So, obviously I'm obsessed with Moana. I saw it last November, and I can't stop listening to the soundtrack and thinking about it. Months later, y'all, and I'm still there. It's that good! There are two parts I want to dissect today, so if you haven't seen it yet, bookmark this post and come back later! Skedaddle! I don't want to spoil anything for you!
If you're still here, I'm assuming you've seen it or don't care about spoilers! The first line I'd like to highlight is in the song, now nominated for an Academy Award, entitled "How Far I'll Go." You can watch the whole song here:
If you're still here, I'm assuming you've seen it or don't care about spoilers! The first line I'd like to highlight is in the song, now nominated for an Academy Award, entitled "How Far I'll Go." You can watch the whole song here:
The part I love the most is this:
"I can lead with pride/ I can make us strong/ I'll be satisfied/ If I play along/ But the voice inside/ Sings a different song/ What is wrong with me?"
How powerful is that, y'all? How often do we try and play along to make others happy, when all the while our hearts are leading us another direction? What courage it takes to change your life and realize the voice inside is the main one you should be listening to?
The second moment I want to discuss comes later in the film, as Moana realizes who Te Ka really is. She sings, "They have stolen the heart from inside you/ But this does not define you/ This is not who you are/ You know who you are."
The worst thing to happen to you doesn't have to define you. How many people, all over the world, need to hear that message? Whatever life or other people have thrown at you, that you've suffered through, you are still you. Perhaps a changed you, a different version. We all see the world differently after we've been hurt. But turning into a monster only makes you more similar to the one who hurt you, and removes you from yourself. It's okay to change, and it's okay if part of you stays the same.
The overarching message of Moana is, truly, that the worst thing to happen to you doesn't have to define you. Moana's father lives in fear due to a tragic past; Maui feels as though he is missing a critical part of himself without his hook; Te Fiti turns into a literal monster after she is attacked. Moana teaches all three of them that the past, and their greatest fears, do not have to dictate how they live their lives.
Moana comes out to Disney digital on February 21 and on blu-ray March 7. I'll be here counting down if you need me!
What was your favorite part of Moana?
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