#1 Mulan: Who She Is & Why You Should Care (Persuasive)
She’s not your ordinary princess.
We’ve all heard of Disney, and more than a few of us have dreamed of becoming a princess like the ones from the movies. But therein lies Disney’s problem. How many films have we watched that follow the same story line? The main girl is overlooked/abused/etc., evil thing/person happens and does something, a prince saves the girl, and boom. They get married, she’s a princess, ‘and they all lived Happily Ever After’. Sound familiar?
With movies like these, we confine girls’ dreams and aspirations to being saved and nothing more. Well, maybe being pretty and having nice dresses. That, too. And there can be nothing wrong with that- except for the fact that there is no other option… for girls. Boys get heroes. They get the struggle, the triumph, the real story. Girls are left with sparkles and singing birds. If I want to sit still and be kissed by a prince, I can do that. But that’s about the only thing I’ve been taught how to do. In an age where technology is an important part of our children’s upbringing (whether we like it or not), it is crucial that we have diverse stories and movies and representation. The movies I watched didn’t teach me how to save myself- but that’s where Mulan comes in.
Immediately, Mulan is introduced as a lovable, earnest character when she is late to the matchmaker but all she wanted was to make her family proud. We then see a more determined and protective side of Mulan when she all but sentences herself to death by stealing her father’s armor and going to join the army in his place. Throughout the movie, the audience is able to observe how Disney balanced her immense strength and courage with her more traditionally feminine qualities, such as her gentleness (in comparison to her friends Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po). Mulan’s character grows throughout the movie but she never loses that original sincerity and determination. By the end of the movie, Mulan has faced extreme challenges and hardships for her country and her family, but when she comes home, she kneels before her father and tells him she brought back gifts to honor the Fa (Hua) family. Let me reiterate. Mulan has literally just rescued her country from the Huns, and she asks for her father’s forgiveness. Can you say humble? This may or may not be her one weakness: though she is incredibly strong and independent, she will always seek the approval of her family. However, there are worse weaknesses to have.
Mulan is important because she saves China, but she is also important because we can see ourselves in her. Arguably the most important part of creating a hero is making them imperfect. The audience needs to be able to find themselves in the hero; they need to be able to believe in themselves. Mulan does just that. We catch glimpses of ourselves when she struggles to live up to her society’s expectations. We see the familiarity in the stubborn father and the headstrong daughter. Mulan’s constant battle between her true self and her ‘reflection’ mirrors our own conflicts with self-image and doubt. Because we can relate so heavily to Mulan, we can begin to believe that we, too, are strong. Though we struggle, we too can triumph. We need common ground so that we can believe that it’s possible for us to climb to the top of that wooden pole and retrieve that arrow. A good hero isn’t perfect. No one is. A good hero- no, a true hero- finds strength in their faults and helps the audience do the same. In other words, a true hero is Mulan.
Who’s your hero now?
