Animism by Adam Schauer
our relationship with the world... or at least explains why I cry every time I watch the movie Up. In my study of children’s films, I hope to expose some of the less obvious tropes and difficult ethical or philosophical questions that these movies instigate. Unfortunately, I will inevitably leave you As emotionally riveting and visually stunning with more questions than answers - that’s just the magic of Disney. So, what if toys did have feelings and purpose? The already as animated films can be, many of them hide an unfortunately derivative preface: what if [insert a non-human object here] had unfortunate implication of this very question is that humans are feelings? Redundant as they may be, each query provokes perti- still the center of the toy universe. The toys do have their own aunent issues about humanity’s ultimate purpose, exposing limita- tonomy and emotions but live to please Andy. This idea seems to tions in our perspective. What if our childhood toys had their own imply the blasphemous idea that human live as borderline deities. lives separate from our presence? What are the ethics surround- Sid, the villain of Toy Story 1, discredits that notion. We are thus immediately faced with our imperfections ing the souls of said toys? (Toy Story and lack of ultimate importance, much 1, 2, and 3) What if bugs had their like the plotline of Bolt, where a “superown fears and social anxieties just like hero” dog learns that his powers are actuus? Would that make swatting a fly What if [insert a non-human ally mere Hollywood stunts and he comes equivalent to murder? (A Bug’s Life, to terms with the daunting reality that he The Bee Movie) What if cars had object here] had feelings? is, in fact, neither particularly special, nor their own purpose? Does that purpose the center of the universe. reflect our bias towards human-cenIn a more poetic, redemptive interpretric philosophies limited by our shaltation of Toy Story, the community of toys low experience in the world? (Cars 1, 2, and 3) What if our very feelings had their own feelings! (Inside mimics that of a utopian body of like-minded religious fanatics, Out) The study of these pertinent hypotheticals through the lens living in community to glorify and please their directly inaccessible of such seemingly secular films offers a deeper understanding of higher power. The toys initially fall out of favor with Andy (as he “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4
10 | Animism in Animation
