When it comes to understanding empathy, there are few better teachers than Disney. With beloved movie characters like Woody and Buzz from Toy Story, and Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Disney has brought empathy to life in a way that’s easy for children and adults alike to understand. Here’s a closer look at the lessons on empathy that Toy Story and Frozen can teach us.
In Toy Story, Woody is a loyal cowboy doll who has been Andy’s favorite toy for years. When a shiny new toy named Buzz Lightyear shows up, Woody is jealous and gets into a conflict with him. However, after they are separated from Andy and face adversity together, Woody realizes the value of empathy and how it can help them work together.
While trapped at a neighbor’s house, Woody sees that Buzz is suffering from homesickness, and instead of reveling in his own triumph over the new toy, he recognizes that Buzz needs help. He acknowledges Buzz’s feelings and validates them by telling him that it’s okay to be scared. Woody then offers to help Buzz get back to Andy’s house.
This act of empathy changes the game, as Buzz and Woody realize they are stronger together than apart. It’s a lesson that not only brings these two toys closer but helps them understand the value of empathy.
In Frozen, the bond between sisters Elsa and Anna is tested by Elsa’s fear of her own magical powers, which she believes are too dangerous to control. As a result, she has shut herself off from Anna and the rest of the world. Anna, however, is determined to reconnect with her sister and show her the power of love.
At the end of the movie, when Elsa saves Anna from being frozen by an evil prince, she realizes that love is the key to controlling her powers. In a conversation with Anna, Elsa reflects on the power of empathy and how it can change everything.
Elsa: I’m sorry, Anna.
Anna: You don’t have to apologize. But you should probably go make sure that no one else gets hurt by your powers. And then figure out a way to fix this.
Elsa: Yeah. Do you think that’s possible?
Anna: I don’t know. But I believe in you, Elsa. More than anyone or anything.
Elsa: Thank you, Anna.
Anna: And when you’re ready, I’ll be here for you. With empathy and love and patience.
This conversation reinforces the idea that empathy is essential for creating connections and relationships that matter. Anna’s empathy toward Elsa is what brings them closer, and it’s ultimately what saves them both.
Disney’s lessons on empathy are timeless, and they’re more important now than ever before as we navigate a world full of complex relationships and seemingly insurmountable conflicts. Toy Story and Frozen provide a road map for how we can use empathy to connect with others and improve our relationships.
It starts with acknowledging someone else’s feelings, even if they don’t align with our own. By recognizing and validating someone else’s emotions, we can build trust and create space for open and honest communication. This is the foundation for empathy, and it’s what allowed Woody and Buzz to work together to escape from the neighbor’s house, and what helped Elsa and Anna to reconnect and save each other.
Above all, empathy is about seeing the world through someone else’s eyes and understanding their perspective. Disney has taught us that when we do this, we can create compassion and kindness that we can always share. This is the kind of world Disney inspires us to envision – a world where empathy is a cornerstone of every meaningful relationship.
Disney teaches valuable lessons on empathy through beloved movie characters like Woody, Buzz, Elsa, and Anna. These characters show how acknowledging and understanding another’s perspective can lead to stronger relationships and compassionate connections. Empathy is essential in navigating complex relationships and conflicts.
“Empathy isn’t just something that happens to us – a meteor shower of synapse firing. It’s also a choice we make: to pay attention, to extend ourselves. It’s made of exertion, that dowdier cousin of impulse. Sometimes we care for another because we know we should, or because it’s asked for, but this doesn’t make our caring hollow. The act of choosing simply means we’ve committed ourselves to a set of behaviors greater than the sum of our individual inclinations: I will listen to his sadness, even when I’m deep in my own. To say ‘going through the motions’ – this isn’t reduction so much as acknowledgment of the effort – the labor, the slog – of getting to one place to another. We call this empathy. We call it love. We call it compassion. We call it our duty.” – Leslie Jamison
