Strong Family Relationships of Disney Movies: The Lion King and Brave and their Effect on American Families

When you watch a Walt Disney Studios motion picture, you usually know what to expect.  Most of its animated films follow the same formula.  An innocent young girl and an adventurous boy who come from different backgrounds meet; there is a disagreement within the family of the protagonists; a conflict arises between the characters involving some sinisterly drawn, almost comically evil villain; followed by lots of G-rated action, clean comedy, and a lot of spontaneous singing.  

Despite these repeated themes, Disney's films are both extremely popular and iconic.  I know all of you can remember your favorite scenes from your favorite Disney movies, and singing along to every song as a child. Not only are these movies influential, the influences they have are very beneficial to families.

The strong family in The Lion King

The strong family in Brave

Just look at the way Disney portrays families!  Family is addressed in every Disney movie, and is almost always a key part of a movie’s plot.  Disney leaves no stone unturned, for many different family types are portrayed, including traditional and alternative.  The family members in these movies always interact with each other and show their ability to solve problems through communication and commitment.  Disney usually chooses to show this through a relationship between a parent and their child.

There is a lot to learn from Disney's example, and with so many people having problems with their own families today, these movies may be the perfect source to help them out.  This is especially helpful for mother, fathers, and kids because Disney movies emphasize so many strong bonds between parents and their children.

That’s a heavy statement, but after looking at the plot of some of these movies, it has to be true.  For example, in the classic 1994 film The Lion King and the most recent Disney Pixar production Brave, the emphasis is clearly on the family relationship between the protagonists and their fathers or mothers. These movies focus on how these significant relationships affect the characters' lives, especially in the face of conflict, change or, specifically to The Lion King, the death of a beloved father.