With Disney's newest movie Turning Red making its debut in March 2022, it shows viewers, once again, that Disney has a way of getting a message across. They aren't afraid to take on different issues, as audiences have seen with recent releases. It's not just about villains anymore, but issues that viewers can relate to, like family issues and the pains of growing up.
Disney has a lot of wise characters, whether they're from newer movies or older movies. When dealing with the conflicts in the story, the characters have had quite a few quotes that prove just how wise they can be.
Be Brave
"Our Fate Lives Within Us. You Just Have To Be Brave Enough To See It." - Merida, Brave
Brave is one of 25 Pixar movies. The protagonist, Merida, wants to take her fate into her own hands and often butts heads with her overbearing, proper mother who is training her to be a queen. Merida accidentally turns her mother into a bear and to fix it she needs to mend their broken bond.
Brave is a wonderful tale about following her heart and accepting your fate. Merida is stubborn and determined, but she's brave enough to do what's best for herself. Her words ring true about being brave enough to see your fate, and they're words to live by and remember when feeling at a loss.
Keep Swimming
"Just Keep Swimming." - Dory, Finding Nemo
Dory might not remember much in Finding Nemo, but once meeting Marlin, her memory slowly gets better. Together they venture across the ocean to find Marlin's son, Nemo, who was taken by a diver. Dory helps Marlin get all the way to Sydney with her odd memory and strange tactics.
When things got scary for Marlin, Dory encouraged him to just keep swimming. The same can be said for real-life situations that might be difficult to go through. When things get tough, viewers can live by Dory's wise words and just keep swimming.
The Past Can Hurt
"The Past Can Hurt. But The Way I See It, You Can Either Run From It Or Learn From It." - Rafiki, The Lion King
The Lion King is about a young lion who needs to face his past to become who he really is. After Mufasa died, Simba was chased off by his uncle, Scar, and lived a quiet life in the jungle. After a while, the past caught up to him, though, and Rafiki quite literally smacked him in the head to get his point across.
Rafiki's tactics might not be the best, but his quote about the past is one to live by. The past can be painful and hard to face, but if you don't learn from it, you won't ever move past it. And running from past problems never helped anyone.
The Right Path
"Sometimes, The Right Path Is Not Always The Easiest One." - Pocahontas
In Pocahontas, a young girl struggles with choosing the right path for herself. On one hand, she has a match made up for her and she can lead her people. On the other, an outsider calls to her and makes her question her normal life. In the end, she chooses her people, but that doesn't mean the choice was easy.
Pocahontas's words are wise and noteworthy. Oftentimes, people chose the path of the least resistance to follow, but that doesn't mean it'll always be the right one. Sometimes the right path has bumps in the road, and that's okay.
Differences
"The Things That Make Me Different Are The Things That Make Me, Me." - Piglet, Winnie The Pooh
Piglet is the best friend of Winnie The Pooh. He can often be seen taking on big tasks that he might be too small for, but he's determined to help. Piglet has a big heart and isn't afraid to show it, even if he's afraid of everything else. When his friends need help, he'll always be there.
Although Piglet is small and sometimes has a stutter, he doesn't let his differences hold him down. He knows that what's different about him is what makes him, himself, and his words are words to live by. Don't hide your differences, bask in them, and show the world, because that's what stands out.
What Lies Ahead
"If You Focus On What You Left Behind, You Will Never See What Lies Ahead." - Gusteau, Ratatouille
Ratatouille is one of the best food movies of all time. Remy the rat wants to become a chef against his family's wishes and helps a young chef despite what they want. This movie truly shows viewers that you can do whatever you set your mind to.
Along with that lesson, it always has famous quotes. As said by Gusteau, if you focus on what's behind you, you'll never see what's in front of you. Living by those words is a good way to keep going forward and working toward the future. Focusing on the past will never help you see what's ahead. Keep your eyes forward.
Be Bold
"You Don't Have Time To Be Timid. You Must Be Bold. Daring." - Lumière, Beauty and the Beast
The story of Beauty and the Beast has had many adaptations, but the original Disney movie will always have the heart of fans. The story is a classic, with beloved characters and songs. And while many of the characters are heartwarming and wise, one quote by Lumière stands out.
The animated candelabra encourages his master to be bold and daring, and these are words to live by. Not only does this quote encourage Beast, but it also encourages viewers. To get what you want, you have to be bold sometimes and take steps. Being timid certainly won't get you to where you want to be.
What You Need
"When You Find Out Who You Are, You Find Out What You Need." - Mama Odie, The Princess And The Frog
When Tiana and Prince Naveen get turned into frogs in The Princess and the Frog, they escape to the bayou, where they find the voodoo queen Mama Odie. She encourages the two frogs to dig deeper into what they think they want. There's even a whole musical number that she dedicates to the pair for them to figure out what they want.
Mama Odie told them that when they find who they are, they'll find what they need. Sometimes what you want may not be what you need, and Mama Odie's words are wise words to live by. Once you figure out who you are, you will find what you need. It might take some time, but you'll get there.
Life Is A Journey
"Life Is A Journey To Be Experienced, Not A Problem To Be Solved." - Pooh, Winnie The Pooh
Pooh is a stuffed bear who acts human and is one of the best characters in Winnie The Pooh. He's often seen eating his honey or collecting honey from beehives throughout his day and giving a helping hand when he can. While he can usually be naive and absent-minded, he sometimes has a wise thought or quote that he can be seen sharing with his friends.
In his quote about life, he makes a valid point about it being something to be experienced. Life isn't a problem to be solved, and it would be wise to live by that. Life is to be experienced and not something to fix.
Know Your Worth
"And I Glow 'Cause I Know What My Worth Is." - Luisa, Encanto
Encanto is about the amazing Madrigals, a family whose candle gifts them magical abilities. While Luisa isn't the main character, she certainly stands out with her impressive strength and awesome song, "Surface Pressure." Luisa carries the weight of everything on her shoulders and her family expects her to handle it. And she does, for the most part. But that doesn't mean she doesn't crack under the pressure.
During her musical number, she says she glows, because she knows her worth. These are wise words to live by because it encourages viewers to always know their worth in any situation. Once you know your worth, you'll be glowing too.