Disney’s Encanto celebrates eccentric Colombian culture while explaining the generational trauma that may happen in some families. The film introduces us to the Madrigal family, who was given a miracle that provides them with special, magical gifts. We follow Mirabel, the only child who did not receive a gift, and watch her try to gain approval from her Abuela and prove that she is just as special as her family. On the path to discovering herself, she uncovers the truth about her other relatives.
Some people related to the storyline of the characters while others thought the songs expressed their feelings with clarity (We can thank Lin Manuel-Miranda for that). Encanto enlightened many family generations and opened their eyes to acknowledge the reality that they live in. So, the real question is: what did a Disney animated film teach us about ourselves? Let’s dive into the amazing Madrigal Family to find out!
Luisa: Holding The World On Her Shoulder
Like most older siblings, Luisa feels like if she were to even take the slightest break, people would be disappointed. Personally, in her song, “Surface Pressure”, when she sang the lyrics “I’m pretty sure I’m worthless if I can’t be of service,” I felt literal chills because of how accurately she was describing that feeling. So, in reality, people with a ton of pressure placed on them often feel guilty for even thinking about self-care. Encanto showed that it is fine to care about yourself sometimes.
Isabella: The Perfect Golden Child
Isabella is supposed to be perfect and marry the perfect person in order to maintain that status for her family. Instead of voicing her opinions, she follows the wishes of her family to make them happy. A lot of people tend to overlook the “Perfect Child” because, like Mirabel, they think that their life has no flaws. Unfortunately, most golden children compartmentalize their feelings and often hate being put up on a pedestal. So, when Isabella sings her song, “What Else Can I Do?”, she reveals this sense of relief that she can actually express her own feelings without the disapproval of her family.
Bruno: You Know… The Person We Don’t Talk About?
Bruno is what we call the black swan of the family. Why a black swan and not a black sheep? Well, it’s because the community and Madrigal family may have thought that Bruno was doing bad things, but in reality, he was just different and meant no harm to anyone. Although I love “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” I don’t appreciate the slander against Bruno. His gift is to see into the future. This does not mean that the future has to be to your liking. What makes Bruno relatable to the audience is the fact that he is highly misunderstood and misjudged for the majority of the movie. Being the black swan of the family is a tough position, but it takes one person to notice who you really are and, like Mirabel, bring you into the light.
Abuela Alma: The Victim of Grief
Let’s be honest. We all thought Abuela was the villain in this film; but after watching Encanto a couple of times, you start to see why Abuela did what she did. Not only did Abuela Alma lose her home, but she lost the love of her life on the same day. Everything was taken from her except for her three newborn children. Alma didn’t have the proper amount of time to appreciate the miracle and process the amount of loss it took to get that. She put all of her feelings aside to make sure everyone is taken care of and she would never lose anything she loves again. That pain was kept to herself because she’s supposed to appear strong for the family. This doesn’t mean that her feelings justify what she was doing to everyone, but it brings depth to Abuela and maybe a glimpse into older generations.
This movie really taught every generation something that is usually unspoken for in every family. Who knew that a fun, animated film could teach us about hardships and how to overcome them as a stronger family than before? Encanto not only brings the magic out of Mirabel Madrigal, but it gives us a little bit of magic in our hearts.