Lion King Reflection

To exemplify Erickson’s psychosocial theory which emphasizes the emergence of the self, the search for identity, the individual’s relationships with others, and the role of culture throughout life (page), I will begin with the opening of the movie which shows Simba at the infancy stage where he is developing a trusting behavior from his parents (Mufasa and Sarabi) and the Hornbill bird, Zazu, who is always reminding everyone to be cautious and careful. His parents accomplished this by providing him a safe and comfortable living environment and Sarabi made sure there was someone wiser (Zazu) to go with him when he wanted to start exploring. Mufasa taught him how to make a living and other new activities,

"The King has returned." These are the powerful words Rafiki uses when telling Nala, Timon, and Pumba that Simba has gone back to the pride lands to overthrow Scar. Before making his entrance to Pride Rock, Simba's "palace," he gains three helpers to assist him in gaining his kingdom back; Nala, Timon, and Pumba all offer their services to him. There are a few scenes in the story that can be easily compared to the Odyssey. First, Simba wants everyone to continue to think he's dead, as Odysseus did prior to his own entrance. Second, Simba uses Timon and Pumba as a form of "Trojan Horse" to distract the hyenas while he and Nala sneak in. Third, Simba tells Nala to "rally the lionesses" as a form of weapon against the hyenas which are like suitors in his palace.

In the movie The Lion King, there are many different types of archetypes shown in many ways. The archetypal pattern that is shown in the movie is end of childhood/loss of innocence. This pattern is about the tragedy of growing up. This is demonstrated in the movie by the loss that Simba experiences with his father. This would be recognized as an individual loss of innocence, because Simba had to learn how to cope with the death of his father. In the movie, Simba would be classified as the hero. A hero is usually the central character with courageous qualities, that must undertake a difficult task. That is exactly what Simba does, he demonstrates this by stopping the antagonist, Scar.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a largely known tragic play with many different interpretations, one of them being The Lion King. The Lion King is a Disney film indicating that the film was targeted for children. Considering Hamlet is largely violent it would not be suitable for children, hence differences were required to make it suitable and understandable for children. However, to keep the origin of Hamlet in The Lion King similarities are also required.

A couple minutes after Nala leaves, Simba is graced with the presence of a crazy baboon named Rafiki who tells him that his father is still alive, inside of him, and that he should follow him if he wants to see for himself. Simba follows the baboon to a pond and looks to where the monkey is pointing. Unfortunately he only sees his own reflection but Rafiki tells Simba to look harder. He then sees his father in the water, realizing what the baboon meant. Mufassa is now in the dark clouds telling Simba that he’s forgotten who he was, therefore he’s forgotten him, and this triggers Simba’s emotions making feel disappointed in himself for not going home like he should have. His father then tells him that he needs to find his place back in the circle of life and says “remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are.” His voice is very deep and almost sounds like he is hurting. Then in an instant he is gone with the storm and Simba is chasing after him begging him not to go.

In “The Lion King”, the Sacraments of Initiation are clearly depicted through events in the movie. The Sacrament of Baptism is shown when he first born and Rafiki presents Simba to the rest of the animals. The Sacrament of Confirmation can be seen when Simba walks over the river with Pumbaa and TImon during the song Hakuna Matata. The final Sacrament of initiation can be seen when Simba eats the bugs with Pumbaa and Timon. These are where the three Sacraments of Initiation can be seen in the movie “The Lion King”.

Simba’s heroic qualities don’t just stand out when he is found by Nala begging him to return to Pride Rock to save everyone and the community, but also when he meets Pumbaa and Timon. He is learning how to survive on his own and how to be a true friend. Simba shows all characteristics of a hero throughout his journey, it begins with his separation from his family, and his choice to runaway. Simba has to deal with guilt and is tested emotionally, he has been told that he killed his father and needs

The film’s use of surrealism is masterfully placed in a way that is interesting to the average viewer. The most notable area in the film is when Simba is thinking about should he leave to go to the pride lands and his father’s image appears in the stars. He receives guidance from beyond. The reason why it was such a compelling scene was because Mufasa’s reappearance validated to the audience that Simba was never alone. He was being watched over by his father in a type of mystical protection. Rafiki, a type of witch doctor, is the most surreal character in the entire film. He knows things before they are said and he give Simba and support that he needs as king. If Rafiki would have never made Mufasa’s image reappear in the sky, Simba would have never returned to go back to the Pride Lands with out him seeing his father again. Rafiki tells Simba that there was a “very peculiar weather” and that he too saw the spirit of Mufasa and that he was not only seeing him in his mind.

