Adversity is a part of life, and it comes in different forms to various people. For some, it may be a financial crisis, while others may have to deal with a sickness or a relationship problem. However, regardless of what kind of difficulty comes into our lives, becoming mature can help us to navigate it and eventually overcome it. This lesson is brilliantly portrayed in the story of Disney’s Hercules, with various Disney characters embodying the different levels of maturity needed to overcome life’s difficulties.
Hercules’ journey began in the movie with his infancy, where he was ripped away from his divine family and brought to the world of mortals. This trauma is what set him on the path of maturity and overcoming adversity. During his formative years, he learned how to be a hardworking, disciplined, and courageous young man. All these virtues prepared him to face one of the greatest adversities of his life, which was his battle against Hades, the ruler of the underworld.
However, although Hercules had brute strength, he lacked the crucial emotional maturity to deal with Hades’ cunning. Throughout their battles, Hades often used his mind games to distract Hercules, leading him astray from his sense of purpose. At one point in their battle, Hades had succeeded in tempting Hercules to drink a potion that made him lose his strength, causing him to fall into a vulnerable position.
It was at this moment in the movie when Philoctetes, his coach, intervened with some wise words of wisdom, “You gotta be true to your heart, kid. Keep moving forward. Remember, heroism isn’t all about strength. It’s about knowing what to do and when to do it.”
This small conversation between the two characters speaks to the importance of emotional maturity. Being emotionally mature gives us the capacity to understand the bigger picture, think rationally, and make good decisions. With Phil’s advice, Hercules was able to regain his focus and strength and eventually defeat Hades in their final clash, thus overcoming the adversity that had plagued him for so long.
Additionally, another character in the movie who provides lessons on maturity is the character of Megara. Meg, as she is fondly referred to in the movie, is a strong-willed woman who had to overcome a traumatic experience in her past. She had previously made a deal with Hades, on the condition that he would help her save the man she loved, only for Hades to betray her. Since then, she had a hard time trusting anyone, including Hercules.
In their initial interactions, Meg viewed Hercules as an innocent, naive young man, and she tried to take advantage of his vulnerability so that she could get her end of her deal with Hades. However, as they spent more time together, Meg began to see the good in Hercules’ heart. She eventually opened up to him and began trusting him, leading her to stop being deceptive and accept Hercules’ help.
The lesson we learn from Meg is that emotional maturity involves being vulnerable and being able to trust others. It’s about setting aside our past hurts and learning to see the good in others. It’s about being honest and truthful, and not using our past mistakes as an excuse to hurt others.
In conclusion, the story of Disney’s Hercules offers various life lessons on the importance of maturity in overcoming adversity. If we take inspiration from these fictional characters, we can learn that becoming mature means having the mental and emotional capacity to handle difficult situations, making wise decisions under pressure, trusting others, and being honest. Through hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to grow, we can overcome adversity and achieve our goals, just like Hercules.
Disney’s Hercules teaches us that maturity is key to overcoming adversity. Emotional maturity involves understanding the bigger picture, thinking rationally, making good decisions, being vulnerable, setting aside past hurts, and trusting others.
“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” – William Ellery Channing