Poor Unfortunate Souls

Author's Note:  I wrote most of this during the workshops, but I wrote the last two paragraphs after going to the WASC Fall Summit JAM Student Council Conference.  Sorry.  That is why the last two paragraphs kind of turn in to an inspirational speech. 

Have you ever noticed how certain books and stories parallel our world -- maybe even a little more than we'd like to admit?  Certain aspects from novels like Animal Farm have obvious similarities.   One story that I have noticed has many real life parallels is Disney's The Little Mermaid. 

Let's start at the main character.  Ariel.  She's a king's daughter.  A girl that has everything that she could possibly want in the world, but she's still unhappy.  She even says that much in one of her songs "...How many wonders can one cavern hold?  Looking around here you think, sure, she's got everything. I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty. I've got whozits and whatzits galore. You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty! But who cares? No big deal, I want more!"  She really just wants one thing.  Like almost everyone in America, her kingdom thinks that you can make up for all the empty holes with things.  The only thing Ariel wants is legs.  They aren't just legs, though.  This is similar to people in other countries versus Americans.  The people from other countries just want simple things, like freedom.  Americans have a sense of entitlement.  Above that, they put too much value in materialistic objects, not the things that really matter.  The only thing that Ariel wants is legs.  She would give up everything for them-- her family, her friends, even her voice.  They're her symbol of freedom.  This is the one thing that Ariel wants -- to be free of her kingdom that doesn't understand her.  They don't get what she wants.  They don't get why she would be happier somewhere else.  They don't get who she is.  She is having this emotional struggle that makes her a better person, while the American teenagers are begging for the latest iPhone.  Americans need to appreciate the big things before they put all their value in material objects. 

Even though you can easily compare Ariel to our society, how about her dad?  Triton is king of the ocean.  The whole sea is under his command.  This would be great if he didn't have that nagging little problem --  he is disapproving of what his daughter wants.   He is like most real life dads -- his goal is to have what's best for his daughter.  What he doesn't realize though is that he is just pushing her away.  All of his problems could have been resolved if he had just asked himself Where is this getting me; will it solve my problem?  His world would be perfect if he - like most real life dads - could come to the realization that his daughter will make the right choices and she can handle her own life. 

With all the suppressive elements around her, Ariel needs some support.   This comes from her two friends, Sebastian and Flounder.  They provide her the encouragement that she needs to rebel against her family and society.  I think that this is either really similar or depressingly far away from real life.  In my opinion, I really think that people need support in their lives.  It doesn't matter if this comes from fiends, family or other things; it's harder to accomplish things alone.   Without her friends, Ariel would have given up.  Her story would have been incomplete.  Even when everyone else doubted her, her friends believed in her to the end and made getting what she wanted possible. 

Stories like The Little Mermaid provide strong similarities to real life.  We saw the same wish for freedom in Ariel and the people from most other countries.  We saw the same desire for the best possible life for their daughters in Triton and real life dads.  We saw the same need of supporting friends   in the story and in real life.  We saw the similarities, but who cares?  Why does it matter?  This whole essay means nothing if you read it, then never think about any of it ever again.  You have to try to put more value in things like family; and less in the latest iPhone.  You have to try to let your kids, or siblings,  or friends grow and make decisions for themselves.  You have to not only have supporting friends, but you also have to be one!  As Ghandi said "You must be the change you wish to see."  Look at books and movies that have some sort of message and actually do something about it!  Don't just stand there and play the part of the poor unfortunate souls; make a difference!  Change the world!  Start small -- just one fish in the sea.  Then get bigger --  change the whole ocean.