Lazarus states her thesis by saying: “The Lion King is breaking box office records. But it’s not breaking stereotypes (1)”. She discusses how at first she believes it will be different from the traditional Disney movies because it is based on a group of animals and not on sexist princess movies such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast (1). Lazarus says she had grown “weary of reinforcing women’s subordinate status by screening fables about a beauty who tames an angry male beast or a mermaid who gives up her glorious voice and splits her body to be with a prince.(1)”

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet explores and condones the same variety of themes in Disney’s The Lion King. Through a number of events, both the antagonists want to take revenge upon their evil uncles. The reader and audience learn the importance of finding happiness when Simba meets Timon and Pumba, but Hamlet is neglected leaving him to spiral into dark thoughts. Another theme explored by both texts is power and how easy it is to lose what’s all around you as well as the even bigger struggle it is to gain it all back. Both texts have a variety of differences, yet they are very similar which makes them unique. Especially The Lion King, being aimed at a younger audience, it is evident to see how Disney has purposely left out harsh topics, such as suicide, to cater for the indented audience.

Nowadays, religion is tied into pop culture from our childhood have this connection that we don’t recognize until later on in life. The Lion King is one film that is associated with religious themes due to it having a story that is similar to some texts. It is a Walt Disney animated film that incorporates a community of animals in a kingdom that is ruled by a lion king named Mufasa. Mufasa has a son named Simba and the story revolves around his adolescent growth and how he is supposed to be next in line to become the future king. The idea of the “Circle of Life” ties into several religions but most specifically it goes hand in hand with Christianity. A ritual is performed on him by Rafiki as a newborn and he is presented to the kingdom with a new life. This aspect is similar to how Christians perform baptism and the significance of having new life brought onto earth. Also the kingdom crowding around this ceremony highlights the similarities even bigger due to how many people gather for the religious ceremonies.

Summary of The Lion King: In the Disney animation loved by families everywhere, The Lion King, Simba, the young lion born into royalty. His parents have high expectation and have strict boundaries. The Lion King follows Simba as he explores the plains of Africa and stirs up trouble with his uncle, Scar.

In 1994, the critics hail an animated masterpiece, not only for its artwork and music, but also for the plotline: an evil uncle displaces the heir to the throne and sends him into exile. Years later, following both a prophecy and an encounter with the ghost of the old king, the heir is persuaded to return to his home, avenge his father's death, and take his proper place as the ruler of the kingdom. At first glance, Disney's The Lion King has all the classic motifs of the revenge plot. These archetypal patterns occur in many stories, and Disney writers Jim Capoblanco and Irene Mecchi may well have built the plot's structure from the ground up. However, if we disregard the Serengeti setting, the

On the other hand, in Disney's The Lion King, Simba's father is killed after he falls from a cliff into a herd of antelope. Simba falls into a deep depression after Scar twists things around and convinces Simba that he is the one responsible for Mufasa's death. Simba can not deal with what has happened and Simba exiles himself where he meets a warthog and meerkat, named Timon and Pumbaa, and develops a carefree lifestyle with them. Later on in the story, as an adult, Simba returns to the Pride Lands to reclaim the throne from Scar.

In this movie we follow common thief named Aladdin who wants a better life for himself and ultimately falls in love with the princess. We learn about his backstory and how he was abandoned as a child and left for the streets. Since then he has made a life for himself along with his companion, a monkey named Abu. We also learn about the princess Jasmine and how she isn’t happy living in the palace so she goes to the streets and there she meets Aladdin. Shortly into the movie Aladdin is helping out Jafar and is taken down and eventually stranded in ‘The Cave of Wonders’ where he stumbles upon a lamp. However this is no ordinary lamp, there is a genie bound to it who appears when someone rubs his lamp they summon the “genie of the lamp”. Aladdin then begins his journey to the top of the food chain with the help of genie who turns him into a prince. Aladdin then competes for Jasmines heart but is turned away when she learns the truth. Jafar then tries to take over Acraba and begins to control the Sultan with magic. He then tries to have Aladdin killed but fails when genie saves his life. The Sultan then discovers, thanks to Aladdin, that Jafar was controlling him and the Sultan has him arrested. The climax of the movie, the battle between Jafar and Aladdin, happens and in the end Aladdin wins and earns Jasmines love.