Disney has a way of delivering meaningful lessons that resonate with both the young and old alike. Inside Out, in particular is an animated feature that showcases the incredible power of emotional intelligence through the dynamic relationship between Joy and Sadness. The story touches on the importance of emotional maturity and how it can help navigate the ups and downs of life.
In Inside Out, Joy is the primary emotion that drives the central character, Riley. She’s energetic, optimistic and always eager to keep things positive, and thinks that sadness can only bring her down. Through a series of events, Joy and Sadness get separated from the other emotions and are forced to work together to overcome obstacles and restore emotional balance to Riley’s life.
Joy learns a valuable lesson that even though she always wants to be happy, joy can not be achieved all the time without acknowledging and facing the hard times. Sadness, on the other hand, learns that it’s okay to be sad and that the people around you will be there to offer support.
Anna from Frozen, one of Disney’s popular princesses, also had to learn the importance of emotional maturity. After struggling with being shut out by her sister Elsa for years, she decides to confront her directly instead of handling it passively. In the scene where they finally meet, Anna takes responsibility for her role in their broken relationship and does not place all the blame on Elsa.
“Elsa, please, I know you’re in there. People are asking where you’ve been. They say, “have courage” and I’m trying to. I’m right out here for you, just let me in. We only have each other. It’s just you and me, what are we gonna do? Do you wanna build a snowman?”
Anna displayed emotional maturity by acknowledging her feelings and stepping up to be part of the solution.
Simba, from The Lion King, also learned the importance of emotional maturity as he goes through a journey of self-discovery. After running away from his responsibilities after believing he was responsible for his father’s death, Simba gets a wake-up call from his father’s spirit. He finally begins to face his emotions such as guilt and fear, and accepts his role as king, showing emotional growth and maturity in character development.
Simba’s character arc shows that facing your emotions and confronting them head-on can lead to emotional growth and maturity.
Conversations between characters can provide a clearer understanding of the power of emotional maturity. Here is an example of a conversation between Joy and Sadness.
Joy, beamed her usual radiant smile and clapped her hands together. “Hi Sadness, it’s time to go back to work.”
Sadness responded with a sigh, “I don’t feel like it, Joy.”
“Oh come on, what’s wrong?” asked Joy.
“I’m just feeling really down today,” said Sadness.
“Well that’s not good, we need to be happy all the time, remember?” Joy chirped.
Sadness looked up at Joy. She had heard those words a million times and could not help feeling discouraged. “I don’t think it’s always about being happy. Sometimes we need to accept that we feel sad and let our emotions out. It allows us to grow.”
Joy was taken aback and then softly asked, “How did you get so wise Sadness?”
Sadness smiled shyly, “I guess I learned the hard way.”
The conversation between Joy and Sadness illustrates the importance of acknowledging and processing our emotions. It’s easy to forget that we arent built to be happy and positive all the time, but by embracing our emotions, we can learn valuable lessons and become more emotionally mature.
In conclusion, Disney does an excellent job of portraying the importance of emotional maturity in developing character. Through its imaginative stories and relatable themes, Disney has effectively taught children and adults alike about the importance of listening to our emotions, taking responsibility for our actions, and becoming more emotionally balanced. Ultimately, Inside Out, Anna, and Simba show us that the power of emotional maturity can help us to lead better and more fulfilling lives.
Disney’s films portray the importance of emotional maturity and how it can help us to lead better lives. Inside Out, Frozen and The Lion King showcase the power of emotional intelligence, acknowledging and processing our emotions, taking responsibility for our actions, and becoming more emotionally balanced.
“Disney’s ability to convey meaningful lessons to both the young and old is unparalleled. Their stories, such as Inside Out, Frozen, and The Lion King, highlight the importance of emotional intelligence and the journey towards emotional growth and maturity. These lessons are valuable for all ages and can help us lead better and more fulfilling lives.” – Unknown.
