerer to be evil. Past Disney villains were OBVIOUSLY evil and creepy with names like Scar or being an all-out sorcerer like Jafar. They aren’t humanized, they’re just evil. You don’t feel empathy for them. You can’t relate to them. They’re the “bad guys”, and of course, you’re on the good guys’ side. But Hans was JUST a man who chose to act poorly to work his way to the top. After getting past the ridiculously corny love song in the beginning, you actually grew to like him and root for him. I sure didn’t want him to fall to his doom at the ice castle! In fact, you probably know a Hans. You don’t particularly like him, but he’s still human.
That’s all.
Audrey Wells 