1. Individualism The “American Dream” has powered the hopes and aspirations of Americans for generations. It began as a plain but revolutionary notion; each person has the right to pursue happiness, and the freedom to strive for a better life through hard work and fair ambition. But over time, this dream has come to represent a set of expectations about owning things and making money. The Little Mermaid is a film full of hopes and dreams, Ariel the main character; is a young mermaid who lives the life of wanting to walk on land and explored the world from the human perspective.
She lives in the ocean with the desire to collect and learn from objects she found in the deep sea which are from the human world. As a individual, Ariel would always go out to forbidden places by her own, which show that she don’t relied much on other. She gets herself in trouble and sometime gets herself out of trouble. Also, in the film she made her own choice of letting Ursula take her voice in place of giving her human legs also show that she don’t need other to make decision for her. This can relate to the “American” because we like to consider ourselves as an independent hard working individual.
When we start making our own choices and decisions we like to feel that we are unstoppable and can achieve anything. With this notion of thought we try to strive for achievement and success. 2. Achievement In the film Ariel were determine to be able to walk side by side with Prince Eric on land; with her determination she have strive to achieve it. Without hesitation she disobeys her father, King Triton rules of never to appear above the surface of the ocean and to never go near a human being.
Her curiosities of the human world have made her break many of the rules and even found herself fallen in love with a human being. Living in the world of the “American” we as the individual find it very pleasant that we achieve what we want even if it means breaking some rules. A great example would be, breaking your parents’ rules, the golden rule. For my family, our golden rule is to never wear your shoes inside another family house; it’s a sign of great respect. If you wear your shoes inside another family house it would mean that you looked at them the same as the looked at the dirty outside.
A house is a family pride and source of energy; ever heard of, “you are what you eat? ” Same logic applies to this golden rule. 3. Success In order to success in this goal that was set, Ariel did anything possible to be able to walk on land and be with Prince Eric. She went to Ursula, the Witch of the Sea, to help give her human legs. Even though she knew that her price would be to give up her voice, which is the only way she can communicate with Prince Eric and possibly can become Ursula prisoner.
She basically give herself up for the possibly of Prince Eric not even knowing who she is. With all the risk and the disobedient, King Triton finally granted her wish of becoming a human, she finally success because she never give up; giving up was a option for her. Taking Great Risk is what “American” likes to called it. We risked and take many chances to successfully get what we desire and are determine to get. For example, sleeping is a great factor in our everyday life but in order to success we can’t just sleep our life away.
We need to achieve and success in order to better ourselves on the future and make life easier. 4. Work Hard The human world was a place of excitement and wonder for Ariel; she wanted to roam the world on foot. She had always wanted to see and explore what the human world is like. By doing so she have work hard to collect all human items, even if it mean putting her life in danger. This can relate to American achievement and success because we all need to work hard so we can achieve and be successful.
For example, if we want to buy a new pair of shoes, we will need to work hard, go to work, and wait until we get paid to buy those shoes. 5. Education Ariel also tries to educate herself from her friend Scuttle, the seagull, about the human culture. Scuttle is very inaccurate when it come to the human world but with the knowledge that she have she need to relied on Scuttle. She wants to know what human use the fork for and Scuttle told it’s used a comb. She’s trying to learn the things of human so when she can finally reach her goal she will have some ideas of what each item is used for.
For example, when we learn about a new culture we tend to asked question and want to educate ourselves to better understand of the culture. 6. Technology Innovation When Ariel was finally transform into a human being she was amazed and astonish by the human technology; everything that she have learn from Scuttle was incorrect. She was amazed of the horse carriage, how they make boat float on water, how they ride on horses, and etc. everything was new to her; this is when education come to play also. American technology is a big factor in everyday life, we need technology to survive.
We have depended so much on technology now that we have to be waking up every morning with an alarm clock, we can’t just normally wake our body up on our own. 7. Material Comfort From the way how the human food was made to the way how it was properly consume, Ariel was surprised and enjoy the material comfort of Price Eric home. She was used to sleeping in her clam shell and pretty much just float but when she was with Prince Eric, she got her bed and room. The beauty of not getting to walk by foot, having transportation was a blessing to her; unlike in the ocean everything she do she will need to swim.
Coming from a very countryside hometown to the city would be a great change of technology and material comfort. Don’t always have to worry about fixing your own electricity, the dirt road and the problem of using old furniture for something else. 8. Freedom Roaming the sea from one end to another; even swimming in circle, Ariel was supposedly free to do whatever she wanted to do. Even though she was free, her freedom wasn’t granted, she has rules that she have to go by and obey them. Her Father even says “if you live in under my ocean you go by my rule. This is a great example of “American” even though we lived in a country which is consider freedom to all, there’s set of many rules that we have to follow. Doesn’t matter if we are talking about the whole United States it can be as small a set of rules for driving, eating, drinking, and even for when to sleep. 9. Religion Born in the community of Mermaid and are classify as fish in the human world. King Triton already knew that it would be difficult for the two classes to meet and reconcile.
Merpeople and human can’t be together, say King Triton; human are too dangerous for us. Ariel despite the fact that she’s a mermaid, she wants to interact with Prince Eric. She fall in love with him and want to become like him so she can stay by his side. In “American” we have a great diversity of people, and I can relate to this being born into one community and dating into another. With our belief or should I say just my parents; it was a great amount of pressuring and argument when I date my ex-boyfriend. Who’s not the same nationality as I.
I break every rule that was given to me, I crossed every line, and most unfortunately I have done something forbidden. 10. Romantic Love Ariel fell in love with Prince Eric at first sight. She begins to dream of being with Prince Eric; she also went through a whole lot of sacrifices and even disobeys her Father, King Triton rules just so she can get to be side by side with him. She was willing to give up her voice and have made a wrongful deed with Ursula. Can I possibly say that in American, we all have our love at first sight moment? Maybe that can explain why we have so much divorces.
But yes, when a person is in great romance with someone, the things they will do is countless. No sacrifices would be big enough and the time has no limits. 11. American Qualities Generally speaking, the movie itself did not show the important component of cultural transmission because it would take me forever to answer this but I just think its Disney it isn’t real anymore than the American dream is real. Some people aren’t so lucky; if you read the original little mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen it is full of pain and grief and ends really sadly.
When I read it as a child I was profoundly moved and pleased that there was someone out there in pain as I was. Disney fiction pretends these American values without any pain it’s all glossed over as if everything was wonderful and cute, real life it isn’t; it’s a dream of what ought to be, try looking at how our country’s core values aren’t working and ask if the film has anything to say to an abused child, a child in poverty. We can’t pretend the cracks of our society and pretend everything is beautiful and has a happy ending.
