Thoughts On Howl’s Moving Castle

On The Beauty of Aging

This article contains spoilers.

INTRODUCTION

Howl’s Moving Castle had a lot of confusing elements. The movie began nicely, but its middle and end parts felt scattered. I think this confusion stems from the many profound themes this film tackled. It spoke of the importance of self-acceptance, the consequences of war, and having the courage to stand for something.

But what particularly struck me, though, was its portrayal of aging. After Sophie gets cursed by the Witch of the Waste, she ages prematurely. Throughout the story, we’re shown how this curse affects Sophie.

Aging is a delicate topic because people have mixed outlooks about it. Nonetheless, Howl’s Moving Castle tells us aging can be beautiful. That it’s a gift and privilege to grow old.

PLOT

Sophie, a daughter of a hatmaker, doesn’t expect much from her life, as she is content with working at the hat shop. However, her life takes a sudden turn when upon being put in an uncomfortable situation, Howl, a mysterious wizard, appears to rescue her.